Facade automations generate a pattern across a whole building in seconds.
◦ What does the automation know, and what does it not know? The automation knows how to repeat a pattern you can combine different patterns like 30 feet window combination pattern, 20 feet, 15 feet. What it does not know is where walls starts and where they end.
◦ Where did the generated pattern need overriding, and why? Yes. I wanted each unit to have a balcony, while the pattern had only one balcony per setup. So if i had a 30-foot rhythm over two 15-foot studio units, the automation might assign one balcony vs two.
◦ If the automation produces something that analyses well but looks wrong, which wins? Placement of items is an art before it is science; things must look and look Good. Designers might catch certain things that pattern well but look odd in design.
What drives a project team's decision about floor to floor height?
◦ From a developer's perspective? The developer as the defacto owner of the project, is able to make their vision the reference point for all working on the project.
◦ From a designer's perspective? The designer will push for high ceiling its preferred to low ceilin, however developer might be cost focused.
◦ From an engineer's perspective? Engineers might be concerned about safety, code or cost, but overall less likely to content the plan. By the time it reaches the engineer it's not something likely to change.
◦ From a builder's perspective? The builder acting as a contractor might be concerned for cost and might seek approval on changing plans. In conclusion, either you are envisioning the requirements, where developer have the final say. or things are being executed and budget is overrunning and alteration might be needed or other reasons that push for lower ceiling like code.
At some point a conceptual model has to stop being conceptual.
◦ How do you know when a proposal is resolved enough to move into Revit?  If the overall objectives such as unit distribution, rough design direction and buildable area are within the scope and constraints of the project.Â
◦ What is the cost of moving too early? Of moving too late? If you move too late you have too many details might need fixing in revit. In my experience (it could be due to my limited knowledge of the software) angels, dimensions are more optimized for speed of modeling vs accuracy in Forma. I was not sure I could get exactly a square angel in the design view, i feel in Revit it would be much faster and easier.
◦ Which parts of your Forma model do you expect to survive the handoff? Overall form, overall layouts. but I am still open to exploring terracing the building, The green area will change, and the ground commercial floor will change.