This is a basic formation of component-based design in a dataflow environment. A double-curved surface is subdivided and re-constructed using straight sections. Parametric model of a surface construction by variable components. The main data list of subsurfaces are distributed into four distinct lists, that will be used to construct lines out of double-curved quadrilateral faces. Such definitions could be further advanced by adding a precise fabrication detail. Parametric definition can […]

Design computing in architecture is evolved enough to form a more spread out advance, instead of being an alternative way of thinking and practising. Contemporary architectural practice is beginning to push forward such a transformation. This also effects architectural education, that is beginning to focus on digital design paradigm especially at undergraduate level not only in experimental studios, but also in formal education. Design studios however, play an important role […]

One of the most popular shapes in topology studies is the one-edge, one-face Moebius strip. Here is a basic definition that generates Moebius-like lofted surfaces. I say Moebius-like because, in Grasshopper, Rhino, or any NURBS surface method, I couldn’t manage to model this shape in its real topological singularity. The tricky part of this Grasshopper definition lies at the end, as I take the first segment of the surface, flip […]

Here are some basic references to Grasshopper’s handling of objects. As the most powerful and intuitive part of such Visual Programming Languages is the focus of dataflow, the critical part of it’s education lies at the fundamentals of data tree manipulations. Designers using these tools should understand and predict the type of data trees his/her parametric model would process. Here is the Grasshopper document including these components; [2012_01_10-adding streams] We’ll start […]

This was an interesting challenge for me to find out if an architect can use Visual Programming Languages (VPL’s) also for graphical purposes? Now, I would say “not exactly” because this definition took much time than I expected. The aim was to create an algorithm for a business card design that has variable outputs. Each card should be different, but without using any randomization. This is achieved with a definition […]

I developed this code 13 years ago while learning the fundamentals of Visual Programming in Grasshopper. I was studying the ways of NURBS curve geometry. The animation shows the construction process of several Bezier Curves. In 2024, I optimized the code and added the thickness. The Flow Earring project showcases the beauty of parametric curves. The Grasshopper definition displays the animated construction process and the variations. The flow of the […]

The cellular canopy is an anonymous tutorial on the history recording capability of Rhino. I’ve been using a “pedagogical” version of this tutorial as an educational tool on the introduction to Grasshopper and Parametric Modeling for architects. The interesting thing with such exercises is they quickly attract students’ attention to the process of designing, in other words, “designing the design process”; is one of the first things we should emphasize […]

There are a couple of experiments in different schools about organizing free-form surfaces (walls here) with a composition of modular elements (bricks). Even though they created robots to make such brick walls, I still couldn’t understand why. Although creating a parametric model that calculates the exact locations of bricks, seems very easy at first sight, there came severe problems to solve in order to achieve a correct layout without using […]

Inspired by Andru Pavlov’s design, I used a curve to accomplish grid tearing. It’s straightforward, and from an educational perspective, this exercise includes several potentials on vector arithmetics and graph manipulation techniques. As a design domain, this definition stresses the use of associative entities in a parametric model. Any primitive or complex entity may evoke different parameters in others. You may download the Grasshopper definition here:[2012_01_06_tear]

This was my first serious Grasshopper study. In 2009, I decided to attend a design contest for a campus entrance. Of course, the jury didn’t know that the design resulted from a parametric model. I have called this Parametric Entrance since then. The starting point of this project was the conception of the “entrance” as a design problem related to the project area as a whole, rather than just a […]

It has been a tough problem for me, for the last two days. A parametric model of an interlocking structure (sometimes also called egg-crate, waffle, or contouring structure) can be created easily in Grasshopper using a Contour component. In addition, you need a couple of list management operations and a boolean (or region) difference event. However, Rhino and Grasshopper are very slow at calculating boolean differences on both solids and […]

In the post of “animated parameters” we created a video file using Grasshopper’s “animate” functionality. A sequence of images are then joined together to form a video file. This time, we’ll create an animated gif image that can be played on web without even using a video player. It is a much simplier solution but however it does not have the potentials of a “real” video file such as mp4 or […]

Since the mid-20th century, the hyperbolic paraboloid surface has been one of the most popular mathematical forms for architects. Named Hypar in short, this is the Quadric Surface equation of the Hyperbolic Paraboloid. Erik Demaine summarizes several examples from architecture such as the roof of the Girls’ Grammar School in London (designed by Chamberlin, Powell, and Bonn), the Philips pavilion at the 1958 Brussels exhibition designed by Le Corbusier, and […]

When an educational system does not meet the requirements of a paradigm, new teaching approaches start to emerge. Today, design computing pushes forward a similar transformation on architectural education. Design studio, as the dominant setting for architectural learning, is the center of this transformation. There are numerous researches, experiencing and defining this transformation from various perspectives as “cases”. However as Oxman (2008) highlights, we still need to define a general […]

An octahedron is a polyhedron and platonic solid with 8 faces of identical equilateral triangles. In this post, I will try to explain the drawing and unrolling process of the octahedron. It has a close relationship with the cube as it’s dual. In order to construct an octahedron, we first have to create a square. The main problem of drawing the square is determining the right angle (perpendicular axis) to […]

[2011_12_25_divide] here is the fundamental of surface subdivision in Grasshopper. In order to design a parametric truss exercise, this is the generally accepted starting point. Get a surface from the file, subdivide it into U and V directions to create point lists, and then manipulate these points to create something interesting. Having a list of points would also present good potential regarding attraction with other entities, such as point or […]

I am learning Grasshopper. In this Circle Crossing definition, I tried to create the above pattern (also described in Sunflower Spiral) as simply as possible, this definition creates not only spirals but is also capable of more tessellations I guess. Maybe a three-dimensional equivalent might be studied in the future. As you can see from the definition, I started with a large circle. Then, I divided it into segments and […]