Tips for Getting Started | What to Do First
Welcome to this quarter's Parametric Design & Optimization class! Here are a few pointers as we get ready to start the new quarter...
All Class Materials Are Available Online
This quarter, we’ll be offering this class in an online format that will enable you to work through the class modules at your own pace at the times that are most convenient for your busy schedules! So, there’s no regularly scheduled class time or meeting room -- it’s all available online through Canvas.
Preparing for Our Weekly Sessions -- Please Share Your Availability in this Poll!
You won’t be alone on this journey -- we will be meeting as a group online for weekly module kickoff sessions. And you'll be meeting one-on-one with the teaching team each week to review your progress and get tips about how to proceed with your project.
Please share your availability in this When2Meet poll to help us choose the best time for our weekly module kickoff sessions:
Don't worry If you’re not available to join in live for a module kickoff session -- all of these sessions will be recorded and available to view at your convenience through Canvas.
Getting Ready for Our First Session -- Things to Do Over the Next Few Days
Here are some things to get started with now, prior to our course kickoff session:
- Please share (or update) your contact info, so we can set you up in the online systems that we'll be using to collaborate and share our work:
- If you don't yet have an Autodesk ID with educational access, please sign up for an Autodesk ID using these instructions:
- If you already have a student Autodesk ID from another class, you’re all set.
- If you haven’t created a student Autodesk ID (or if you’re currently using one that created for your workplace), sign up for a new student Autodesk ID by following these steps:
- Go to the Autodesk Education Community Website
- Scroll down to the Confirm your eligibility to access the Autodesk Education plan section of the page.
- Click the Create an Autodesk Account link.
- Complete and submit the registration form.
- Be sure to check your email for a message from Autodesk and click the confirmation link to finish activating your new Autodesk ID by providing information about the school you attend.
- Notes about Autodesk IDs
- Most students use their school email address as their Autodesk ID.
- If you already have a student Autodesk ID from another school, you can continue to use it or sign up for a new one.
- You can create as many Autodesk IDs as you like -- but if you use an email address that is not recognized as being from an educational institution, Autodesk may ask you to provide additional documentation of your student students (for example, an image of your student ID) to confirm that you are eligible for their free education offerings.
- If you need to create a second Autodesk ID, you can create an alias to your Stanford email address and then use this alias to create another Autodesk ID.
- Install Revit 2024 (Windows or Parallels Desktop for Mac) on Your Computer
- Install Rhino 8 (Windows or Mac) on Your Computer If you've already installed Rhino 7 for another class, you're all set! If not, please follow the instructions in:
Another important step to get up and running in CEE 120C/220C is to install the software that we'll be using on your computer. You won't need this for the first Kickoff session, but you will need to have the software installed to complete the first assignment (due next week). If you've already installed Revit 2024 for CEE 120A/220A or 120B/220B, you're all set! If not, please follow the instructions in:
Looking forward to meeting with you and getting started on this exciting new journey!
Resources
Here are some quick tips to help you choose the best way to enroll and get set up in this course:
The content in 120C and 220C is the same, so the choice usually comes down to whether you're a undergrad or graduate student. The 200 series courses count toward graduate student graduation requirements.
The course is organized into a series of sequential modules — each focusing on a different aspect of parametric design and optimization. Each module will prepare you for a small design project that gives you a chance to apply the skills learned in that module. The requirements and time commitment for each of these projects are scaled based on the number of units that you’ve enrolled in the class for:
- The 2-unit option allows students who have a cap on the number of units to take the class for fewer units by completing the essential workflows in each module.
- For 2 units, expect about 6 hours of design and modeling work per week.
- The 3-unit and 4-unit options extend the essential workflow by applying the principles to develop more nuanced and detailed models that expand on the core.
- For 3 units, expect about 9 hours of design and modeling work per week.
- For 4 units, expect about 12 hours of design and modeling work per week.
CEE 120A/220A - our introductory Building Information Modeling course is not a prerequisite for CEE 120C/220C. But having good building modeling or 3D modeling skills from other courses or prior work experiences will be very helpful.
In CEE 120C/220C, we'll assume that everyone has experience creating basic building models and using modeling tools like Revit or 3D models using tools like Rhino, Fusion 360, SketchUp, or AutoCAD.
The Revit and Dynamo software that we'll be using in CEE 120C/220C has been installed on most of the computers in Y2E2 184, so you'll be able to work in that cluster when it is available.
The Rhino and Grasshopper software is not installed in computer cluster, but you can download and install a free 90-day trial version on your own computer.
We highly recommend installing the software on your own computer, so you'll be able to work at all times -- even when the cluster is unavailable.
Hope those tips are helpful! Please send any other questions thru our Slack workspace:
- Please use the Module1-Questions channel for general questions that many students may have.
- Or send a Direct Message to Glenn Katz or a member of the teaching team for questions that are very specific to your situation.
Add yourself to this workspace by clicking the Slack link in the Canvas left sidebar.
- Spr 24 - CEE 120C/220C
- Autodesk US Content Library
- Shared Content Libraries
Choose one:
Dynamo Primer:
Dynamo Dictionary:
Dynamo Forum:
Class Members
Module Kickoff Sessions
Based on the results of the When2Meet polling, we'll be hosting Kickoff sessions at two times -- each with a different purpose:
This session will be an introduction to the entire course and how we'll be organized for the upcoming quarter. So, if you have questions about prerequisites, differences in the number of units to register for, software that we'll be using, or general questions about how to get started using Dynamo or Grasshopper, you'll want to attend this session (or watch the recording at your convenience).
These weekly sessions will introduce the essential concepts and workflows covered in the new module that you'll be starting that week. We'll have a new kickoff session introducing each class module at the same time each week. All of these sessions will be recorded, so if you can't attend at the live meeting time, you can watch the recording later at your convenience.
Office Hours / Y2E2 184 Software Availability
- Revit 2024 is installed on all the computers in Y2E2 184
Module Assignments
- Go to https://rhino3d.com/download/rhino/evaluation
- Choose Create a Rhino Account
This will associate a 90-Day Trial license with your email address and allow you to login on the Y2E2 184 computers.
