Parametric Design Workflow Example using Revit & Dynamo

Computers are here to help us in the design process. In the beginning, we started with CAD but the new technologies like BIM are rapidly evolving and there are a lot of new ways to design. This example shows how we’ve done the conceptual design for small expo pavilion for a company in the field of acoustics. In the process, we used the power of BIM combined with the concept of parametric design.

Parametric Design Concept

The end goal was to come up with a unique design and at the same time to be simple and easy to assemble. We decided to use modular panels to cover the walls and ceiling. To make it unique we added custom tubes with LED lights driven by a song. Yes! Our design is based on the sound waves from one of the most famous songs by Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody. For the design, we used Autodesk Revit and Dynamo BIM. We embrace the new technologies and methods of design like the parametric design. Here you can check another project of ours with the use of this concept.

Parametric Design Process

We started by modeling the walls and ceiling in Revit. Then using Dynamo we populate the rectangular panels on the walls and ceiling.

Here come the tricky part and the real parametric design. First, we created a custom Generic Model family with a parameter for length. After that, we populated the custom family.

We used audio software to export a *csv file from an audio file. The values in the *csv file are actually the maximum dB values in specific moments from the song.

Then we use Dynamo to extract the values from the *csv file, remap the values and use them to fill “Height” parameter for our custom made Generic Model families.

The Result

Special thanks to Dynamo Forum :

Modify Revit Elements With Sound Waves – https://forum.dynamobim.com/t/modify-revit-elements-with-sound-waves/16875