Computational Design

for BIM
INSTRUCTOR MANUAL
2016

academy.autodesk.com
INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Table of Contents

Project Overview.......................................................................... 3

Design Brief....................................................................... 3

Prerequisites...................................................................... 3

Learning Objectives. ........................................................... 3

Project Concepts.......................................................................... 4

Module 01 - Getting started with Dynamo.......................... 4

Project Resources......................................................................... 7

Module01 - Getting started with Dynamo . ......................... 7

Appendix..................................................................................... 8

Appendix A

Installation process for Autodesk® Dynamo. ....................... 8

Installation process for Autodesk® Dynamo Studio............. 8

Appendix B

Revit keyboard shortcut listing............................................ 9

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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Project Overview
PROJECT BRIEF
Computational Design for BIM

Autodesk® Dynamo Studio software is a standalone programming environment that lets designers create visual logic to explore parametric
conceptual designs and automate tasks. Help solve challenges faster by designing workflows that drive the geometry and behavior of design
models. Extend your designs into interoperable workflows for documentation, fabrication, coordination, simulation, and analysis. We begin
with the over arching concepts behind visual programming for Dynamo. Then, we apply these concepts through two tangible project. The
first project is a parametric attractor program. The final Dynamo program interacts with Revit to create a parametric conceptual tower.

SOFTWARE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Autodesk® Revit ® 2015, SP3 and
higher

Autodesk® Dynamo 01 Understand the concepts of visual programming.

Autodesk® Dynamo Studio

TIME 02 Understand the potential of visual programming.

03
6 - 10 HOURS
Apply visual programming to Building Information Modeling.
LEVEL
Intermediate
04 Create a parametric attractor using Dynamo and Revit.

05
PREREQUISITE
Create a conceptual parametric tower using Dynamo and Revit.
How-To video series for Revit:
• User Interface
• File Management
and more

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Dynamo Studio Online Help

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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Project Concepts
MODULE ONE: GETTING STARTED WITH DYNAMO

SOFTWARE COVERED:

Autodesk® Revit® 2015 and higher.

Autodesk® Dynamo or Autodesk® Dynamo Studio

MODULE ONE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Understand the concepts of visual programming.

• Understand the potential of visual programming.

• Apply visual programming to Building Information Modeling.

PARAMETRIC LINE GENERATOR

EXERCISE 1: GETTING STARTED WITH DYNAMO

Estimated time 15 - 20 minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE ONE:

• Getting started with Dynamo Studio

• Access Dynamo plug-in inside Revit

• Dynamo user interface overview

• Dynamo node library

• Opening Dynamo files PARAMETRIC SOLAR PANEL ORIENTATION DRIVEN BY THE REVIT
SUN PATH
• Switch between script and model environments

• Saving Dynamo files

EXERCISE 2: THE ANATOMY OF A DEFINITION EXERCISE 3: DATA MANAGEMENT

Estimated time 15 - 20 minutes Estimated time 15 - 20 minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE TWO: LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE THREE:

• Definitions for Revit families • Creating and working with lists

• Launch Dynamo in Mass family template • Creating a list of points

• Introduction to nodes • View list of points in 3D background

• Data flow through ports • Lacing of lists

• Introduction to watch nodes • Creating a grid of points

• Duplicating nodes • Creating line geometry

• Introduction to sliders • Adding mathematical functions

• Enable background 3D preview

• Creating Revit geometry

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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL
Project Concepts
MODULE ONE: GETTING STARTED WITH DYNAMO
CONT’D
EXERCISE 4: NESTED LIST MANAGEMENT
Estimated time 15 - 20 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE FOUR:
• Constructing a sequence of numbers for a point by coordinates
node
• Navigating through listing of points visually
• Create circle and polygon geometry
• Hide preview of specific nodes in 3D background
• Define new sequence of values for Y coordinate
• Creating a transpose node
EXERCISE 5: COMPUTATIONAL LOGIC PART 1
Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE FIVE:
• Creating a computational attractor system
• Create a new Revit project file
• Create a sequence of X and Y coordinates
• Create a grid of point geometry
• Create circles at each grid point
• Create polygons at each grid point
• Creating a sun node and setting the orientation of the panels
• Dynamically control solar panel orientation from Revit environ-
ment
EXERCISE 6: COMPUTATIONAL LOGIC PART 2
Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE SIX:
• How to instantiate a Revit family element
• Create a new Revit project file and load a column family
• Place column instances in the Revit project
• Launch Dynamo and create a Revit family node
• Create a family by instance by point node
• Create an attractor to determine column family to be placed
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EXERCISE 7: PARAMETRIC ASSEMBLY PART 1
Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE SEVEN:
• How to reference element curves in Revit to Dynamo
• Revit element curves and adaptive component family overview
• Load Revit adaptive family component into Revit element curves
file
• Reference Revit element curves inside Dynamo
• Create coplanar reference points inside Dynamo
• Compute intersection of element curves and planes
• Associate Revit family with computed points inside Dynamo
EXERCISE 8: PARAMETRIC ASSEMBLY PART 2
Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE EIGHT:
• Parametric tower sketch continued from part 1
• Create lofted surfaces from adaptive components
• Create a transpose node to loft through perimeter curves floor
to floor
• Create a surface by loft node
• Create points along a surface
• Associate Revit family with computed points inside Dynamo
EXERCISE 9: CODE BLOCKS
Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE NINE:
• Visual programming and design scripts through code blocks
• Add number, string, formula, and watch nodes to Dynamo
• Add code blocks to Dynamo
• Create a points by coordinate code block
• Using code blocks for actions
• Using code blocks for queries
• Using code blocks to call other nodes
COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN FOR BIM
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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Project Concepts
MODULE ONE: GETTING STARTED WITH DYNAMO
CONT’D

EXERCISE 10: CUSTOM NODES Parametric conceptual tower

Estimated time 20 - 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN EXERCISE TEN:
• Customize Dynamo through custom nodes
• Creating a custom node for placing Revit family components by
distance through an attractor element
This project looks at creating a parametric relationship between
Revit model lines as reference elements and Revit adaptive compo-
nent families to build up a first order framework for further
developing a conceptual surface model using a visual scripting
approach.
Exercises 7 and 8: Parametric Assembly Part 1 & Part 2

• Copy and paste nodes from reference file into custom node

• Add input and output nodes to custom node

• Save your custom node to the Dynamo library

• Add your custom node to the Dynamo workspace

• Apply your custom node to the Revit environment

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students explore the fundamental concepts of

computational design hands-on and applying them to two tangible
projects.

DYNAMO PROJECTS

Parametric attractor

This project looks at creating a parametric relationship between

three Revit column families and an attractor element to drive which
column type is placed where within a grid layout based upon
proximity to the attractor element.

Other applications of this concept:

• External building shading devices and sun position

• Opening apertures and sun position

PARAMETRIC CONCEPTUAL TOWER
Exercises 5 and 6: Computational Logic Part 1 & Part 2

PARAMETRIC ATTRACTOR PROJECT

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PROJECT RESOURCES

MODULE 01 GETTING STARTED WITH DYNAMO

Module01Ex02 The anatomy of a definition.zip
Module01Ex05 Computational Logic I.zip
Module01Ex06 Computational Logic II.zip
DATASETS Module01Ex07 Parametric Assembly I.zip
Module01Ex08 Parametric Assembly II.zip
Module01Ex09 Code Blocks.zip
Module01Ex10 Custom Nodes.zip
Module01Ex01_Getting started with Dynamo_INT.mp4
Module01Ex02_The anatomy of a definition_INT.mp4
Module01Ex03_Data Management_INT.mp4
Module01Ex04_Nested List Management_INT.mp4
Module01Ex05_Computational Logic I_INT.mp4
SOFTWARE TUTORIAL
Module01Ex06_Computational Logic II_INT.mp4
Module01Ex07_Parametric Assembly I_INT.mp4
Module01Ex08_Parametric Assembly II_INT.mp4
Module01Ex09_Code Blocks_INT.mp4
Module01Ex10_Custom Nodes_INT.mp4

STEP BY STEP GUIDE Not available

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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Appendix A
ABOUT AUTODESK® DYNAMO INSTALLING AUTODESK® DYNAMO STUDIO

Open-source Dynamo is a visual programming extension for Autodesk® Dynamo Studio is a stand-alone application. Dynamo
Autodesk® Revit that allows you to manipulate data, sculpt Studio can be obtained from the Autodesk Education Community.
geometry, explore design options, automate processes, and create
Download the Dynamo Studio installer here:
links between multiple applications.
http://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/dynamo-studio
• Rapid design iteration and broad interoperability
Dynamo Studio system requirements
• Lightweight scripting interface
INSTALLING AUTODESK® DYNAMO PACKAGES
• Works with Autodesk Revit
Dynamo Packages are user-created extensions for Dynamo that are
• Free with Revit 2015 and 2016
shared with the community with the Dynamo Package Manager..
ABOUT AUTODESK® DYNAMO STUDIO
Download Dynamo Packages here:
Autodesk® Dynamo Studio is a visual programming platform that
http://dynamopackages.com/
functions fully independently of any other application. Employ all the
power of visual programming without buying another Revit license. AUTODESK® DYNAMO HELP CENTER

• Rapid design iteration and broad interoperability Dynamo help center here:

• Lightweight scripting interface http://dynamobim.org/help-center/

• Direct access to cloud services

• Includes advanced geometry engine

INSTALLING AUTODESK® DYNAMO

The Dynamo plug-in is installed via the Autodesk® Revit® applica-

tion installer program. Dynamo should be automatically selected to
be installed.

If not, download and install the Dynamo plug-in from here:

http://dynamobim.org/download/

To confirm if Dynamo is already available inside Revit, launch the

Revit application and click the Add-Ins tab:

Dynamo updates may be obtained from the download link above.

As of this publication, Version 0.9.0 is the current version.

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INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Appendix B
REVIT KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

COMMAND SHORTCUT COMMAND SHORTCUT

VIEW CONTROL EDIT

HIDDEN LINE HL ARRAY AR

SHADING WITH EDGES SD COPY CO

VISIBILITY / GRAPHICS VG DELETE DE

VIEW PROPERTIES VP GROUP GP

WIRE FRAME WF LOCK OBJECTS LO

ZOOM ALL TO FIT ZA MODIFY MD

PREVIOUS SCROLL ZOOM ZC MIRROR MM

ZOOM TO FIT ZX MOVE MV

ZOOM OUT (2X) ZV PROPERTIES PR

ZOOM IN REGION ZZ ROTATE RO

REFRESH WINDOW F5 DRAFTING

SNAP OVERRIDES DIMENSION DI

ENDPOINT SE DETAIL LINES DL

HORIZONTAL / VERTICAL SC SPOT ELEVATION EL

INTERSECTION SI GRID GR

MIDPOINT SM LEVEL LL

NEAREST SN REFERENCE PLANE RP

SNAPS OFF SO ROOM TAG RT

PERPENDICULAR SP TEXT TX

QUADRANTS SQ TAG TG

SNAP TO REMOTE SR TOOLS

STANDARD SNAPPING SS ALIGN AL

TANGENT ST LINEWORK LW

WORK PLANE GRID SW OFFSET OF

MODELING PAINT PT

WALL WA SPLIT FACE SF

WINDOW WN SPLIT WALL AND LINES SL

DOOR DR TRIM AND EXTEND TR

COMPONENT CM

MODELING LINES LI

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