Generative Design Primer
  • Welcome
  • Introduction to Generative Design
    • Computational Design
    • Generative Design
      • What is Generative Design?
      • Why should I use Generative Design?
      • What goes into a Generative Design Process?
        • Anatomy of each stage
      • Examples of Generative Design
        • MaRs Innovation District of Toronto
        • Furniture Design
        • A Further Analogy
      • Anatomy of a Good Generative Design Process
    • Visual Programming
    • Dynamo
    • Generative Design for Revit and Dynamo
  • Deeper Dive to Generative Design
    • Algorithms
      • What are Algorithms?
      • Generators
      • Evaluators
      • Solvers
    • Optioneering
    • Optimization
      • What is Optimization?
      • Objective Function
      • Constraints
      • Data
      • Defining Goals
    • Genetic Algorithms
      • What is a Genetic Algorithm?
      • Initialization phase
      • Evaluation Phase
      • Selection Phase
      • Crossover Phase
      • Mutation Phase
    • Other Techniques
    • Genetic Algorithm Q&A
  • Hello Generative Design for Revit and Dynamo!
    • Installing Generative Design
    • Setting up a Graph for Generative Design
    • Running Generative Design
    • Visualizing Results in Generative Design
    • Refinery Toolkit
      • Installing the Refinery Toolkit from the Dynamo Package Manager
      • Using the Refinery Toolkit
    • Space Analysis for Dynamo
      • Installing the Space Analysis for Dynamo package from the Dynamo Package Manager
      • Using the Space Analysis Package
    • Using Revit alongside Generative Design
      • Using Data from Revit
      • Remember Node Inputs
      • How to Test Revit Data Capture
      • Detailed Example Workflow
      • Sharing Logic and Results
      • Current Limitations
      • Accessing Generative Design Directly From Revit
  • Sample Workflows
    • Getting Started Workflows
      • Highest Point of a Surface
      • Minimum Volume and Maximum Surface
    • Architectural Workflows
      • Building Mass Generator
      • Building Positioning based on Solar Analysis
      • Office Layout
      • Grid Object Placement in a Room
      • Entourage Placement Exploration
    • MEP Workflows
      • Distributing Spotlights in an Office Space
    • Structural Workflows
    • BIM Workflows
      • Placement of views on sheets
    • Community Examples
      • Guidelines
      • List Of Examples
  • Generative Design in Your Office
    • What Generative Design Can Be Used For?
    • What Generative Design Can’t Be Used For?
    • How to Convince Senior Stakeholders of Using Generative Design?
    • The Role of a Generative Designer
    • Hiring a Generative Designer
  • Next Steps
    • Machine Learning
      • What is Machine Learning?
      • Is Generative Design Machine Learning?
      • Can Machine Learning and Generative Design Work Together?
  • Appendix
    • Glossary
    • Reference Material
    • Need Professional Help?
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On this page
  • Description
  • Static Inputs
  • Variable Inputs
  • Functions
  • Visualization
  • Evaluators
  • Generative Design
  • Results
  • Video Tutorial

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  1. Sample Workflows
  2. Architectural Workflows

Office Layout

PreviousBuilding Positioning based on Solar AnalysisNextGrid Object Placement in a Room

Last updated 1 month ago

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Description

This graph will generate a series of desk layouts based on a floor plate and neighborhood boundaries. Desks are placed in rows either horizontally or vertically, alongside a reserved space for amenities, such as breakout spaces or tea points.

The intention is to find a solution that maximizes the number of desks in the layout, while still maintaining a high area for amenities.

Static Inputs

Name
Description

Floor plate

Select the floor geometry

Neighborhood boundaries

Select the neighborhood boundaries (model curves)

Desk width (mm)

Width of the office desk

Desk depth (mm)

Depth of the office desk

Back-to-back tolerance (mm)

Distance between two desks where people would be sitting back-to-back

Variable Inputs

Name
Description

Boundary start points

The movement of the start point of each of the neighborhood boundaries along the floor boundary

Boundary end points

The movement of the end point of each of the neighborhood boundaries along the floor boundary

Functions

The script is made up of a series of functions, which are divided into groups inside the graph. Each group has a name and a short description, where the name indicates the type of function being run and the description explains in more detail the process.

This graph extracts the underlying surface from the floor geometry and builds perimeter curves. The neighborhood boundaries sit along these perimeter curves and can move within a tolerance defined by the script. This movement causes the neighborhood sizes to change, providing new floor plates and new layouts respectively. The amenity space is defined as an offset space based from the longest curve and the desks then occupy the remaining space in the most efficient way.

Visualization

When geometry is created in Dynamo, often other geometry is needed to facilitate the overall process.

Please note that all unnecessary geometry has been switched off in Dynamo - this is to ensure the geometry displayed shows the final geometric output. Any nodes with the preview switched off will not display the output visually in Explore Outcomes.

In this case, only the perimeter lines of the floor plate, neighborhood boundaries, amenity spaces and office desks will be visible. The amenity spaces are shown in grey to differentiate them from the rest of the geometry.

Evaluators

Name
Description

Amenity space area (m²)

The total area occupied by the amenity spaces

Number of desks (u)

The total number of office desks

Generative Design

Designers can spend hours laying out repetitive areas such as offices and toilets. By creating an algorithm with clear goals like this (maximum number of desks and maximum amenity space), optimize can be used as the solver to arrive at the best solution quicker.

Results

Once generation has completed, the results can be explored through the tables and graphs in the Explore Outcomes dialog. The image below shows an example output from a randomized study based on 35 solutions.

Video Tutorial

Workflow files for Revit 2023
Workflow files for Revit 2024
Workflow files for Revit 2025
Workflow files for Revit 2026
Architectural Workflows