Week4 / Site View & Revit Study

/Brief

For this week, I'm supposed to view the building site and start model making.

/Processing

Site (Capture from Google Map)

The project location is 2 Burbang Crescent in West Sydney.

Currently there is a 3-bedroom house sitting on the corner block, and it's 645m2 (approx.). (Online information:

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-rydalmere-107614925, accessed on 23th, August)

My client is considering have a refurbishment to build a 3-story house (with a basement).

1 Site view

I have taken some photo of the surroundings and did some site analysis.

 Street view1 of current house (photo took by Lorrain Xiao, 24th, August)

Street view2 of current house (photo took by Lorrain Xiao, 24th, August) 

Front view of current house (photo took by Lorrain Xiao, 24th, August)

2 Model making

 Because the file given by my client are Auto CAD file, so before modeling I have to import the drawings to Revit.

Site plan (capture from Auto CAD)

 Basement plan (capture from Auto CAD)

Ground level plan (capture from Auto CAD)

  First level plan (capture from Auto CAD)

 Second level plan (capture from Auto CAD)

Roof plan (capture from Auto CAD)

 All plans import to Revit (capture from Revit)

/Study

1 Case Study / Western Michigan University: Modeling the Campus

(image credit: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=18348286)

 (image credit: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=18348286)

With Autodesk Revit Architecture, WMU students model campus buildings for energy analysis, renovations, and retrofits.

"We own and operate our buildings for 50 years or more—and approximately 90 percent of the costs occur after construction. We need to make smarter decisions with those assets—and to have access to real-time information about them. BIM is how we access and maintain that information."
—Peter Strazdas, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management, Western Michigan University

To help accelerate model creation, the design team based its work on the extensive collection of AutoCAD® DWG™ files that WMU maintained. "Much of the 2D information transferred easily into 3D," says Hodgkinson. As a result, the students worked much faster than originally projected. "We also updated the original designs to ensure that our models included all recent building modifications."

(online resource: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=18348286, accessed on 24tn, August)

- Conclusion

Things I learned from this case:

Auto CAD is not only a 2D plan drawing tool but also very effective tool for Revit information modelling.

2 Case Study / Mangan Group

(image credit: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=18348286, accessed on 24th, August)

(image credit: http://www.thenbs.com/topics/bim/articles/RyderArchitectureAndBIM.asp, accessed on 24th, August)

Mangan Group Architects is an award-winning architectural firm in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Founded in 1995, the firm provides cost-effective and timely solutions for three principal markets: custom homes, production-style single-family units, and high-end remodels. Central to their efforts is the optimal use of technology. Using the Autodesk® Revit® building information modeling software, the firm’s designers have been able to complete projects faster and more accurately, and with much deeper insight into the design process. Since beginning to standardize on Revit in late 2003, the firm has already taken over 25 projects from the initial design stages through to construction documents. 

With only nine employees, Mangan Group Architects is a small firm. Yet with the right tools and training, small firms can compete head to head with much larger firms. “Any software solution we chose,” says Mangan, “had to enhance our productivity and make us competitive with larger firms. That was first on my mind.” The ideal software would also be easy to learn so that designers could get started right away.

- Conclusion

Easy-to-use Revit helped the firm: Revit revolutionized the way this firm works, the only things in AutoCAD right now are some carryover house plans for production builders. Everything else is in Revit now.

Also it is now possible that architect communicate important design concepts to builders and clients with Revit.

Week 3 / Precedent Study - Physical Modeling

As precedent study, I have done some research about all architectural software (and plugin) that I have learned in Architectural Computing courses till now. For each software (or plugin), I've collected some export explanation from the official website, and also wrote down some comments based on my previous experience.

Physical Modeling

- Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to cut materials, and is typically used for industrial manufacturing applications, but is also starting to be used by schools, small businesses, and hobbyists. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_cutting)

Rather than hand making, laser cutting have fast and flexible processing of different materials on one single system, and it’s accuracy of fit for single parts in high repeatability. Considering to chose acrylic as material to make physical model, I would like to use laser cutting for my project, because it’s hard to get things right by hand-making with material like acrylic.

- 3D Printing

3D printing is any of various processes for making a three-dimensional object of almost any shape from a 3D model or other electronic data source primarily through additive processes in which successive layers of material are laid down under computer control.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing)

The good thing is 3D printing can boost productivity with a high number of prototypes in less time than conventional methods. But for architectural model, the material of 3D printing model is too simplistic, which cannot show the aesthetics of building.

In my project, I would like to have a scaled physical model with different materials, to show the building as reality as possible. So I prefer to use laser cutting to make physical model.

Week 3 / Precedent Study - Real Time Environment

As precedent study, I have done some research about all architectural software (and plugin) that I have learned in Architectural Computing courses till now. For each software (or plugin), I've collected some export explanation from the official website, and also wrote down some comments based on my previous experience.

Real-Time Environment

- CRYTEK CryENGINE

CryEngine is a game engine designed by the German game developer Crytek. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryEngine)

In architectural modeling, CryEngine is a very useful software to create real-time environment. The setting of skylight, texture and background sound all allowed people to get standard quality animation scene for 3D model. As a game engine, CryEngine also make walk-through video by control a virtual character in the scene.

The disadvantage of CryEngine is, all texture of the imported model will be lost. So that the model has to be import separately and then reassign the texture piece-by-piece. It’s not very convenient for rendering a building with different textures. So I’m not going to use CryEngine to do my real-time environment.

- Unity

Unity is a cross-platform game creation system developed by Unity Technologies, including a game engine and integrated development environment (IDE). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(game_engine))

It is much easier to import from Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Autodesk Revit or SketchUp Pro to Unity with good results. And it's now widely use as virtual interactive technology. (http://unity3d.com/industries/aec)

The purpose of my project is to have a quality rendering and representation, instead of use Unity to have virtual interaction, I would like to choose other software to do real-time environment.

- Lumion

Lumion is an essential render tool with ease of use combined with ultra fast rendering and excellent quality. (http://lumion3d.com/3d-software/)

Personally speaking, I prefer to use Lumion because it’s easy to use and the final product is of a good quality. In Lumion I could have high quality rendering image and walk-through video as well. There is no need to have other plugin or movie making application. So I’m going to use Lumion to do my real-time environment and walk-through video.

- Maxwell Render (SketchUp plugin)

Maxwell for SketchUp is a plugin which has been expressly designed for rendering in SketchUp. It brings you advanced, Maxwell Render technology in a simple, self-contained package. Maxwell for SketchUp has the render engine built-in, so no other applications or programs are needed. (http://www.maxwellrender.com/products/maxwell_for_sketchup)

From my experience, Maxwell for SketchUp is really simple to set-up, and all settings are simple and easy to get. Also, Maxwell for SketchUp is compatible not only with the usual SketchUp materials, but also Maxwell MXM materials.

Because I’m going to use Revit for modeling but not SketchUp, so that I prefer to use Lumion as rendering tool.

- Chaosgroup V-Ray (SketchUp/3Ds MAX/Rhino plugin)

V-Ray is a rendering engine that is used as an extension of certain 3D computer graphics software. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Ray)

I have use V-Ray (3Ds MAX) only for several times, and mostly used for interior render. There are ranges of free materials in online V-Ray library available. The disadvantage of V-Ray is the very slow render time.

Because I’m going to use Revit to modeling and Lumion to render, so I’m not going to use V-Ray for rendering.

Week 3 / Precedent Study - Virtual Modeling

As precedent study, I have done some research about all architectural software (and plugin) that I have learned in Architectural Computing courses till now. For each software (or plugin), I've collected some export explanation from the official website, and also wrote down some comments based on my previous experience.

Virtual Modeling

- Autodesk AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a commercial software application for 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD)

Basically I use AutoCAD for 2D plan drawing. The tool bar and short cut system are very convenience and easy to use. Also, it’s can be use to do laser cutting drawing (RGB color available). Furthermore, all work could be save in different format or export as PDF directly.

In my project, I’m going to use AutoCAD for 2D floor plan and laser cutting drawing for physical model.

- Autodesk 3Ds MAX

Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. Video game developers, many TV commercial studios and architectural visualization studios frequently use it. It is also used for movie effects and movie pre-visualization. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3ds_Max)

Most of the time, I use 3Ds MAX for detailed rendering, especially for interior rendering. The use of plugin like V-Ray makes it preferable to conventional renderers that are provided standard with 3Ds MAX, and generally renders using the technique can appear more photo-realistic, as actual lighting effects are more realistically emulated for interior render.

Considering my project is not to show the interior of the building, I’m not going to use 3Ds MAX this time.

- Autodesk Revit

This software works in ways that can that architects and designer needs. By doing so, this can make it easier for designers to make high quality designs that are accurate. This design software also support the building information modeling workflows which means that you can also get and analyse each concept, meet all your goals throughout the design, documentation and the overall construction of the project. (http://www.vagueware.com/top-10-architectural-design-software-for-budding-architects/)

I could have stander quality rendering in Revit without render engine. Also, I could easily get the floor plan and section drawing when the building finished in 3D view. So I would use Revit to finish my graduation project.

-BuildAR

BuildAR Pro is a program that allows you to create your own 3D augmented reality scenes. Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that lets you interact with the real world and virtual objects at the same time. Three-dimensional virtual models are overlaid on the real world as seen through your computer’s webcam, making them appear to part of your surrounding environment. (http://www.buildar.co.nz/home/what-is-buildar/)

In my project, I'm going to use BuildAR to show different parts of the building in detailed.

- Graphisoft ArchiCAD

This is an all-in-one software that you can use in 2D and 3D projects. First time designers and architecture students can also use it. It is user friendly that first time designers and architects can easily maximize the software’s potentials.

Both ArchiCAD and Revit are proven tools to produce high quality parametric objects with BIM that are assembled in a single database file. Most features are available in both programs and both seem relatively easy to use. But ArchiCAD is more efficiency tool for teamwork because the modeling file could be shared among all members with Internet in ArchiCAD. (http://bimequity.com/en/cases/engineers-contractors/revit-vs-archicad/)

For the graduation project, I will finish the project by myself so that I prefer to use Revit.

- Google SketchUp

This software allows the user to quickly and easily makes 3D building designs. Though the features that it has may be as sophisticated as you can find in other software. This software is a great deal for students that are looking for software that can generate 3 dimensional designs in short amount of time and for people is just starting on their architectural careers. (http://www.vagueware.com/top-10-architectural-design-software-for-budding-architects/)

By using plugin such as V-Ray or Maxwell, SketchUp could also have high quality and realistic rendering for 3D model. Normally I use SketchUp to do concept model without much detail. So for this time I'm not going to use SktechUp for the project.       

- Rhinoceros 3D CAD (Grasshopper)

Grasshopper is a visual programming language; it runs within the Rhinoceros 3D CAD application. Programs are created by dragging components onto a canvas. The outputs to these components are then connected to the inputs of subsequent components. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper_3d)

Most of the time, I use Grasshopper as plugin in Rhino to do parametric architecture design, such as media façade, interacting celling. The use of formula control of database is very flexible to create different structure, but not suitable for building without parametric structure. So for this time, I’m not going to choose Rhino.

Week 3 / Check Lists

After choose the proposal project, I have got some useful suggestion from tutor Robert:
1 List out all the steps of the project through the whole semester;
2 Try to get famous architects or large scale building as clients to accomplish a challenge project.

/Final Outcome:
 2D Floor Plan & Drawing
 3D Rendering model
 4D Real-time Environment
 Physical model with Build AR maker

/Check List:
 Get building (client)
 Get plan
 Draw 2D plan (If no plan available)
 Laser Cutting drawing
 Get laser cutting model
 View building/site
 Make model in ArchiCAD/Revit
 Make 3D environment in CryEngine
 Enhance the model in CryEngine to get HQ rendering image/video
 Make Build AR maker/import model to Build AR
 Put maker pieces on physical (laser cutting) model
 Test the physical model (with Build AR maker)
 Conclusion Report

Week2 / Project Chosen - Proposal 2

I'm start to do my final Architectural Computing Studio, which is the graduation project of my degree.

As the requirements, I'm supposed to prepare three proposal projects then choose one from it to accomplish as final project. My three proposal projects are: 1 Multiple Architecture Representation, 2 Parametric Modelling and 3 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting.

My chosen project is my proposal 1, which I have to do general representation for a exist building in multiple way: 2D drawing, 3D modelling and rendering, 4D real-time environment and also physical model with Build AR as interactive techniques.