Facade Generator

Facade Generator bridges the gap between Revit and other modeling programs, specifically Rhino and Grasshopper, to easily study façade patterns and articulation that are otherwise too cumbersome to implement or explore in Revit at early stages of a project. The Façade Generator expands Mithun’s design workflow and enables teams to rapidly experiment with various design options. Conceptual drivers for exploration could include environmental response as well as programmatic relationships, panelization, modularity and color. The generator was initially tested through the exploration of options for UW Bothell STEM4 façade design and will continue to enhance the workflows firm wide.

COVID-19 has demonstrated that natural airflow is vital to health, and the slow threat of climate change highlights a growing need for sophisticated solutions to solar shading, natural lighting, and coordinated ventilation. Façade Generator focuses on the plane that separates “inside” from “outside,” shaping the mediating barrier by which a building breathes. The tool’s flexibility and iterative capacity would allow designers to adapt to the changing demands of this year’s health crisis and the changing climate, providing innumerable options for natural ventilation, daylighting, mechanical expression, and beauty.