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Can someone please tell me how to create a massing study using algorithms. or the very least explain step by step how to create the study from this autodesk white paper...many thanks. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
http://discussion.autodesk.com/servl...ding_feb07.pdf
Um, there is no quick answer. Essentially what Phil Read did in that white paper was create a single smart component and then array it. Up or across whatever the case may be, each piece changes it's shape based on its position.
For example. Block (representing floor) is at 0deg (no rotation) at floor 1. At floor 2, it is at 3deg rotation, at floor 3 6deg rotation, etc. The formula simple multiplies the count (1,2,3,4, etc) by a degree increment (3 deg for example).
Adding the formula to a massing family is the same as adding it to any other family. To learn specifically how to control angle, search this forum for a discussion on making doors swing, the idea is exactly the same except the scale is different.
To return to the block example above, once you have that block turning up the height of the building you can edit it into a more complex form, swap the block, and now you have a complex form rotating up the building.
A related decision you need to make (which will vary from project to project) is whether to keep refining your original block (a generic model scenario) or keeping your block simple and then applying things too it (a massing model scenario).
If you search around here for examples by Phil Read I think you may find a lot of helpful information. In the Revit tuturials, make sure to understand all of the ideas related to making parametric components (families) because you'll need to use all the same tools.
Take a close look at some of the screen shots to see how the formula uses the Level parameter as a value in another formula to drive the changes in angle of rotation and change in dimension.
Each of the arrayed elements is locked to the next and has a unique level value. Phil's example just illustartes how a little 'outside the box' thinking can result in forms that might encourage exploration.
As Andre said, there is no quick answer.
Dimitri, are you sure you can pull values from Level's? I've played around with some of Phil's examples and they didn't bother with levels, everything was in the family.
Andre,
Check out the screen capture from Phil's white paper. He has an instance parameter called Level.
The user can change the value for Angular Change per Level and then that gets multiplied by the Level to make sure that the angular change is incremented and calculated by the forumla instead of having to be figured out and added by the user.
Many words, simple concept. I'm sure Phil could explain it more eloquently :?
I posted an example in this thread. We were lucky to be trained by Phil.
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.ph...ight=Phil+Read
Please note it's a conceptual model, with undeniable potential however. It will save a lot of copy/paste and rotate should you ever need something like this.