SFDUG Dec Meeting | Crazy fast, crazy flexible Revit queries

On Wednesday December 13th, at 6:00pm SFDUG celebrates the end of the year with Join Inc, a new San Francisco startup that applies artificial intelligence to building products and materials.
This meeting will be held at the AIA San Francisco, 130 Sutter St 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Ever need to isolate elements that meet a particular and complex condition? Ever need to run QA to check overall model health or owner requirements? Tired of chaining List.Filters and wishing there was a faster way to extract data from models? Your faithful Join Retriever can help!

In this presentation we’ll run through a quick background on Join, highlight some of the computational design work we’re doing in the building enclosure and then dive into Join Retriever. Retriever supports our internal computational workflows, and we’re releasing it to the community packaged for Revit and for Dynamo. We’ll go through a number of examples, explain the basics of Join’s query language, and give a peek under the hood at how we’re interacting with the Revit API.

Andrew Zukoski is a software engineer with a background in design technology. He founded Join to use computational technology to bring manufacturer and fabrication information into earlier design stages. Before this he was a Director of Engineering at Flux, where he led the infrastructure and interoperability teams. He worked on 3D-printed medical devices at Bespoke Innovations and 3D Systems after studying electrical engineering and visual art at Rice University.

Food and spirits courtesy of Ideate Inc.

Attending in person?  Click here to register.  Registration closes at noon on the day of the event.

Attending online?  Click here to register to the live webcast.

SFDUG | Nov is break time!

Dear Dynamites, SFDUG is taking a break on the month of November.  Most of the committee members are attending Autodesk University 2017, both as speakers and attendees. If you plan to attend this year,  meet and mingle with us at the AU DynaNight party! See you all there!

10pm – 12am

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Cañonita

The Venetian

3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas

SFDUG Sept 2017 | Beginner's Guide to Python for Dynamo

On Wednesday September 20th, at 6:00pm, SDFUG welcomes team SOM on a discussion about Python for Dynamo.
**Note that the venue for Sept meeting is HOK San Francisco, 1 Bush St 2nd Floor**

Join Danny Bentley and Dennis Eldridge for an introduction to the Python programming language with Dynamo. Python is a versatile language that can be used to develop anything from a simple script to complete applications. This is a great language to get started learning programming, because the syntax is simpler and more intuitive than other languages. Dynamo has matured, and many users have started implementing Python in their Dynamo definitions. You can now find many samples of Dynamo scripts using Python online. With some knowledge of Python syntax you will be able to develop your own custom scripts.

This presentation will introduce the basics of the Revit API used with Python. It will cover the syntax used by Python Nodes in Dynamo. We will have some basic demonstrations, and slowly walk through the code. You will begin to get an understanding of how Python is talking to both Revit and Dynamo. You don’t need to be a computer scientist or even a master Dynamo user. If you understand a bit of Dynamo and know Revit you should feel comfortable enough seeing the syntax.

Danny Bentley is a Structural BIM Technical Designer and Drafter at Skidmore Owing and Merrill. With a background in Industrial Design and Computer Science. He is also a Youtuber with channels for Dynamo with Python and Revit API. At SOM he develops applications through Dynamo, Python and the C# to help facilitate workflow when dealing with complex geometry.

Dennis Eldridge is a Digital Designer that is also works at Skidmore Owing and Merrill. He is a licensed architect, and has experience as a technical designer. At SOM he supports project teams in their use of digital tools, and helps develop firmwide standards. Additionally he develops tool in Javascript, Python, and C# to automate simple architectural tasks.
Food and drinks courtesy of Ideate Inc.


To attend the event in person, register here.
To register to the live broadcast click here.

SFDUG 2nd Anniversary | Dynamo Implementation + Dynamo in Construction

On Tuesday August 29th, at 6:00pm SFDUG is proud to celebrate its 2nd Year Anniversary with two fantastic presentations. This month meeting will be hosted at the AIA San Francisco, 130 Sutter St 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Featured Presentation:
Computational Design Increases Value to Project Managers & Designers | How to gain Buy-InRyan Cameron, DLR Group
Join Ryan Cameron and hear why project managers and designers may be reluctant or unable to use computation tools and what can be done to drive buy-in from these groups. Understand how computation leaders have identified needs and developed tools that will help designers with their work and how the perspective towards computational design has changed over time and influeced by the roll-out of tools for designers.

Ryan Cameron is leading computational design efforts at DLR Group that range in practice from data analysis, data strategy, parametric modeling and data-driven design. He is evidence based certified as well as a licensed architect in several states. He is a technology enthusiast and designer with degrees in architecture and engineering. He is very active in the AECO industry and you will find him on the many forums collaborating and discussing his creative passions. He is the co-founder of Data Streams, a building environment data analysis start-up venture and the CEO/Founder of Architect Machines, a digital asset management firm based in the Midwest.
Featured Presentation:Cost in Translation | Bridging the Gap Between Designers & Contractors
Kyle Martin, TBC
Having recently made a transition from architecture to construction, Kyle Martin will share ways that Dynamo is being used to better facilitate estimating, design validation, and coordination processes. Visual programming in conjunction with other middleware tools is improving translation between software platforms and project stakeholders. Using data and geometry already available in exchanged files is critical to maximizing efficiency and accuracy. Whether analyzing a Revit model, running a quantity take off, populating geometry for coordination, or assisting with a parametric approach early in a project, Kyle regularly uses Dynamo to uphold the delicate balance between design vision and construction reality.

Kyle Martin is a Virtual Design and Coordination Specialist at Tocci Building Companies where he focuses on digital model coordination and visualization. As a strong proponent of visual programming, he consistently develops tools for improved design intent translation, cost engineering, and process optimization. Martin is also an adjunct instructor of advanced AEC technology at the Boston Architectural College and founder of the Dynamo-litia Boston user group.
Attending in Person? Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfdug-2nd-anniversary-dynamo-implementation-dynamo-in-construction-tickets-37048574283
Attending the live broadcast?  Register here:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2620651165157569538


Registration closes at noon on the day of the event.

Food + Snacks provided by Ideate Inc.
Spirits courtesy of dRofus

SFDUG July Meeting | Flux

On Wednesday, July 12th at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes team Flux on discussion about their new features and functions.


Educational Module: Reanimation Package
The reanimation package by Travis Williams is a small hidden jewel of powerful features. Join Cesar Escalante on a discussion of practical applications using this set of tools.





Featured Presentation: What's up with Flux? Extend your computational design workflows with flawless data exchange.
Who said the AEC industry wasn't innovative? Come and learn about exciting development from Flux, a company focused on developing data infrastructure for the tomorrow's built environment. Take your models and data to the next level using an integrated approach. You'll get to meet some of Flux's team members, view live demos and real-life use cased applicable to your day-to-day.


Speaker's Bios:
Thomas Trinelle is an Application Engineer at Flux, a San Francisco based company focused on developing data infrastructure for tomorrow's built environment. After a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Mathematics focused in Finite Element Modeling applications from Ecole Polytechnique, Thomas joined Stanford University for a graduate program in Civil and Environmental Engineering where he focused on applying digital tools & data-driven practices in the built environment leveraging optimization and machine learning algorithms. At Flux, Thomas works to bridge the gap between technology and building design within the AEC space. Inspired by the AEC industry, he is passionate about finding ways to push technology to revolutionize building-making. Working closely with clients & industry partners.


Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to AIA San Francisco. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending online via GoToWebinar? Click here to register for the Go to Webinar link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com


Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG June Recording

We saw a great turnout for our June SFDUG meeting! We will now be to hosting our meetings at the AIA San Francisco, and this was our very first meeting at this new location.  In spite of our audio problems, we had a great presentation by Brian Ringley and Pardis Mirmelak, from Wood Bagot's Design Technology team.  

DesignScript Workshop Announced!!

The advent of Dynamo as a Visual Programming tool has re-ignited the interest in DesignScript, a text-based programming language used within Dynamo. This class is structured to enable students thru the fundamentals of DesignScript using practical examples and simple applications.

In this class you will learn:

- Learn the language basics of Design Script for Dynamo

- Understand how to build geometry primitives

- Manage, sort and manipulate list data

- Create simple custom functions

- Learn how to translate and manipulate geometry

- Understand the concept of Looping

- Learn how to use Replication guides

- Build Ranked and Jagged Collections

Instructors:

Enrico Chionna

Arman Hadilou

Cesar Escalante

Dates:  Saturday July 22nd, 9:00-4:00pm, at the HOK San Francisco, 1 Bush St, 2nd Floor.

Donation: $30

Requirements:

Bring your own laptop + power cord with Revit 2017 and Dynamo 1.3 installed.  

To register, click here

Registration is limited to 20 people.  Email sfdug.coordinator@gmail.com to be placed in a waiting list should the tickets sold-out.

SFDUG May 2017 Recording

Watch the fantastic presentations of Masoud Akbarzadeh and Steve DeWitte

SFDUG June Meeting | Woods Bagot

On June 14th, 6:00 pm PST, SFDUG welcomes Brian Ringley and Pardis Mirmalek, from Woods Bagot, as our featured speakers on a technical discussion about Dynamo.  This month's meeting will be hosted at the AIA San Francisco.

Educational Module:
3D Isovist study with Dynamo | Pardis Mirmalek
This session demonstrates a study that was done for San Francisco International Airport project in order to identify structural elements being visible from different point of the project and facilitate design rationalization for placing structural element in areas not visible to public.
Pardis Mirmalek is an architect and programmer who's work focuses on the overlap of Design, Data and Technology. She has worked on diverse range of projects in NY, SF and Dubai. She received her master of Architecture from Princeton University and is currently working as the BIM manager for Woodsbagot-HKS Joint Venture Partners for San Francisco International Airport Project.

Feature Presentation:
What’s the point of using Dynamo, or visual programming for that matter? | Brian Ringley
Brian Ringley will connect remotely from New York. This presentation will check our assumptions, take a step back, and honestly examine which architectural problems node graphs are solving… and which they’re creating. We’ll compare and contrast a number of design computation paradigms including textual scripting, textual programming, and graphical scripting, look at how we create and manage various "levels of intelligence" in our models (object, model, and project), and finally stop trying to compare apples and oranges with Dynamo and Grasshopper.
Brian Ringley is an Associate and Design Technology Specialist at Woods Bagot, where he integrates computational methods for model data interoperability, performance-driven design, and geometric rationalization for fabrication and construction into project production through platform training, bespoke applications, and intensive project support. He has taught at the University of Cincinnati DAAP, City Tech, CCNY Spitzer School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, +FARM, and the AA Visiting School, and currently teaches courses on data-driven parametric design, interoperable workflow convergence, and robotic automation for architectural manufacturing at Pratt Institute’s Graduate Architecture and Urban Design (GAUD) program.


Food and drinks sponsored by Ideate Inc.

Attending in person?  Get your tickets here.  Registration in person closes at noon on the day of the event. No exceptions. This month will be hosted at the AIA San Francisco
Attending on-line? Register to the free webcast here. GoToWebinar sponsored by GENSLER.

SFDUG May 2017 Meeting

On Wednesday, May 10th at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes two speakers: Masoud Akbarzadeh from University of Pennsylvania to present use of computational geometry in structural design, and Steve DeWitt from Project Frog to present Dynamo's application in Frog Platform Builder .

Design the Force - Masoud Akbarzadeh
The talk will introduce a novel method of structural design which is developed by Masoud Akbarzadeh as his PhD in architectural technologies. It is called 3D graphic statics using reciprocal polyhedral diagrams (3DGS) which is based on geometric relationship between the form of a structure and its diagram of forces. Geometry is the common language among architects and engineers. Therefore, this geometry-based structural design method can be considered an intuitive and powerful technique to understand complex structural concepts among architects and structural engineers, and can be used to design non-conventional, efficient spatial structural forms. 3DGS methods must be practiced in parametric modeling environments and is highly relevant to the current research in the field of computational design and complex geometries.

Frog Platform Builder - Steve DeWitt
This presentation will focus on how ProjectFrog leverage Autodesk Dynamo to aid model creation and building design customization as it relates to the prefabricated component buildings.  This class will provide oversite on how the use of Dynamo can change the way this firm uses Revit families and highlight some automation technique to gain efficiency in your workflow

Speaker's Bios:

Masoud Akbarzadeh is an Assistant Professor of Architecture in Structures and Advanced Technologies and the Director of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory (PSL). He holds a PhD from the Institute of Technology in Architecture, ETH Zurich, where he was a Research Assistant in the Block Research Group. He holds two degrees from MIT: a Master of Science in Architecture Studies (Computation) and an MArch, the thesis for which earned him the renowned SOM award. He also has a degree in Earthquake Engineering and Dynamics of Structures from the Iran University of Science and Technology and a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering. His main research topic is Three-Dimensional Graphical Statics, which is a novel geometric method of structural design in three dimensions.

Steve DeWitt has nearly 20 years of professional experience with Autodesk products and 15 years in the AEC fields. He is an Autodesk Revit certified professional and enjoys solving industry related problems. He has been with ProjectFrog for nearly 3 years and been focusing in Dynamo for the past year.

Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to HOK San Francisco. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending online via GoToWebinar? Click here to register for the Go to Webinar link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com


Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG April 2017 Meeting Recording

Dynamo Block Party

This coming Tuesday April 18th, at 6:00pm PST,  join us for the 2017 Dynamo Block Party -- the first meeting of its kind where several user groups across the country congregate virtually!

This is an excellent opportunity to meet others with a shared passion for Dynamo and design technology, see how their groups are organized, and be exposed to work happening outside the local community. Learn how folks in San Francisco, Denver, Des Moines, and New York City are making the most out of the expanded capabilities Dynamo provides. With 5 meetings in 1, this is one you don't want to miss.

Please note that this session will be held later than usual to accommodate other time zones. The festivities will begin with local current events, light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

We will meet at HOK San Francisco, at 1 Bush, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104.  Due to the high volume expected attendees, the event will be broadcasted only at the venue (no public broadcast available).

Click here to attend in person.

SFDUG April 2017 Meeting

On Wednesday, April 12th at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes Konrad K. Sobon from Grimshaw Architects to present Mandrill, a data visualization plug-in for Dynamo.


Educational Module: Expedite Design Documentation with Dynamo
Presenter: Sam Tahmasebi from Gensler

Feature Presentation: Data Visualization in Dynamo with Mandrill

Speaker: Konrad K. Sobon

In this session Konrad will present Mandrill which is a data visualization plug-in for Dynamo and Grasshopper. It uses the power of D3.js to create beautiful and interactive charts. Whether you are trying to visualize your data on the fly using your favorite visual programming software, or analyzing a health of the Revit model, Mandrill has got you covered. You can easily create live, responsive data visualizations or combine them into report pages and save out to PDF to include in larger documents. All graphics produced by Mandrill are SVG based which means you can later edit them in your software of choice. 

Speaker's Bio:

Konrad K. Sobon is a Computational BIM Specialist for Grimshaw Architects, New York. He is also a member of Design Technology group at Grimshaw that developed a number of collaboration and design tools for architects. He specializes in Computation Design implementation on BIM projects and is an author of a number of project enhancing applications and workflows. He is the creator or co-creator of Mantis Shrimp, Bumblebee, Mandrill and Unify plug-ins for Dynamo, Rhino and Unity as well as the keeper of www.archi-lab.net – an online resource for technology curious architects.

Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to the HOK. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending via GoToWebinar? Click here to register for the Go to Meeting link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com

Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG March 2017 Meeting Recording: Dynamo for MEP

Brett Young and Ben Bushman from Building SP discussed Dynamo applications for MEP Industry.

Please find Data set here



 

SFDUG March 2017 Meeting

On Wednesday, March 15th at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes Brett Young and Ben Bushman, from Building SP to discuss Dynamo applications for the MEP industry.

Building SP is an Emeryville-based software development firm at the forefront of several emerging trends in our industry- generative design, computational BIM and visual scripting using Dynamo. In this presentation, Building SP will demonstrate how both native and C#-enabled Dynamo can be used for clash-free MEP autorouting, generative design for MEP, and the automated modeling of equipment infrastructure based on Revit equipment families. The presentation will focus on actual production workflows that are revolutionized with the combination of Revit, Dynamo and software development.

Feature Presentation: Dynamo for MEP Systems | Advanced Techniques forComplex Jobs

Speaker: Brett Young and Ben Bushman

Speaker's Bio:

Brett Young is the CEO and founder of Building SP Inc. This is the second startup for Brett, having previously founded and managed Modulus Consulting, a BIM consulting firm with multi-million dollar annual revenues. He has a background in the management of large, commercial construction projects from nine years of work at Cahill Contractors, a San Francisco building general contractor. Brett holds a BS in civil and environmental engineering from UC Berkeley.

Ben Buschmann manages the acquisition of knowledge for electrical systems at Building SP. This includes the codification of rules in semantic ontologies for an expanding set of building infrastructure systems. Ben is also involved in the testing of all build releases using his detailed knowledge of electrical detailing and drafting. Prior to BSP he worked as an Electrical Design Engineer for Integral Group, a MEP design firm. He holds a BSE from Ohio State University in electrical and computer engineering.

Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to the HOK. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending via Webex? Click here to register for the Webex link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com

Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG February 2017 Meeting Recording: FormIT 360 and C# for Design

Tobias Hathorn and Josh Goldstein from Autodesk presenting "Dynamo+FormIT 360"
Be Han from Because We Can presenting "C# for Dynamo Users"


 

SFDUG February 2017 Meeting

On Wednesday, February 15th at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes Tobias Hathorn from Autodesk presenting FormIT 360 and Be Han from Because We Can to present use of Dynamo and C# for Design

Educational Module: FormIT 360 + Dynamo
Presenter: Tobias Hathorn from Autodesk

Tobias Hathorn will discuss how Autodesk FormIT 360 and Autodesk Dynamo Studio work together to create a Generative Conceptual Design workflow. He will demonstrate how to publish flexible Dynamo customizers which are created in Dynamo, create Dynamo customizers in a FormIT 360 sketch, and the integration of FormIT with Revit.
Tobias is a licensed architect and user experience designer for Autodesk FromIT, a BIM conceptual  tool. he has honed his knowledge and experience with Revit, especially the graphics and rendering features, over the past seven years in the quality assurance and user experience groups. Tobias holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from Kansas State University.

Feature Presentation: Using Dynamo and C# for Design

Speaker: Be Han from Because We Can

Be Han will provide us with an introductory discussion of when to use C# versus custom nodes and Python, as well as basic information on Microsoft Visual Studio, with the goal to understand how it can be used as a design tool. 

Speaker's Bio:

Be Han has workded at Because We Can for three years helping out with installation projects using custom Dynamo nodes to aid in rationalizations of mesh based designs and helped consult with mesh realted geometry manipulation and rationalization. She has a background in architecture and mathematics, and started by learning processing and Java alongside Rhinoscript and Grasshopper.

Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to the Woods Bagot Architects. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending via Webex? Click here to register for the Webex link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com

Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG January 2017 Meeting Recording: Dynamo for Structure

Marcello Sgambelluri from John Martin and Associates presented the use of Dynamo for Structural Modeling and analysis


 

Download the datasets here: 

SFDUG January 2017 Meeting

On Tuesday, January 10 at 6:00pm SFDUG welcomes Marcello Sgambelluri, John Martin & Associates to present use of Dynamo for modeling and analysis of structural elements in Revit

Educational Module: Dynamo at Autodesk University 2016
Presenters: Dago Delarosa, Rutherford + Chekene and Cesar Escalante, HOK

Feature Presentation: Dynamo for Structures

Speaker:

Marcello Sgambelluri, John Martin & Assoc.

SFDUG is excited to host Marcello as our remote speaker for this month. Marcello will teach how to use Dynamo on a practical level to help model structural elements in Revit, how to quality control Revit models and analytical models, and even show how Dynamo could be used to help annotate structural drawings. If you model any type of Revit Structural elements then you do not want to miss this. It will make modeling structure in Revit fun again!

Speaker's Bio:

Marcello Sgambelluri currently serves as the Building Information Modeling (BIM) director at John A. Martin and Associates Structural Engineers in Los Angeles, California. Marcello is an internationally recognized educator and leader in BIM technology. He continually speaks at Autodesk University and the Revit Technology Conference, receiving top speaker award for five years in a row. Mracello Sgambelluri has Bachelor's and Master's degree in Civil Engineering and he is a licensed civil and structural engineer.

Attending in person? Registration is required to gain access to the Rutherford + Chekene. Click here for the Eventbrite registration. Registration closes at 11:00am on the day of the event, no exceptions.

Attending via Webex? Click here to register for the Webex link prior to the meeting. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. For assistance, you can contact Cesar Escalante at: cesar.escalante@hok.com

Food courtesy of Ideate Inc.

SFDUG December 2016 Meeting Recording: New Features of Dynamo 1.2

 Zach Kron from Autodesk presented new features of Dynamo 1.2

Due to technical problems the recording does not have audio.