How to Use Gaussian Splats with Revit: A Guide for AEC Teams Using Splat Labs Cloud

Your building designs live in Revit. Your site captures, as-built documentation, and progress monitoring scans now live as Gaussian Splats in Splat Labs Cloud. This guide shows you how to connect the two — so your architects, engineers, and construction managers can view photorealistic 3D reality capture alongside their BIM models without leaving the Autodesk ecosystem.

We cover two methods that work today with what Splat Labs Cloud already provides — shareable viewer URLs and embeddable iframes — followed by a look at the native Revit integration we are actively building.

Why Gaussian Splats Matter for Revit Users

Revit users have always relied on point clouds to bring real-world context into their BIM environment. Point clouds work, but they have limitations: they appear as sparse dots, they lack photorealistic texture, and large scans can choke Revit's viewport performance.

Gaussian Splats change this. A Gaussian Splat is a photorealistic 3D representation that looks like a continuous, textured scene rather than a cloud of colored dots. You can orbit, zoom, and walk through a Gaussian Splat and it looks like you are looking at a photograph from every angle. The capture process is fast — walk through a space with a handheld scanner like the PortalCam or Lixel L2 Pro, fly a drone overhead, or even use a smartphone — and within minutes you have a complete, navigable 3D model of the real world.

For Revit users, this means:

Design-in-context: View your BIM model alongside a photorealistic capture of the existing site, neighboring buildings, or interior conditions — not just sparse point clouds.
As-built verification: Compare what was designed in Revit to what was actually built, with enough visual fidelity to spot finish details, not just structural alignment.
Progress monitoring: Capture the jobsite weekly or monthly and review construction progress against the Revit model without dispatching inspectors.
Client presentations: Show clients their future building in the context of the real, photorealistic surrounding environment.
Renovation and retrofit: Scan the existing building, view the photorealistic capture alongside your proposed Revit modifications, and make design decisions with full visual context.

Before You Start

For each method below, you need two things:

A Splat Labs Cloud account with your Gaussian Splats uploaded and organized into projects. Sign up free at splatlabs.ai or go directly to the platform at cloud.rockrobotic.com.
A viewer URL for each project you want to connect to Revit workflows. Every Splat Labs project has a viewer URL in this format:

https://cloud.rockrobotic.com/viewer/{project-id}?view=splat

Copy this URL from the Share dialog — you will use it throughout this guide.

You have three ways to control who can view your Gaussian Splats when accessed from Revit workflows:

Public link sharing — Enable "Link sharing enabled" in the Share dialog. Anyone with the URL can view the splat without signing in. Simplest option for non-sensitive projects.
Email sharing (Business plan) — Share the project with specific users by email. Only those users can view it after authenticating. This works with both hyperlinks and iframe embeds — viewers are prompted to sign in when they access the viewer.
Enterprise groups (Enterprise plan) — Every project created by a user in an Enterprise group is automatically available to everyone in that group. No per-project sharing required. All group members can view any project in iframes or hyperlinks without manual sharing.

All three options work with every method described in this guide, including the web-based split view with iframe embeds. For more detail on access strategies for sensitive AEC projects, see the Managing Access for Sensitive Projects section at the end of this guide.

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Method 1: Side-by-Side Viewing with Hyperlinks

Best for: Any Revit user who wants to quickly reference a 3D capture while working on a model. Works today, no plugins, no configuration.

How it works: You store the Splat Labs viewer URL as a shared parameter on Revit elements (or in a project-level parameter), and open it in a browser when you need to reference the real-world capture. This is the simplest approach — it keeps your Revit workflow untouched and gives you one-click access to the photorealistic 3D view.

Complexity: Low — no coding, no plugins, works with any version of Revit.

Step 1: Create a Shared Parameter

In Revit, create a shared parameter to store the Splat Labs viewer URL on relevant elements:

Go to Manage → Shared Parameters.
Create a new group called SplatLabs (or add to an existing group).
Add a new parameter:

Parameter Name	Discipline	Type
`SplatLabs_URL`	Common	Text

Click OK to save.

Step 2: Add the Parameter to Your Project

Go to Manage → Project Parameters.
Click Add.
Select your SplatLabs_URL shared parameter.
Assign it to the relevant categories — for example:
- Rooms (if you have per-room captures)
- Levels (if you have per-floor captures)
- Generic Models or Site (for whole-building or site captures)
- Walls, Floors, Structural Foundations (for specific element inspection)
Choose Instance parameter (so each element can have its own URL).

Step 3: Populate the URL

Select a Revit element that has a corresponding Gaussian Splat capture and open its Properties pane. Paste the Splat Labs viewer URL into the SplatLabs_URL field:

https://cloud.rockrobotic.com/viewer/e6d9b3eb-35bb-4a73-8499-8f2e3ad21d4b?view=splat

Step 4: Open the Viewer

When you need to reference the capture, select the element, copy the URL from the Properties pane, and open it in your browser. The Splat Labs viewer loads a fully interactive, photorealistic 3D scene that you can orbit, zoom, and measure — side-by-side with your Revit viewport.

Tip: Arrange your Revit window and browser window side-by-side on a dual-monitor setup. Navigate to the same area in both views. This gives you a live comparison between the BIM model and the real-world capture.

Optional: Add More Context Parameters

For teams managing many captures, add additional shared parameters to track capture metadata:

Parameter Name	Type	Description
`SplatLabs_URL`	Text	Viewer URL for this element's capture
`SplatLabs_ProjectID`	Text	Splat Labs project UUID (useful for scripting)
`SplatLabs_CaptureDate`	Text	Date the Gaussian Splat was captured
`SplatLabs_CaptureSource`	Text	How it was captured (PortalCam, Lixel L2 Pro, drone, phone)

This metadata helps your team filter and manage captures over time — identifying which areas need re-capture, tracking coverage, and reporting on documentation status.

Dynamo Script for Bulk URL Population

If you have many elements to link — say, every room on every floor — you can automate URL population using Dynamo. Here is the logic:

Select all Room elements in the model.
For each Room, construct the Splat Labs URL using a naming convention that maps Room names or numbers to Splat Labs project IDs.
Write the URL to the SplatLabs_URL parameter on each Room.

This is especially useful when your Splat Labs projects follow a consistent naming convention like {Building}-{Level}-{Room} that maps to your Revit room schedule.

Method 2: Web-Based Split View with Autodesk Platform Services

Best for: Teams that want to see the Revit model and Gaussian Splat in the same browser window, overlaid or side-by-side, without installing any desktop software.

How it works: Autodesk Platform Services (APS, formerly Forge) provides a browser-based 3D viewer that can load Revit models from Autodesk Construction Cloud. You build a simple web page that places the APS viewer and the Splat Labs viewer side-by-side — or overlays them — giving users a unified viewing experience in the browser.

Complexity: Medium — requires web development skills and an APS account, but no Revit desktop plugin development.

Architecture

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│               Web Browser                     │
│                                               │
│  ┌──────────────────┐  ┌──────────────────┐  │
│  │   APS Viewer     │  │  Splat Labs      │  │
│  │   (Revit Model)  │  │  Viewer          │  │
│  │                  │  │  (Gaussian Splat) │  │
│  │                  │  │                   │  │
│  └──────────────────┘  └──────────────────┘  │
│                                               │
│  [ Camera Sync ]  [ Measurement ]  [ Share ]   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘

How to Build It

Set up APS: Register for an Autodesk Platform Services account and create an application. Use the Model Derivative API to translate your Revit model for web viewing.
Embed both viewers: Create an HTML page with two panels. Load the APS Viewer (using the Autodesk Viewer JavaScript SDK) in one panel and the Splat Labs viewer (via iframe) in the other.
Optional camera sync: Use the APS Viewer's camera API and the Splat Labs viewer's URL parameters to synchronize the viewpoint between both panels. When a user navigates in the APS viewer, update the Splat Labs viewer to match.
Share the link: Host the page and share the URL with project stakeholders. They see the Revit BIM model and the photorealistic Gaussian Splat side-by-side in their browser — no software installation required.

Embed Code for Splat Labs Viewer

<iframe
  src="https://cloud.rockrobotic.com/viewer/{project-id}?view=splat"
  width="100%"
  height="100%"
  frameborder="0"
  allowfullscreen
  loading="eager">
</iframe>

When to Use This Approach

This method is particularly valuable for stakeholder reviews, owner presentations, and cross-discipline coordination meetings where not everyone has Revit installed. Everyone can see the BIM model and the reality capture in one browser window, navigate independently, and discuss design decisions in context.

For more on embedding the Splat Labs viewer, see How to Embed a 3D Gaussian Splat Viewer on Your Website.

Recommended Revit Parameter Schema

To get the most out of Splat Labs integration with Revit (Method 1 and beyond), add these shared parameters to your Revit project:

Parameter Name	Type	Category Assignment	Description
`SplatLabs_URL`	Text	Rooms, Levels, Site, Generic Models	The Splat Labs viewer URL for this element
`SplatLabs_ProjectID`	Text	Rooms, Levels, Site, Generic Models	The Splat Labs project UUID
`SplatLabs_CaptureDate`	Text	Rooms, Levels, Site, Generic Models	When the Gaussian Splat was captured
`SplatLabs_CaptureSource`	Text	Rooms, Levels, Site, Generic Models	How it was captured (PortalCam, Lixel L2 Pro, drone, phone)

The SplatLabs_URL parameter is the minimum. The additional parameters help your team manage a growing capture library — filtering by date, tracking which areas need re-capture, and reporting on documentation coverage across the project.

Example Workflows

Renovation Design Review

Survey crew captures the existing building interior with a PortalCam or Lixel L2 Pro handheld scanner.
The Gaussian Splat is uploaded to Splat Labs Cloud and placed in the appropriate project folder.
The architect opens the corresponding Revit element, pastes the viewer URL into the SplatLabs_URL parameter, and opens it in a browser.
With the Splat Labs viewer on one monitor and Revit on the other, the architect designs the renovation with full visual context of the existing conditions — seeing every wall finish, ceiling condition, and fixture location in photorealistic detail.

Construction Progress Monitoring

A field team captures the jobsite every two weeks using a drone or handheld scanner.
Each capture is uploaded to the same Splat Labs project. The platform's 4D Timeline feature aligns the captures and creates a time slider.
The project manager shares the Splat Labs 4D Timeline URL with the team or attaches it to project documentation.
During progress meetings, the team opens the 4D Timeline, scrubs through captures to verify work completion, and compares the as-built reality to the Revit design model on an adjacent screen.
Any discrepancies are documented with the Splat Labs viewer link as visual evidence.

As-Built Documentation and Handover

At project completion, the survey team captures a comprehensive Gaussian Splat of the finished building — every room, every floor, the exterior, the roof, and the site.
The captures are uploaded to Splat Labs Cloud and organized by building area.
The BIM manager populates the SplatLabs_URL parameter on every Room element in the Revit model, creating a direct link between each modeled room and its photorealistic as-built capture.
The Revit model is published or shared with the owner. The owner receives a BIM model where every room links to a navigable 3D walkthrough of the actual built condition.
Facility management teams use these links for years afterward — clicking a room in the model to visually inspect ceiling conditions, equipment locations, and finish details without visiting the site.

Site Context for New Construction

Before design begins, a drone captures the construction site and surrounding area as a Gaussian Splat.
The capture is uploaded to Splat Labs Cloud.
The architect references the Splat Labs viewer alongside their Revit site model, using the photorealistic 3D context to inform massing decisions, sight line studies, and setback compliance.
During client presentations, the architect shows the Revit model on one screen and the site's Gaussian Splat on the other, helping the client visualize how the proposed building relates to the real surrounding environment.

Hardware for Capturing Gaussian Splats

Splat Labs Cloud works with Gaussian Splats from any source — you are not locked into specific hardware. That said, we sell capture devices optimized for professional AEC workflows:

Device	Best For	Output
PortalCam	Interior scanning, room-by-room capture, real estate	LCC Gaussian Splats (photorealistic, navigable 3D)
Lixel L2 Pro	Survey-grade interiors and exteriors, large buildings, infrastructure	LAS point clouds + LCC Gaussian Splats
ROCK R3 Pro V2	Drone-mounted LiDAR for sites and buildings	LAS point clouds
ROCK R3 V2	Aerial LiDAR mapping for large areas	LAS point clouds

The PortalCam and Lixel L2 Pro are manufactured by XGRIDS, whose LCC for Revit plugin was co-developed with Autodesk and presented at Autodesk DevCon Europe 2025. When you capture with these devices and upload to Splat Labs Cloud, you are working with the same LCC file format that powers the most advanced Gaussian Splat integration in the Revit ecosystem today.

You can also create Gaussian Splats using third-party software like Postshot, Luma AI, Polycam, Kiri Engine, or Lichtfield.ai and upload them to Splat Labs Cloud in PLY, SPLAT, KSPLAT, or XGRIDS format. If you can create a splat, Splat Labs can host it.

Upload Your First Splat — Start Free

Managing Access for Sensitive Projects

AEC projects often involve security-sensitive buildings, proprietary designs, or confidential construction details. Splat Labs gives you full control over who can view your Gaussian Splats — and every access method works with all integration methods described in this guide, including iframe embeds.

When link sharing is enabled, anyone with the URL can view the splat without signing in. This is appropriate for:

General construction documentation (residential, commercial, institutional)
Client presentations where you control who receives the link
Progress reports shared with known project stakeholders

The URL contains a UUID and is not indexed by search engines, but it is not authenticated — if someone shares the link, the recipient can view it.

Email-Based Access (Business Plan)

For sensitive projects, use Splat Labs Cloud's email-based sharing:

In the Share dialog, keep Link sharing disabled.
Add the email addresses of authorized team members.
Only those users — after signing in — can view the project.

This works with all integration methods, including iframe embeds in the web-based split view (Method 2). When an authorized user opens a page containing an embedded Splat Labs viewer, they are prompted to sign in. Once authenticated, the iframe loads and they can interact with the 3D scene normally.

Enterprise Groups (Enterprise Plan)

For organizations that need seamless, team-wide access without sharing every project individually, the Enterprise plan provides group-based access control:

Every project created by a user in an Enterprise group is automatically available to all other group members — no manual sharing required.
Embedded viewers are access-controlled by group membership. All group members can view iframe embeds without additional sharing steps.
Enterprise Managers have full visibility across all projects in the organization.
Three roles (Enterprise Manager, Creator, User) provide granular control over who can create, edit, delete, and share projects and folders.

Enterprise plans start with 3 users and 50 projects, scaling up to 20+ users and 500+ projects. See Pricing for details or contact our team to discuss Enterprise options.

Practical Access Strategy for AEC

For most AEC deployments, we recommend:

Enterprise groups for your core team — architects, engineers, project managers, field crews. Everyone in the group automatically sees every project. Embedded viewers just work for authenticated group members.
Email-based sharing for external stakeholders, clients, or consultants who need access to specific projects but are not part of your Enterprise group.
Public link sharing for non-sensitive content where you want the simplest possible access — no sign-in required.

For more detail, see Sharing and Access Control in Splat Labs.

Naming Conventions and Project Organization

As your Gaussian Splat library grows, consistent organization becomes essential. Here are recommendations for AEC teams working with Revit.

Splat Labs Cloud Project Naming

Use a naming convention that maps to your Revit project structure:

{ProjectNumber}-{Building}-{Level}-{Area}-{CaptureDate}

Examples:

2025-0142-BLDGA-L02-MECH-2025-08-15 (Project 0142, Building A, Level 2, Mechanical Room, August 15 2025)
2025-0142-SITE-EXTERIOR-2025-06-01 (Project 0142, Site Exterior, June 1 2025)
2025-0142-BLDGA-L01-LOBBY-2025-09-22 (Project 0142, Building A, Level 1, Lobby, September 22 2025)

Splat Labs Cloud Folder Structure

Organize your workspace to mirror your Revit project hierarchy:

📁 2025-0142 Mixed Use Development
   📁 Site & Context
      📁 Pre-Construction Survey
      📁 Monthly Progress
   📁 Building A
      📁 Level 01
      📁 Level 02
      📁 Level 03
      📁 Exterior
   📁 Building B
      📁 Level 01
      📁 Level 02
   📁 As-Built Final

This makes it easy for BIM managers to find the right capture when populating the SplatLabs_URL parameter in Revit, and for project managers to browse captures by location and date.

Troubleshooting

The viewer URL shows a permission error

Confirm that Link sharing is enabled on the Splat Labs project. Without it, the viewer URL returns an access error. Open the project in Splat Labs Cloud, click Share, and check the toggle.

Large captures load slowly

Gaussian Splats stream progressively — the viewer first loads a low-resolution version, then refines the detail. This is normal behavior. If loading feels unusually slow, check your internet connection. Splat Labs Cloud uses optimized streaming designed for mobile, so even large captures should load within seconds on a reasonable connection.

The iframe embed shows a blank panel

If you are using the web-based approach (Method 2) and the iframe shows blank, check your browser's developer console for X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy errors. Splat Labs Cloud allows iframe embedding by default, so these errors typically come from your organization's network security policies. Contact your IT team to whitelist cloud.rockrobotic.com.

Revit shared parameters do not appear

Make sure you assigned the shared parameter to the correct category in Step 2 of Method 1. The parameter will only appear in the Properties pane for elements that belong to the assigned categories. If you assigned it to Rooms but are selecting a Wall, the parameter will not be visible on that Wall.

What We Are Building: Native Revit Integration

Everything described above works today using Splat Labs Cloud's existing sharing and embedding capabilities. But we are not stopping there. Splat Labs is building a native Revit integration so you can bring Gaussian Splats directly into the Revit interface — no workarounds, no side-by-side browser windows, no manual URL copying.

Here is what is on our roadmap.

Splat Labs Connector for Revit

We are developing a Revit add-in that brings the Splat Labs cloud viewer directly inside the Revit interface:

Dockable viewer panel: A panel within Revit that loads the Splat Labs cloud viewer, powered by WebView2. You will see the photorealistic Gaussian Splat right alongside your Revit model — in the same application window, not a separate browser tab.
Cloud project browser: Browse, search, and select from your Splat Labs projects without leaving Revit. The plugin authenticates with your Splat Labs account via OAuth2 and lists all your available projects and captures.
Element-level linking: Click a Revit element, click a button in the Splat Labs panel, and the plugin automatically writes the viewer URL and project metadata to that element's shared parameters. No manual copying and pasting.
Camera synchronization: Navigate in Revit's 3D view and the Splat Labs viewer follows. Rotate, zoom, or section in Revit, and the embedded Gaussian Splat viewer updates its viewpoint to match — giving you a live, synchronized comparison between the BIM model and reality.
Automatic parameter population: For teams with consistent naming conventions, the plugin will suggest Splat Labs project matches based on Revit element attributes (room name, level, building), reducing manual effort when linking captures across large projects.

OAuth2 API and Enterprise Authentication

Access-controlled iframes and embedded viewers already work today — you can use email sharing (Business plan) or Enterprise groups to control who can view your Gaussian Splats in the web-based split view and in the upcoming dockable panel. No public link sharing required.

To support the Revit connector and enable seamless authentication, we are also building:

OAuth2 authentication for Revit — Authenticate through Autodesk so you can browse and select your Splat Labs projects from within the Revit plugin without switching to the Splat Labs dashboard. The plugin will pull a list of all your available projects so you can easily select and add them.
SSO/SAML support — Enterprise single sign-on so your Autodesk users authenticate to Splat Labs with the same corporate credentials they already use — one login for both platforms.

Summary

Method	What You Need	Viewer Experience	Available
Shared parameter hyperlinks	Revit (any version)	Opens in browser tab	Today
Web-based split viewer (APS)	APS account + web development	Side-by-side in browser	Today
Splat Labs Revit Connector	Revit plugin (coming soon)	Dockable panel inside Revit	Coming Soon

Start with Method 1 if you want to test the workflow in five minutes. Use Method 2 when you need the Revit model and Gaussian Splat in one browser window for stakeholder reviews. And stay tuned for the Splat Labs Connector for Revit — no browser tabs, no workarounds, just photorealistic reality capture inside your Revit workflow.

Using Autodesk Construction Cloud (BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Build, Autodesk Docs)? See our dedicated guide: How to Use Gaussian Splats with Autodesk Construction Cloud.