Material Systems and Components in Rhino 5

What are some people's preferences in how they generate "material systems" in building models (material systems meaning window, doors, awnings, mullions, roof frames, etc.)?

Lately I have been been making them individually by drawing them in Rhino space, saving them to new layers, and duplicating them. This method is tedious and time consuming, but it is the only method I have found that suites my needs for the type of model I am making.

Does anyone know of a good plug-in or program that allows you to generate items like doors or windows? I have tried VisualARQ and it seems to work well enough, but it is still fairly limited in the trial version.

Even better, does anyone know if there are definitions for items like doors and windows available for download? I'm thinking specifically of 3d warehouse for sketch-up. Is there a Rhino equivalent of 3d warehouse? Any help would be appreciated.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Damon on July 30, 2014 at 1:44pm

I know this is the Grasshopper forum and therefore a place where people converse about Grasshopper (and Rhino). However, I really think that what you are looking for is actually Revit.

Don't get me wrong, I love Rhino and Grasshopper and we use it extensively at my (architecture) office. However, we use Revit extensively, too, exactly because it is the best tool for many jobs. Are you in school? (WSU as on your profile?) If so, assume you can get free or discounted software. So here are two options.

1. Use Revit for "conventional" architecture or pieces of your project that use conventional architectural components.

2. If you need your model to live in Rhino, use Revit and it's library of components to create the types and sizes of doors, windows, etc. you need, export to Rhino, and copy-paste where you need it. Make sure you make them blocks so you can update them all at once.

I've been using Rhino and Revit in tandem for quite a few years now and it works really well. For example, I'll mass something out in Rhino, bring it to Revit, throw in some curtain walls, stairs, railings, etc. since the Revit tools for those are really easy, then bring those things back to Rhino for continued study, refinement, and visualization. Or another example, we build the primary building in Revit, but the atypical conditions--maybe a swoopy diagrid roof--we model in Rhino and translate to Revit with Chameleon and GeometryGym.

Hope some of this helps!

Permalink Reply by ryan beck on August 2, 2014 at 4:26pm

Thanks Damon

Yes I am at WSU right now. I have been working primarily in Rhino, but had not thought to export to Revit as I am relatively new to that program. I will work in both and see where it gets me.

Permalink Reply by Damon on August 2, 2014 at 6:45pm

And another thought: Rhino is awesome, but in the architecture profession, I believe that knowing Revit, AutoCAD, and SketchUp are the three most marketable skills you can have, on that order. AutoCAD is still the most universal, Revit is the fastest growing, and SketchUp being the most affordable was widely adopted for 3d.

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