designcoding
Search
About Table of Contents Keywords Support designcoding!

Basic Curve Attractor

January 31, 2012 | 3,602 views
Grasshopper | Vector Fields
attractor | component | pyramid | surface

This study includes three main topics related to the basics of Grasshopper. The first one is the surface subdivision, the parametric definition of a surface component, that is, in this case, a simple pyramidal object. The second thing is the associative behavior of surface components with an external parameter, that is another entity in space; a curve. Traditionally, this is simply demonstrated by 1) finding the area centroids of each surface panel, 2)finding the closest point on the attractor curve for each centroid, 3) calculating the distance between each centroid and it’s the closest point on the curve, 4) moving the centroids away from the surface using the distance value and the surface normal vector at that point, 5) using extrude to point component to finalize the design. The important thing here is to find a method to compare each object (here it is the closest point and distance calculations) and assign at least one value to each of them regarding our design intentions. The third thing we learned from this exercise is the secondary parameters that are used to demonstrate the output. This might be labeling and fabrication layouts, in this case, it is the color code of the surface components. This is assigned to each component after they are modeled.

This exercise includes some methods also important for dataflow management. Sorting distance values along with their corresponding component objects; and assigning the gradient colors to them is the tricky part of the color coding here. You may test the parametric model here: [GHX file:0.080063]

  • Search

  • Categories

    • Education
      • Basic Design
      • Design Geometry
      • Design Mathematics
      • Digital Fabrication
      • Parametric Modeling
      • Tutorials
    • Philosophy
      • Analytical Tradition
      • Phenomenology
    • Practice
      • 3D Models
      • Projects
      • Publications
      • Workshops
    • Research
      • 3D Printing
      • Building Facade
      • Calculus
      • Climate Analysis
      • Compass Constructions
      • Computational Geometry
      • Curves
      • Decorative Arts
      • Digital Fabrication
      • Evolutionary Solvers
      • Folding Structures
      • Fractals
      • Graph Theory
      • Interlocking Structures
      • Islamic Patterns
      • Linear Algebra
      • Minimal Surfaces
      • Muqarnas
      • Non-Euclidean Geometry
      • Paneling
      • Parametric Curves
      • Parametric Objects
      • Parametric Surfaces
      • Pattern Deformations
      • Patterns
      • Pavilions
      • Polyhedra
      • Rammed Earth Structures
      • Robotic Fabrication
      • Shape Grammars
      • Simulation
      • Space Syntax
      • Surface Constructions
      • Tessellations
      • Tools
      • Vector Fields
      • Virtual Reality
    • Tools and Languages
      • 3DS Max
      • 3DS Max Script
      • Grasshopper
      • Photoshop
      • Physical Prototyping
      • Revit
      • Rhino
      • Rhino Macro
      • Rhino Python
      • Rhino Script
      • Unity
  • Monthly Archive

    • August 2026 (1)
    • October 2025 (1)
    • June 2025 (2)
    • May 2025 (2)
    • April 2025 (5)
    • December 2024 (40)
    • August 2024 (5)
    • July 2024 (6)
    • April 2024 (4)
    • March 2024 (10)
    • February 2024 (10)
    • January 2024 (8)
    • December 2023 (10)
    • August 2023 (3)
    • July 2023 (3)
    • June 2023 (7)
    • May 2023 (8)
    • April 2023 (7)
    • March 2023 (2)
    • February 2023 (2)
    • January 2023 (3)
    • December 2022 (6)
    • November 2022 (7)
    • January 2022 (1)
    • December 2021 (1)
    • October 2021 (3)
    • September 2021 (4)
    • August 2021 (4)
    • May 2019 (2)
    • April 2019 (1)
    • March 2019 (5)
    • January 2019 (2)
    • December 2018 (1)
    • November 2018 (4)
    • October 2018 (9)
    • July 2018 (1)
    • June 2018 (3)
    • May 2018 (1)
    • April 2018 (4)
    • February 2018 (2)
    • January 2018 (7)
    • August 2017 (9)
    • July 2017 (6)
    • October 2016 (1)
    • May 2015 (5)
    • April 2015 (8)
    • March 2015 (12)
    • February 2015 (4)
    • January 2015 (11)
    • November 2014 (1)
    • August 2014 (1)
    • June 2014 (2)
    • May 2014 (12)
    • April 2014 (5)
    • March 2014 (3)
    • February 2014 (6)
    • January 2014 (4)
    • December 2013 (5)
    • November 2013 (11)
    • October 2013 (2)
    • September 2013 (9)
    • August 2013 (4)
    • July 2013 (2)
    • June 2013 (14)
    • May 2013 (4)
    • April 2013 (10)
    • March 2013 (11)
    • February 2013 (11)
    • January 2013 (10)
    • December 2012 (10)
    • November 2012 (6)
    • October 2012 (13)
    • September 2012 (2)
    • August 2012 (5)
    • July 2012 (14)
    • June 2012 (6)
    • May 2012 (17)
    • April 2012 (15)
    • March 2012 (9)
    • February 2012 (16)
    • January 2012 (18)
    • December 2011 (20)
    • November 2011 (2)
  • Support designcoding!

    Enjoying designcoding? Support its future with a small donation on Patreon. Thank you!

    Patreon


    copyright 2026 designcoding.net | about | table of contents | keywords | privacy policy | end user license agreement