THE FUTURE IS A

DESIGN CHALLENGE
Solving tomorrow’s challenges with
automation and generative design

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 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 03

DESIGNING WITH OUTCOMES IN MIND 04

REWRITING THE PROJECT STRATEGY RULEBOOK 05

IMPLEMENTING WORKFLOWS:
GETTING STARTED WITH GENERATIVE DESIGN 07
GETTING STARTED WITH AUTOMATION 10

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN STARTS HERE 11

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 12

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 Introduction
Throughout the design process, architects constantly
evaluate trade-offs and synchronize project
priorities to deliver value for clients. With creativity
and precision, architects strike a balance between
exceeding client expectations and creating a design
that’s optimized, beautiful, and functional.

Achieving this consistently can be challenging because

of increased project costs, growing client expectations,
and a highly varied workforce. With these challenges
top of mind, architects are transforming their design
processes in order to deliver more value to clients.

Emerging technologies, like generative design and

automation, are aiding this transformation by helping
architects explore a wider range of design options with
outcomes in mind. With these tools you can quickly
evaluate and optimize your designs and make higher-
performing decisions throughout the design process,
freeing up your time to focus on tougher, more
complex challenges.

In this ebook, we’ll review what generative design

and automation can do for more successful project
outcomes and how you can implement these
workflows today to deliver more value to your clients.

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 Designing with outcomes
in mind

When you design with outcomes in mind, the effort

that goes into a building project shifts from the design
development phase into the predesign and schematic
design phases. Aligning upstream and downstream

EFFORT / EFFECT
stakeholders to identify what everyone needs upfront
means that projects have a greater chance of success
while increasing each individual’s impact on the
process. Designing with outcomes in mind focuses
efforts on operational efficiency, from improved team
collaboration to data handover, leading to reduced
overall design time and a net increase in your
workload capacity.

The ability to design with flexible parametric models,

optimized by automation and generative design
toolsets, allows you to make major changes to design
later in the design phases. This extends the window of
opportunity to impact cost and functional capabilities PREDESIGN SCHEMATIC DESIGN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION BID CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS
DOCUMENTATION ADMINISTRATION
while pivoting and course-correcting the project in real
time—see figure 1.
TIME
With automation and generative design processes, you Future effort Traditional effort Outcome-based design
can add more value to your projects. For example, you Parametric models informed by automation and
generative design enable better definition of
can improve visualizations, research and source local Contemporary effort Cost of design changes project outcomes, improving ability to impact cost
and sustainable materials and systems, or spend more and functional capabilities

time digging into project detailing. Figure 1: Automation and generative design shift the design paradigm

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 Traditional project strategy

CHARETTE

Rewriting the project CONSTRAIN DESIGN

strategy rulebook
DISCOVER CRITIQUE

CHARETTE CHARETTE

Beyond evolving design processes to prioritize values IDENTIFY CONSTRAIN DESIGN REALIZE
CONSTRAIN DESIGN
and outcomes, these emerging technologies are also
revealing an entirely new approach to project strategy. DISCOVER CRITIQUE

DISCOVER CRITIQUE
With traditional project strategy, the design process
is linear, consisting of proactive and reactive work on
a single building. Ideas are tested one-by-one, often DEVELOP
without enough information to know in advance what
will work. Each time, you must react and adjust
PROJECT TIMELINE Figure 2
the design based on shifting stakeholder priorities. You
may only get to test a few ideas before time and budget
constraints drive you to make a decision and move
Future project strategy
forward—see figure 2.

Automation and generative design are rewriting the IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE
rulebook. To automate and optimize workflows in the
development phase of the design process requires INFORM
a rigorous and extensive review of project and
IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

INFORM

IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

design goals at the beginning. This has the benefit

INFORM

DEVELOP

of establishing clear transparency from the start. DEVELOP

IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

INFORM

You’re able to make decisions confidently and with IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

INFORM

DEVELOP

the visibility you need to be successful. The design IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

process is then largely proactive, yet flexible, allowing

INFORM
DEVELOP

you to inform upstream development frameworks with GROW DEVELOP

downstream ideas and enabling you to have more DEVELOP IDENTIFY REALIZE CURATE

INFORM

meaningful conversations around design outcomes at DEVELOP

any stage of the process—see figure 3.

PROJECT TIMELINE
5 Figure 3
 Implementing these Getting started
workflows today with generative design

Ready to see some examples of what generative Generative design is a form of artificial intelligence,
design and automation processes can do? dedicated to the creation of better outcomes for
Whether optimizing building forms based on view buildings and systems. It utilizes algorithms, machine
opportunities or ensuring that desks are laid out learning, and computational geometry to quickly
in the best possible way, generative design and explore multiple solutions to a given design problem.
automation processes are making optimization
possible and integral to the design process. With generative design, the designer can choose
the highest-performing option based on the most
critical criteria to meet their project goals. By using
the computer to explore many design options and
all possible iterations of a design, designers are able
to achieve the outcomes they are targeting for the
project and their business.

Emerging technology like Generative Design in

Revit—a feature available through the Architecture,
Engineering & Construction Collection with Revit
2021–is expanding generative design methodologies
to a larger number of architects and designers. Think
of Generative Design in Revit as a design optimization
assistant, a way to gather data quickly to help make
more informed design decisions.

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 Getting started
with generative design
USE CASE:
For example, perhaps you’re designing a new office and
OPTIMIZE WORKSPACE LAYOUT
need to optimize the number of desks but minimize the
distance to the exits. Generative Design in Revit can
help you create options based on your most important
metrics, like desk count and distance to exits, so you
can quickly find the most desirable solution. Check
out the case study on optimizing office space layout in
figure 4.

Figure 4: Generative Design in Revit

The task The challenge The tool

Design a new office layout Maximize the number of ‘Workspace Layout’ study in
desks while minimizing the Generative Design in Revit
distance to the exits

Using generative design, you can quickly generate alternative floor plan layouts based on desk
count, aisle width, and distance to exits.

Directly within Revit, the ‘Workspace Layout’ study can be used to optimize the floor plan. Start by
choosing variables, then set the project goals.

Once the setup is completed, results are generated in minutes, leaving you free to continue to work
in Revit or other applications. When the study is ready, you can start to explore the design options
to see which works best for your project.

Take a detailed look at how to use this study here.

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 Getting started
with generative design
USE CASE:
Or perhaps your client wants to expand their building
MAXIMIZE RENTABLE SPACE
with a new wing. You need to optimize rentable space
while minimizing surface area to reduce construction
costs. Generative design capabilities in Revit can help
you find the best outcomes. Take a look at the building
massing study in figure 5.

Figure 5: Generative Design in Revit

The task The challenge The tool

Design a new office building Minimize costs and ‘Three Box Massing’ study in
wing for a client maximize the rentable space Generative Design in Revit

Using this study, it’s possible to review and analyze design options based on project goals. This
example aims to maximize floor area while minimizing surface area to reduce construction costs.

Once you’ve generated options by inputting the variables and goals, each option is generated as a
3D view that you can manipulate to test its suitability. It’s easy to review options by adjusting the
scatterplot and changing criteria used for the X and Y axes.

After reviewing these potential outcomes, you can either iterate the study to alter the settings and
generate further alternatives, or select a particular outcome to integrate into your model.

Find out more about how to use this study here.

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 Getting started
with generative design
USE CASE:
And, if your client wants tenants to have great
AMPLIFY WINDOW VIEWS
views from inside the office, Generative Design
in Revit can help you identify where to place
furniture for the best window views. You’ll be able
to generate various viewpoints, then use graphs
to rank your designs based on what matters most.
See how to maximize window views in figure 6.

As well as the pre-set studies available in

Generative Design in Revit, you can customize
or create your own studies through Dynamo in
Revit. These studies can be shared with your
whole firm to help serve the needs of your own
studio-specific standards and challenges.

Figure 6: Generative Design in Revit

The task The challenge The tool

A client wants their tenants Determine the best position ‘Maximize Window Views’ study
to have great views from in a room for optimal views in Generative Design in Revit
within their office to the outside

This study enables you to generate and analyze alternatives to find the best position in a room
relative to window views. First, select a movable element within the room from which to calculate
the views. Then, select the multiple window or curtain elements as well as elements that will
obstruct views. Finally, set the goals.

Once the design outcomes are ready to explore, the tool will display the average angle to windows
and a score that rates the view to outside. This is illustrated by a geometry visualization to help see
results at a glance.

Learn more about this study here.

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 Getting started with automation
USE CASE:
AUTOMATING SHEET CREATION
While generative design allows you to explore what’s
possible, workflow automation is the tool to use when you
know what you’re trying to achieve. When you have a design
solution in mind, automation can help get you there faster.

Automation can help architects and designers solve

complex geometric problems with precision and speed,
freeing up designers’ time to focus on extending
architectural services and adding more value to projects.

Once an architect or designer has decided on an outcome

and formulated the problem they need to solve,
automation comes into play. By inputting the relevant
Figure 7: Automation in Dynamo Figure 8: Sheet creation using Dynamo
data, they can use tools such as Dynamo for Revit to
iterate a solution automatically.
The task The challenge The tool
Create 39 views in your Minimizing the time spent A reusable Dynamo script for
Dynamo extends the power of design tools with
project browser for levels on sheet creation sheet creation
visual programming. It allows users to model more
one through 40 of your
sophisticated design geometry using simple data,
logic, and analysis. For example, you can automate This task, which typically may take thirty minutes to an hour, can now be accomplished in just five
the creation of sheets for multiple views using minutes, with the click of a button using automation.

Dynamo by creating a reusable script that runs From the Revit add-ins toolbar, launch Dynamo and have a script ready to go for the task in hand. Drive
this task in a matter of minutes. See how to the sheet names and numbers with data from Excel, using filtering in a list to specify the views to place
on the sheets.
automate sheet creation in figures 7 and 8.
As you run the script using the manual run process, the Excel sheet opens up while referenced and Revit
and Dynamo work together in the background to complete the task. Once the run is completed, the sheets
have automatically been added to the project in Revit and the views are placed on the sheets.

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 The future of design
starts here
This paradigm shift towards designing with outcomes
in mind is the next step in the future of design.
Automation and generative design allow architects to
work faster and smarter, and spend more time solving
complex design problems. They also add value by
growing and extending your architectural services,
while rising to the ever-expanding challenges of
today and tomorrow. To find out more about how
Autodesk is helping to shape the future of design,
explore the links below.

New to generative design? Learn more here

Read a step by step guide on getting started with

Generative Design in Revit

Get Generative Design in Revit, available in the

AEC Collection beginning with Revit 2021

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 About the author
Emily Bisaga Dunne is the Industry Outcomes Lead
for Building Design at Autodesk.

In this global, strategic and operational position,

she uses her expertise gleaned from several years’
experience in the AEC industry to help Autodesk
understand key business outcomes for architectural
and engineering technology customers. Emily
is passionate about BIM, Generative Design and
Cloud Solutions, and is driven to ensure innovative
technology adoption and usher the AEC industry
into the next generation of design technology.
The content of this ebook was derived from
Emily’s popular AU class, “The Business Value of
Computational and Generative Design for Executives”.
Watch Emily’s class here.

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