BIM design has opened the doors to a new era in the field of architecture and engineering, particularly thanks to the development of cutting-edge software, such as Revit and Dynamo for Revit. This software allows us to apply it to projects of any size, thanks to the help of computers.
This type of innovative design is now not only used in the largest architecture and engineering studios, but also in smaller contexts such as small professional studios where many of us work or have carried out our training internships.Not only that, more and more companies in the sector are deciding to integrate the use of specialized software for BIM design into their studies. Knowing the advantages of these types of software and learning how to use them will be a skill that is in high demand.
If you are also a Revit user, or are thinking of becoming one, we recommend that you read on to learn about the advantages of Dynamo for Revit
Many of you probably don’t know all the existing BIM design plugins that can be installed on Revit yet. Plugins that could radically change the way you work, halving data processing and design times, consequently doubling the efficiency of your work.
One such plugin that appears to be Revit’s greatest ally in the professional world is Dynamo for Revit
Dynamo for Revit is an open source software platform for computational building information modeling (BIM) design and building information modeling. Through Dynamo for Revit, a simple and intuitive visual interface, it will be possible to build logical functions to make your workflows more fluid and automated and to find optimal solutions by concretely evaluating the different feasible design options.
Dynamo for Revit is a graphical programming interface that allows you to customize the building information workflow. To achieve these goals, Dynamo for Revit uses the Python computer programming language; however, it is not necessary to be an expert in this programming if you want to perform some basic functions. However, we still advise to inquire or take a course if you want to learn the more complex functions.
What are the most important “achievements” that we can achieve by integrating on Dynamo for Revit in our work?
There are 3 main advantages we have when we go to integrate Dynamo into our workflow, compared to other advanced parametric plugins, in particular:
- Faster iteration of design functions and wider interoperability in the file
- A lighter scripting interface
- Greater compatibility with the latest versions of Autodesk Revit
Additionally, Dynamo for Revit allows you to use computational BIM design and a process based on data analysis to generate thousands of potential geometries and variants in relation to the same project. The idea of exploring as many options as possible, without having to manually model each one at a time, is certainly one of the most innovative advantages of this great software.
Differences between the open source version of Dynamo and the Autodesk Revit version
Dynamo Studio can be used alone or in combination with other programs, especially as a plugin for Autodesk Revit. Using the visualization features incorporated directly into Revit, it will be possible to view the results obtained in real time and directly within a single software, in order to lighten the work and speed up time.
Practical use of Dynamo for Revit in the design business: Flanagan Lawrence case study
There are several examples that we could cite to help you to fully understand the importance of using Dynamo. Flanagan Lawrence , an award-winning studio of architects and interior designers based in London, used Dynamo to imagine a new face of the exhibition space built in 1976 in Poland.
The project announcement promoted the construction of an open-air theater that could be used in the summer, but removable in the winter, making its weight an essential consideration. Its shape also had to provide exceptional acoustics.
Located in a park in Szczecin, Poland, the Szczecin Summer Theater features a fabric roof that covers both the stage and the amphitheater. A curved truss acts as an edge beam to a mesh structure which supports a series of fabric roof panels.
Ever since Flanagan Lawrence incorporated Dynamo into their workflow, the company’s designers have been able to explore the relationship between form and sound in new and exciting ways. The Szczecin Summer Theater highlights how Dynamo has helped the company to offer exceptional spaces for performances. Using algorithms that help explain the acoustic effects of each individual element, the team was able to evaluate the best options for the theater form in the nearly infinite number of possibilities.
On a practical level, the Dynamo software allowed the architects of Flanagan Lawrence to define the parameters of the changes and then to create a workflow to automatically guide the changes. So when they found themselves modifying 700 doors on a residential complex, they could make the change in minutes rather than hours.
Dynamo’s visual logic allows designers, even with no programming experience, to automate their workflows. Although only 3 people in the studio had programming experience, more than 25 Revit users of the company turned to Dynamo to accelerate their design tasks.
This was just one of the many examples we can cite in supporting the importance of this software. Dynamo for Revit seems to be the cornerstone of BIM design.
