The 7 Best Computational BIM Workflows for Architects

Instead of using the best tool for the job, a large section of designers choose to use one BIM software that they are most familiar with for both design exploration and interrogation, possibly losing out on creative freedom. This blog post will give you 4 reasons why it is better for designers to create a federated BIM model using Computational BIM workflows rather than struggle with the limitations of any one BIM system.

For a long time, interoperability between Conceptual modelling tools and BIM software has essentially been nonexistent. But in the last 2-3 years, many plugins have been developed to significantly improve the robustness of BIM workflows. This blog post showcases the various Computational BIM workflows that are in use by professionals today. It adopts a tool-agnostic approach in dissecting the advantages and limitations to each of these workflows.

Rather than re-invent the wheel and develop an algorithmic design tool from scratch, Graphisoft decided to integrate with the most popular application for that purpose, Rhino/Grasshopper. The connection is actually ‘live’ and operating in real-time, allowing users to conceptualize building forms and create native ARCHICAD components directly from Rhino/GH interface. A big advantage of this workflow over Rhynamo, Mantis Shrimp or Flux is that the user has to manage only one dataflow graph in Grasshopper that allows for both Parametric exploration and BIM interrogation.

Flux is a very promising tool because it provides cloud based data exchange and collaboration without the user having to worry about interoperability issues. It is unequivocally focused on data rather than on files. The user can send and receive geometry and data from most of the common AEC tools (like SketchUp, Excel, Rhino/GH, Revit etc.) currently in use. The most useful aspect of Flux is its ability to exchange disparate pieces of data from multiple software and later combine it into a consolidated whole. However, Flux may have a steeper learning curve compared to other plugins, mainly because of its focus on data management. 

Rhynamo is an open source plugin authored by Nathan Miller that enables reading and writing of Rhino .3dm files inside of Dynamo. In addition, several experimental nodes are provided that allow for ‘Live’ access to the Rhino command line. However, Rhynamo operates only with baked Rhino geometry and not directly with Grasshopper. So data management may be an issue. As a workaround, one may have to use another GH plugin called Elefront to add attributes to Rhino objects. But then the user has to create and manage two separate dataflow graphs; one in Grasshopper to bake geometry to Rhino which is then translated to Dynamo and another in Dynamo to communicate with Revit.

Grevit allows to assemble a BIM model in either Sketchup or Grasshopper and send the geometry to Revit or Autocad Architecture as native BIM elements. It can work concurrently such that a user working in GH and another user working in SketchUp can both send their models to the same Revit instance using Grevit. Every Grevit component instance gets a unique GUID when it is being created. In Revit, this GUID is stored in a parameter and is used to identify the element in Revit whenever an update is being pushed from GH or SketchUp.

VisualARQ supports import and export from and to IFC file format to exchange Rhino models with other BIM applications. It allows the user to create parametric architectural objects like walls, beams, stairs, doors, windows, roofs etc. and control them parametrically within the Rhino environment. Block items such as windows and doors can be moved or modified within walls without the time consuming process of rebuilding or patching wall surfaces as would normally be the case in Rhino. However, not all Rhino commands are compatible with VisualARQ. One needs to get used to VisualARQ’s modelling toolset, which is a little different to Rhino, especially Boolean operations.

Geometry Gym generates data in OpenBIM formats (primarily IFC) that can be directly imported into any BIM software. This plugin uses the dataflow modelling capabilities of Grasshopper to directly generate the IFC exchange model, thereby avoiding the need for a separate exporter altogether. The advantage is that it doesn’t have to deal with the explicit geometry generated by the baking process. And it does a very good job of generating the IFC. However, the disadvantage is that the dataflow model becomes riddled with data exchange nodes that have only marginal relevance to the parametric modelling task.

Sketchup is the most popular 3D modelling tool for concept design with a base of 30+ million users. PlusSpec works inside Sketchup, taking advantage of such a large user base, to introduce new parametric power to draw, edit and inspect BIM elements and produce building specification. There has not been any serious BIM plugin that helps speed up modelling, drawing creation, materials takeoff, and all the admin tasks and coordination that are usually less optimal to do in SketchUp. PlusSpec fills that gap quite well with a light-weight BIM approach and is ideal for small-mid scale projects. This BIM plugin costs as much as Sketchup itself, and whether that cost is worth it or not is for you to decide.