Parametric Modeling in Revit Architecture: The Hall of The Messe Basel

Form components analysis

The new Hall of Messe Basel consists of 3 individual entities, one over the other, projecting over the street area by varying degrees, allowing them to respond to different urban conditions. Seen from different angles the building avoids a monotonous façade due to the use of aluminum curved panels. The building does not have windows on the upper floors. Thus, the change in the curve of the panels in some locations of the façade will bring the natural light inside. The open-up-to-sky space at the center of the building benefits from the natural light as in a central courtyard with its ascetically modest curved neck upward.

The main features of the building which were the focus of this parametric study includes:

Proportional change of the scale of the building by manipulating the width of the building; The rotation angle between the upper two boxes of the building; The slope of the walls of the two boxes as the third parametric feature which is related to the rotation angle already mentioned; Ground floor family (Level 1 and Mezzanine) as a separate part of the building but not within the mass; The void dome form of the central open space beginning from the second floor to the roof; The size of the roof elements in proportion to the building’s width; and The curved facade aluminum panels