Session 1.2
Dynamo packing made easier: transforming a fun layout planning exercise into a practical multi-family residential project application
Synopsis:
Conceptually laying out apartment units in housing projects require plenty of setup time in Revit and is a tedious process. This presentation demonstrates how Dynamo and Revit help designers navigate and plan apartment units’ layout. We will learn how to take sketch-like Revit elements of a design concept and generate a suitable apartment plan layout. We will define parametric relationships between these elements like building shape, units types, sizes, mix area limit, setbacks, etc.
Learning Objectives:
1. Discover the steps involved in transforming Revit sketch lines and boundaries to generate a master planning grid for a typical apartments floor.
2. Learn about the different ways in Dynamo geometrical transformations like: offset, extend, trim, vector directions, etc.
3. Recognize the benefits from automating repetitive design tasks and measuring ROI from a firm strategic planning goal. In addition, see how to capture manual design task and shape them into a successful computational design framework
Body:
Conceptually laying out apartment units in multi-family residential projects require a lot of setup time in Revit and is a tedious process. This presentation demonstrates how Dynamo and Revit gives the opportunity for designers to navigate, automate and plan apartment units’ layout. We will learn how to take sketch-like Revit elements of a design concept and generate a suitable apartment plan layout. We will define the parametric relationships between these elements like building shape layout, units types & sizes, area limit, setbacks, etc.
This proposed workflow comes with many challenges and merits especially when it comes to visualizing the results in 3D output and generating visual charts to compare the targeted vs. actual results. By using Revit, Dynamo and the proposed workflow, we will demonstrate how to reduce the lead time to produce variations for apartment unit layouts. A case study project will be presented to show the application of design alternatives especially at the schematic design phase.
We created three Dynamo definitions which are in current development. One takes a Revit line- sketch for a schematic layout so that to generate a master conceptual planning grid of a typical floor. The second definition uses the Dynamo Packing. Pack node, with its challenging applications, to automatically generate the units’ layouts. The Third definition handles the 3D visualization as well as the unit mix tabulation in a chart-style. the During this presentation, we will address important issues such as:
– The limitations, challenges, and benefits of the proposed workflow.
– Important parametric setup for the Revit geometry and the units family library.
– Ability to dynamically generate feasible solution and designer intervention.
The proposed approach has been found to be a time-saving exercise and efficient in generating layout designs for standard unit types and required mix based on parametric design. The integration of the workflow inside BIM can allow design practitioners to generate floor layout concepts with evaluations especially from a coordinated modular constructability perspectives.