We are happy to announce that, just after three months since the initial release, we have an update to Project Vasari on Autodesk Labs. We have been working hard to deliver on some features that we were unable to get to back in November, fixing bugs, and more importantly: delivering some new experimental analysis features. So text annotations, metric templates, and STL export are now available. We have also further isolated Vasari from potential Worksharing badness by automatically detaching a work-shared RVT file upon open.
Now on to the fun stuff. We have had the distinct pleasure of working with Dr. Andrew Marsh of Ecotect fame for this release. He has developed two prototype analysis features based on Ecotect technology. The Wind Rose tool allows you to visualize wind speed and direction data in your models for different seasons and times of day. The Planar Solar Radiation tool lets you perform solar radiation analysis in the external spaces within and around your site. Both of these tools continue the trend of visualizing analysis data directly inside a BIM. We also had the pleasure of working with an excellent team in our Shanghai office that has been porting over the Maya "Nucleus" physics engine to work with native Revit masses. In what I believe is an Autodesk Labs first, we have a coordinated launch of two Labs tech previews with one integrated in another. So now inside Project Vasari you can play around with applying real phsyical forces such as gravity and wind to mass surfaces!
Have you been using Project Vasari since the initial launch? Did you pass it along to some of your colleagues not yet initiated into Club Revit? One of our goals with Vasari is to introduce the concept of BIM and parametric modelling to a new audience that may be intimitated by Revit. I am curious to hear your about your experiences with this. Did this spur a larger conversation about BIM and analysis in your office?
_tom