Rhino.Inside.Revit

Rhino.Inside.Revit
Name	Rhino.Inside.Revit
Developer	McNeel Europe and McNeel
Released	2019
Latest release version	(varies)
Programming language	C#, C++
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Genre	Computer-aided design, Building information modeling, Interoperability

Rhino.Inside.Revit is a software interoperability project that enables embedding the NURBS-based 3D modeler Rhino and its visual scripting environment Grasshopper inside the Autodesk Revit application. The tool facilitates bi-directional workflows between designers using Rhino (software), Grasshopper (software), and practitioners using Autodesk Revit on projects such as Sydney Opera House-scale landmarks, Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, or institutional commissions by firms like Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster and Partners. By combining the modeling paradigms of Robert McNeel & Associates products with the parametric document environment of Autodesk, Inc., the project targets multidisciplinary teams including architects, engineers, and fabricators engaged with platforms like BIM 360 and standards such as Industry Foundation Classes.

Overview

Rhino.Inside.Revit integrates components from Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, and the Autodesk Revit API to provide embedded access to geometry, parameters, and project elements within the Revit session. The integration supports workflows that traverse tools and institutions like Arup, AECOM, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), enabling data exchange compatible with file formats and standards such as IFC, DWG, DXF, and processes used by organizations including BuildingSMART International and National Institute of Standards and Technology. The approach mirrors precedents from interoperability efforts by Autodesk partnerships with Trimble and Graphisoft.

History and development

Development began as an experimental initiative within Robert McNeel & Associates to leverage the scriptability of RhinoScript and the extensibility of the Revit API following increased interest after high-profile projects by firms like Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners that blurred boundaries between freeform modeling and documentation. Public demonstrations at conferences such as ACADIA, SIGGRAPH, AIA Conference on Architecture, and BILT accelerated adoption among practitioners at consultancies like Perkins and Will and research groups at universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, and TU Delft. Contributions and community extensions have been influenced by individuals and teams associated with David Rutten, Anders de Leenheer, Alejandro Garmendia, and companies including Beck Group.

Architecture and technical design

The architecture relies on in-process hosting where Rhino's runtime is instantiated within Revit's process space, exposing APIs from Rhinoceros 3D and RhinoCommon to the Autodesk Revit API via managed assemblies. The design addresses thread affinity and document transaction models prominent in Microsoft .NET Framework and Windows 10 desktop application environments, coordinating operations with Revit's element locking and Open Design Alliance-style approaches to geometry persistence. The system uses interoperability strategies comparable to those in Point Cloud Library integrations and leverages serialization patterns seen in JSON and XML exchange tools employed by firms like Gensler. Performance considerations draw on parallel compute patterns from Intel architectures and graphics acceleration via NVIDIA GPUs and DirectX.

Features and functionality

Key features include Grasshopper-driven creation and modification of Revit elements, parametric synchronization of families and types, and bi-directional data mapping between Rhino geometry and Revit categories like Walls, Floors, and Curtain Systems. The tool supports automation workflows familiar to users of Dynamo (software) while enabling advanced geometry from Rhino tools used by practitioners at Snøhetta and Herzog & de Meuron. It exposes properties for element parameters, shared parameters, and instance data enabling coordination with project management systems from Trimble and Procore. Extensions and plug-ins built by third parties mimic ecosystems around Autodesk App Store offerings and community projects showcased at RhinoFabStudio.

Use cases and applications

Common applications include façade engineering for projects like those by Fosters and Partners or Zaha Hadid Architects, complex structure rationalization used by Arup and Buro Happold, and iterative design-to-document workflows in academic labs at University College London and Columbia University. Fabrication workflows integrate with CAM tools and CNC systems from vendors such as Haas Automation and SCM Group, while computational design studios combine Rhino.Inside.Revit with analytics engines from Ladybug Tools and simulation platforms like EnergyPlus and Radiance for performance-driven design used by firms like White Arkitekter.

Compatibility and requirements

Rhino.Inside.Revit runs on Microsoft Windows with supported versions of Autodesk Revit and releases of Rhinoceros 7. It depends on Microsoft .NET runtime compatibility and the particular Revit API surface exposed in Revit releases maintained by Autodesk, Inc.. Hardware support aligns with certified graphics drivers from NVIDIA and AMD and recommended CPU features from Intel and AMD (company). Project teams often coordinate software versions similarly to practices recommended by buildingSMART and IT policies at institutions such as Stanford University and Harvard University.

Adoption and ecosystem

The ecosystem comprises plugin developers, consultants, and research groups across firms and institutions like Arup, ZGF Architects, SOM, Behnisch Architekten, ETH Zurich, and MIT Media Lab. Community resources and workshops are shared at events like BILT Europe, ACADIA, and user groups organized by chapters of AIA and RIBA. Commercial integrations and services are delivered by vendors who also support Dynamo-based workflows and cloud platforms from Autodesk Construction Cloud and Trimble Connect, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration among architects, engineers, and fabricators.

Category:Computer-aided design software