Creating a room based of geometry from Dynamo

[Anonymous]

Hey

I have created a fairly complex model in Dynamo and imported it into Revit.  In order to run a energy analysis I need to make the geometry a room (I think). The problem is that I need the surfaces imported to make the room geometry, so I can change the room from Dynamo in order to optimize it parametricly. So NOT by drawing a room (Walls, floor, ceiling) on top of the imported surfaces. 

Is there a way to create a room based off of surfaces or imported Dynamo geometry of any kind?
 

-Hope someone can help.

[Alfredo_Medina]

Welcome to the forum.

In order to run energy analysis from Revit, you need an enclosed building envelope that contains spaces (not rooms). Spaces need bounding elements (floors, roofs, walls, etc..) In order to make those elements from surfaces, you need to use Roof by Face, Wall by Face, Floor by Face. If the face changes form, these elements can be updated to the new form. Another option is to use Autodesk Formit. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome and the reply. 

It would seem that I cannot select the surfaces imported from Dynamo with the Wall by face tool though. Any hints?.. 

Thanks for the help, Revit is a new world to me.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

Can I just ask, if you are new to Revit why you are creating geometry in Dynamo?  Would it not be easier to start the other way round?

[Anonymous]

I have a good deal of experience from Rhino's Grasshopper, which translated well into Dynamo. Also, this is a school project, where I am investigating and learning about Dynamo, and not so much Revit. In addition, Dynamo seems more fit for some shapes in regard to the parametric design approach.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

That's fair enough. Can you post anything that might help better understand where you are at? To be honest I've never created geometry with dynamo only used it to place families.

[Anonymous]

This is my script from Dynamo, hard to see anything on yes. The points is though, that I can manipulate the number of parable shapes, the height etc.. from Dynamo.

I have then exported the geometry to Revit as seperated surfaces.

In Revit however, I cannot use these surfaces for a wall to face, or any such operation. 

I am sure there is something basic I am missing for this to work. 

[Keith_Wilkinson]

I think for this to work you would need to create this as a Mass and I honestly couldn't tell you if this would be possible in Revit.  Remember dynamo works as a stand alone package in its own right and while it can generate Revit geometry it isn't always usable geometry in the sense of being able to make it a wall or a floor for example.

I can see where your Grasshopper experience comes in though - this is the sort of geometry that Rhino excels at.

If you can generate this as a mass then you will be able to change faces but you would need someone more knowledgeable in Dynamo than me to tell you how.  Sorry I can't be more help.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help anyway. I will post here again if I get it to work. 

[Anonymous]

An update. 

By using the Springs.FamilyInstance.ByGeometry it was possible to get the surfaces imported to Revit as masses, which can then be used for walls. etc.. It is still not optimal in regards to performance based design though (parametric energy design in this case). As I have to remake the model in Revit everytime I want to change a parameter in Dynamo. It would have worked a lot better, if the walls was fix to the shape of the mass from Dynamo. 

Anyway, thanks for the help!

[Alfredo_Medina]

@Keith_Wilkinson @Anonymous

This can be done directly in Revit, using the generic model adaptive template, then loading that family into the project, creating roofs by face, then adding curtain walls to enclose the space, attached to the roof. Then, you can create a room, extend it up beyond the roof, and that room should report the volume.

This first image below is from an article that I wrote some years ago for the AugiWorld Magazine:

The article is at: 

http://dev.augi.com/articles/detail/mimic-a-master-builder-a-tribute-to-felix-candela

Note: the more control points you add, the more control you have for refining the curvatures.

The second image below is a rendering view showing different results of changing the parameter in the family. This was done by my friend Julián Galar Senar. 

Julian´s profile in Linkedin is this:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juli%C3%A1n-galar-senar-69720635