Eden project : API application of BIM

- Introduction

For my Eden project, I wanted to improve my parametric family in accordance with project 1.

There are my goals as follows:

●Develop my own parametric model such as material thickness and color

● Control the uniform color of all the domes or I can make random color to each panel for the design purpose
● Weather data in excel will be applied to Microsoft Visual C# program and it will reflect the thickness of my dome model.

- Process

To complete my task, I first set thickness of material from family parameters. Below are my family parameters that I used for my project 2.

Figure1. Family parameters

In order to get the element ID, I clicked the one mass from the project, and the entire element ID of was selected from the mass.

Figure2. Element ID of selection

In order to use plug-in API into the revit, it is mandatory to build the solution in C# program and load the dl l file to revit add-in before run the add-in.

After that, I wrote down C# language and added my weather data sheet to coding. It was required to understand the logic of process with regards to C# language before starting to make coding. If statements were used to determine different thickness of the dome. In the excel data, there are five weather’s data such as rain, snow, thunderstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes. Below is my API coding that I used for the IF statements.

Figure3. IF statements used for coding

Finally, I changed my coding part in material thickness and color. There were significant differences among random thickness, color and uniform thickness and color. I combined all the possible cases such as random color and thickness, random color and uniform thickness, uniform color and random thickness, uniform color and thickness. All the results showed substantially different in aesthetic view.

- Results

The screen shot below shows all of my results after I plug-in API into the revit.

Figure4. Random color & thickness

Figure5. Random color& uniform thickness

Figure6. Uniform color & random thickness

Figure7. Uniform color & random thickness (blue)

Figure8. Uniform color & random thickness (green)

Figure9. Uniform color & random thickness (red)

ARCH 653 - Project 1

Eden Project using Revit

- Project description
The Eden Project is a visitor attraction in the United Kingdom, including the world's largest greenhouse. The complex comprises a number of domes. The domes are made out of hundreds of hexagons plus a few pentagons that connect the whole construction. The project was conceived by Tim Smit and designed by architect Nicholas Grimshaw and engineering firm Anthony Hunt and Associates (now part of Sinclair Knight Merz). The project took 2.5 years to construct and opened to the public on 17 March 2001.

Figure1. Eden project picture

Building
Type : Multiple Greenhouse Complex
Architectural style : Inspired by the moon

Structural system: Steel frame and Thermoplastic
Location St Blazey, Cornwall, UK

Design Team
Architect Nicholas Grimshaw
Structural engineer Anthony Hunt and Associates

- Process

1. First of all, it is required to draw simple model lines

Figure 2. Model line

2. After measurement, parameter was added

Figure 3. Parameter

3. I created the form and divide the surface.

Figure4. Surface

4. I created new family by using Metric Curtain Panel Pattern Based. After that, I adjusted reference line and point.

Figure5. Reference line & family

5. I used 3D snapping and added surface by creating form.

Figure6. Surface

6. After that, the mass is loaded into the project

Figure7. Mass model

Like the picture above, the pattern of the dorm was unexpected. Also, I tried to join the mass in the mass family. However it does not work.

Figure8. Mass

7. I started all over again. Below is the curtain panel family that I made again.

Figure9. Family

8. After parameters, I load into the mass. And there, I changed U, V grid number so that I could see the different layer pattern. Furthermore, I changed materials from family, mass and project order. Therefore It is confirmed that parameters are Radius, U, V Grid and materials.

Figure10. Mass

9. Finally, I loaded into project and made all the external and internal decorations.

Figure11. Final project

- Conclusion

There were many trials and errors during this project. I tried to follow videos and tutorials that provided from the class and through website. Since this is the first time using Revit to do modeling, it was not easy to create all the mass and parameters. However, I learned a lot by making models and studying how to set parameters. Especially, passing parameters are one of the difficult tasks including changing materials. In order to figure out the problem related to passing parameters, I got help from my friends. All the homework that I did before this project was also useful to make my models. By changing the number of grid, it is shown that 1st picture and 2nd picture of building have different shape. The 2nd shape of building is more dense then 1st building and this can be simply done by changing grid numbers. Figure 12 below shows difference when I changed Grid numbers.


Figure12. Screenshot

Figure 13 shows different size of the dome by changining radius.

figure 13. Screenshot

Lastly, material is important to the building. Figure 14 show the two snapshots of the project first without material and second with application of materials.

Figure14. Rendering