PARAMETRIC MODELING PRACTICING IN REVIT 1/12

Parametric Modeling Practicing In Revit: The Torre Agbar

Ruiqing Ding

Texas A&M University

Author Note

Ruiqing Ding, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ruiqing Ding, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77840. Contact: ericd2012@.tamu.edu

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Abstract

This paper will talk about how to use software and other parametric tool to control performance of the building model and the mothed of managing the building information. This paper chooses building Torre Agbar as project model. People can change the elevation of the structure and shading devices according to the building performance through the revit or other parametric software.

In addition, this paper will focus on the relationship between climate or time and the building performance, and how to use the building performance information to design tower.

Keywords: Parametric, Building Performance, Torre Agbar, Climate, Design

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Introduction

Background

The Torre Agbar is a landmark in Barcelona, Spain and it was completed in 2005. The height of tower is 473 feet and it has 33 floors above the ground. The shape of tower is an ellipse which main axis is 34m and the minor axis is 31.5m. Its design combines a number of different architectural concepts, which is built with reinforced concrete, covered with a façade of glass and over 4,500 windows meanwhile it also has 4,500 LED devices which create luminous images on its façade. Additionally, the outside skin of this tower is made of 59,000 glass louvers which can be placed at different angles according to the temperature sensors of tower that control the angle of the shading devices to reduce the consumption of energy.

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Methods and Result

The shape of this tower likes a bullet, which floor plans are regular ellipse. However, the ellipses become smaller from 15th floor, and the top of the tower is a dome which base shape is ellipse. I use the Dynamo and Excel to create curtain panel for this tower. This tower`s skin colors are composed of 40 variation of red, blue, yellow and green. In this project, I note each color with number, for example, I note red with 1, blue with 2. Thus the Excel can create the number lists which is related to the luminous images. After I make different materials with color and distribute them among the curtain panel system, the curtain panel can be created on the base of the Excel by the Python which can distribute the colors.

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Problems and Solutions

However, the big problem is how to create the number list based on a picture. Firstly, manually creating the number list is not efficient method and I try to build a relationship between luminous image and timing, because there are 4500 curtain panel. Secondly, the number list should be changed with the change of time, thus the number list should be automatically changed.

In order to achieve these goals. I try to find software which can read the image and convert the image to Excel number format. Fortunately, there is an online software named “pixel spreadsheet” can convert picture to Excel number format, and this software convert the picture based on RGB form. As the website (2006) motioned, the process have scraped out all of the number based RGB from 0 to 255 and it will crack the digital pictures which are JPG, JPEG, PNG and GIF files.

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In this way, I can get number list based on image. Thus I can make 40 different materials and define them with the numbers which is showed in the Excel. With the help of “pixel spreadsheet”, I can get the number list no matter what the image is. Therefore, I try to create 12 different number lists for the building, and design tower façade which can be changed automatically according to the time, I also define with numbers as 1, 2, 3... In this situation the “If” note in Dynamo could be a useful tool to achieve this goal. “If” note can help to decide which list is “true” according to “formula” note. “If” note can only choose one option from two options, however, I have 12 options. Thus I have to use multiple “If” notes, and put second “If” result as “true” in third “If” note and as “false” in first “If” note.

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Finally, I can use the Dynamo to control the façade of the tower and the façade also can be changed automatically. In addition, I also can offer tens of thousands of façade options and they can change every minute even if every second. Using the “if” note I also can create not only different façade of tower at the same time but also in the different month or season or year.

Shading System Controlled by Sun Position

Methods and Result

In this design, finding the solar elevation angle is very important. Because I can use the altitude of sun to determine the rotation angle of the shading system. The shading panel and sun light should be perpendicular to each other.

Firstly, I use the Dynamo note to get the sun position coordinate in specific time. The coordinate should have X, Y, Z vectors. However, in order to get the altitude of sun (sin hs =sinφ·sinδ+cosψ·cosδ·cosΩ). In this situation, I simplify the calculation method. I use the formula (tan hs=W/Y) to calculate the altitude angle which is related to rotation angle.

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Problems， Solutions and Future Work

The big problem in this method is all shading panel have same rotation angle. Thus, how to let each shading panel has its own rotation angle is very important. Even in specific time, the altitude of sun is specific, however the lactation of shading penal is different. In order to solve this problem, I also use the solar azimuth to help me to determine the angle. However, in this way the shading panel also just has one rotation angle, because I design the shading panel based on the curtain panel pattern base family. Therefore, all of the shading panel are controlled by same parameter.

In the future, I will try to redesign the shading penal as a curtain penal system family. So each shading panel will be controlled by different rotation angle. Furthermore, I will add the parameters to the single shading penal which rotation angle is related to the solar azimuth and the altitude of sun.

Conclusion

Based on the parametric modeling practicing, I can achieve the main goal such as building the relationship between façade of this tower and time or climate. This method can be used in variety of architecture design.

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References

1. http://www.think-maths.co.uk/spreadsheet

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar

3. http://www.torreagbar.com/home.asp

4. http://www.barcelona.de/en/barcelona-torre-agbar.html