Tool
Tool Overview/README
Amphitheater Architect is a Dynamo-based generative design tool for creating and evaluating simple outdoor amphitheater layouts. The generated amphitheater has a circular stage at the front, with curved rows of stepped seating wrapping around it. The seating is organized into multiple tiers, with each tier made of evenly spaced rows that rise upward as they move farther from the stage. Between tiers, flat landing areas create breaks in the seating. Evenly spaced aisles cut through the curved seating rows and are filled with stairs, allowing circulation between the stage area, seating rows, and tier landings.
The tool allows users to test how changes in the number of seating tiers, seating arc angle, and number of aisles affect the overall amphitheater design. These three inputs are used as the main variables in the generative design study. Other needed values, such as stage size or row widths, are kept constant for comparison purposes.
To use the tool, the user should open the Dynamo graph, review the constant input assumptions, and then run the generative design study using the three changeable inputs. The resulting options can be compared to identify layouts that provide higher seating capacity, stronger visibility/acoustic performance, and better circulation. The best design is one that balances the three evaluation metrics.
The format of the dynamo graph is shown below. Pink groups are inputs, green groups create geometries, purple groups are evaluation methods, and the orange group are outputs.
Examples of Outcomes
Video Walkthrough
Revised Proposal
Intended users
The intended users are architects, landscape designers, event planners, and anyone who is designing a simple outdoor amphitheater.
Need you’re trying to provide a solution or support for
Amphitheaters can become complicated. This tool can quickly test various parameters such as number of seating tiers, seating area arc, or number of aisles to quickly decide on an optimal preliminary design.
Inputs
- Changeable (for generative design study)
- Number of seating tiers
- Seating area arc (degrees)
- Number of aisles
- Constant
- Stage length
- Number of rows in each tier
- Row width and height
- Distance of first row from stage
- Distance between tiers
- aisle width
- seat width
Underlying logic of the model you’ll implement
The tool will be implemented in Dynamo by generating an circular stage based on the input length. Seating will then be created as curved rows arranged around the stage within the specified seating arc angle at specified distance. The seating layout will be divided into tiers with each tier containing a user-defined number of rows. The flat landing distance between tiers is defined by input. The row height input will be used to raise each row vertically and width to stretch horizontally, creating stepped seating and allowing the amphitheater to develop upward as it moves away from the stage.
Aisles will be inserted by dividing the seating radius into sections based on the number of aisles spaced evenly. The tool will remove seating in those aisle zones using the specified aisle width and instead replace it with stairs. This creates circulation paths through the seating area.
Generative design will be used to see a range of alternatives and so that the user may evaluate them based on outputs below. The seating capacity is calculated based on the arc lengths of all the rows subtracted by the aisles then divided by seat width.
The visibility/acoustic score is based on both slope and distance. The ideal slope is 20 degrees (https://avantacoustics.com/amphitheater-acoustics/) and the score is penalized based on how far the slope is from the target. The distance is based on a comparison to the front row distance to stage for normalization. The distance is evaluated by average distance and also the last row distance.
The circulation score is based on the circulation area (landings and aisles) divided by the seating capacity (sq ft/seat).
Outputs
Preliminary amphitheatre design
- Seating capacity
- Visibility/Acoustic score
- Circulation score
MVP and Proposed Timeline
The MVP is a Dynamo model that can generate a basic amphitheater with a circular stage, stepped seating tiers, aisle/stair zones, and the three main evaluation outputs. Given unlimited time, some possible additional features include
- additional aisles in higher tiers to account for increased arclength with same arc angle
- decorative arch details that often exist at top of amphitheatres
- Better rendered visualization
Timeline
- Hr 1: Set up Dynamo inputs, constants, and plan overall graph organization.
- Hr 2: Create stage and find important angle locations/other information
- Hr 3.5: Create seating row geometries
- Hr 4.5: Create cutter blocks and delete aisle space from seating rows
- Hr 5.5: Create landings between tiers geometries
- Hr 7: Create stairs in the aisle gaps
- Hr 10: Add the three evaluation methods
- Hr 12: set up generative design study and prepare materials for submission