Software : Rhino 3d
Level : Beginner / Intermediate
Description : This Rhino Video Tutorial covers how to use Implicit and Explicit history (Grasshopper) to model a building massing. This tutorial in one that i had previously done in 3ds Max and wanted to compare the differences in work flow. Over the course of the next few weeks i plan to continue this research. This methodology has proven useful for me to understand how one must navigate each platform to achieve similar results. As usual please feel free to post questions or comments regarding these techniques.

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Software : Revit Architecture
Level : Beginner - Intermediate
Description : So…. Have you ever had the problem where your grid lines will NOT show up in elevations?!?!?! This is of course after you have checked your VG settings and maximized 3d extents, still NOTHING! Chances are the elevation view is not perpendicular to the grid lines. In most cases this makes sense, how is the program going to know where you want to intersect the infinite planes of the grid lines. In this Revit tutorial I establish the point of intersection as the point where the site boundary and grid line intersect. Once that rule has been established, we cover how to create a generic family that is placed in plan and is visible in the elevations. Through the use of tags and parameters we coordinate the naming of the grid to assure they match on the plans and elevations. I think this is an interesting issue to solve and am sure people have options on this so please feel free to post your thoughts or comments on this technique or even whether this should be done at all.

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Software : Autodesk 3ds Max
Description : This is the second part of a series in which I will try and go through all the operations that can be done at the sub-object level of the various geometry types in 3ds Max. This 3ds Max Video Tutorial goes over the majority of the procedures that can be done at the segment and spline level of an editable spline. All of the example are simplified to show the fundamentals of each command.

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Modifier : Shell
Works on: Splines, Meshes, Polys, Patches, NURBS
3ds Max Description : The Shell modifier “solidifies” or gives thickness to an object by adding an extra set of faces facing the opposite direction of existing faces, plus edges connecting the inner and outer surfaces wherever faces are missing in the original object. You can specify offset distances for the inner and outer surfaces, characteristics for edges, material IDs, and mapping types for the edges.

Also, because the Shell modifier doesn’t have sub-objects, you can use the Select options to specify a face selection for passing up the stack to other modifiers. Please note that the Shell modifier doesn’t recognize existing sub-object selections, nor does it pass such selections up the stack.

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Software : 3ds Max
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Description : This 3ds Max video tutorial covers how to model a parametric screen constructed from hexagons. This technique is pretty straight forward. We start with a 6 sided nGon then uses a series of modifiers to create the lattice work. This tutorial does not get into rendering just how this geometry can be quickly modeled while maintaining parametric relationships for things such as the size or the members, the size of the opening, and level of variation in the pattern.

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Since all the software conversation is really no fun unless we put it to use to build things. I figured I should post some of the latest images of the precast panels from the 290 Mulberry Project (Project description PDF) by SHoP Architects’ (just in case, that’s where i work).

The real reason this project is applicable on this site is the explorations done in parametric modeling and BIM. As i said in an earlier post this was SHoP Architects Revit pilot project. Even though SHoP has been 3d modeling their projects for a while now this was the first time the drawing sets were integrally tied to the 3d model. The building was modeled in Revit 9.0 (now in 2008), the model was used for DD and CD and is now being used full time for CA.

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McNeel just released an update to the Paneling tool. This looks like a great plug-in for Rhino. I have not had a chance to use it yet but i plan to install it soon and test out the tools. From what i can see on the McNeel site, this tool is used for dividing surfaces for panelization. Another great aspect to this tool is that most if not all of the commands are available through RhinoScript.

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Software : Autodesk 3ds Max
Description : This 3ds Max Video Tutorial goes over the majority of the procedures that can be done at the vertex level of an editable spline. All of the example are simplified to show the fundamentals of each command. A few that i am not very familiar with are left out so if anyone knows them please post a comment.

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Software : Rhino 3d
Level : Beginner / Intermediate
Description : This Rhino 3d Video Tutorial covers how to use Explicit History modeling techniques with geometry created with implicit history. The parametric bridge or walkway that I am modeling comes from a 3ds Max tutorial that i do to explain how one builds the hierarchy of modeling procedures while maintaining associative relations ships.

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Modifier : Mirror
Works on: Meshes, Polys, Nurbs
3ds Max Description The Lattice modifier converts the segments or edges of a shape or object into cylindrical struts with optional joint polyhedra at the vertices. Use this either to create renderable structural geometry based on the mesh topology, or as an alternate method to achieve a rendered wireframe effect.

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