Henry Nistler

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(Example output of Revit model created by tool)

Tool name: PSDe, Parametric Stadium Design Estimator

Purpose: Create a conceptual model of a stadium for an engineer or architect to quickly dimension and visualize a stadium design. To run the tool, only the Dynamo file is needed. Simply open a new Revit project and load the tool in the Dynamo Player to use it.

Outputs of Tool:

  • Revit Model of Stadium
  • Surface Area of Stadium Exterior
  • Estimated Construction Cost
  • Area of Available Interior Space at Base Level
  • Roof-to-Base Ratio (how effective is the roof covering at protecting against the elements)

Inputs of Tool:

  • Length of Stadium
  • Width of Stadium
  • Middle Level Offset
  • Middle Level Elevation
  • Roof Overhang
  • Roof Elevation
  • Roof Tilt
  • Estimated Cost per Area

Below is the entire Dynamo workspace used for the tool.

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Beginning on the left in the pink region are the inputs that can be flexed using the Dynamo Player interface in Revit. These inputs include length and width of the stadium, offset and elevation of the middle level, roof overhang, elevation of roof and amount of tilt, and the estimated cost per unit surface area of the structure.

These inputs are lead into three different regions which all operate similarly for each level of the stadium (base, middle, roof). Beginning with the base level, there are four points created based on the input length and width of the stadium. Using these points, a curve is created to establish the footprint of the stadium.

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Next is the middle level of the stadium, which is created similarly as the base level. The only exceptions are where the x/y/z inputs come from for the four points. Several calculations are made to create a rounded shape along the height of the stadium’s exterior by using the input offset value.

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The roof level includes the top level elevation, roof overhang, and tilt input values. These are similarly used to manipulate the four points which create the curve on the roof level of the stadium.

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Using the three NurbCurves, a surface is created to represent the exterior shape of the stadium. This surface can be used to calculate the surface area of the exterior, which can also be used to estimate the cost to construct the stadium based on the input cost per square area value.

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The area of interior space on the base level of the stadium can be calculated by creating points along the base curve which are formed into a surface. The area of the surface can then be calculated, resulting in a value that can be used to ensure the stadium is large enough for a football field or a soccer pitch.

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Another output of the tool is the roof area to base area ratio, which can be used to estimate how much cover the roof will provide for the stadium in terms of shade or shielding the stadium’s interior from rain/wind. This is calculated by following a similar procedure as the orange region above but for the roof level. The surface area of the roof opening is then divided by the surface area of the base level and the ratio is obtained. For this ratio, a value close to 1 would indicate that the roof does not cover the stadium and the field inside would not be protected against rain or direct sunshine. Alternatively, a value close to 0 would indicate that the roof covers almost the entire field and effectively protects the field from rainfall.

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The inputs for the tool can be flexed using Dynamo Player, as shown below. The four outputs of exterior surface area, estimated construction cost, interior surface area at base level, and roof-to-base ratio are also included.

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Below is a video to demonstrate the inputs and outputs of the tool and how it can be utilized for design.