Inspired by this cut-fold pattern, we developed a prototype with Fulya Akipek. The first experiments were made from 3mm thick foamboards and they worked very well with 50×70 plates. However, when the project gets bigger and bigger, we needed to add a joint detail and use 5mm thick foamboards to achieve our goal (that is to develop a 1m by 2.5m shutter system). Then, we tried to animate its folding behavior by adding an Arduino setting with one motion sensor and a…

This is one of the ideas we’ve tested for the workshop “Animate Patterning“. Apart from the pattern that turns around, the torque, rotation radius and speed of the servo, weight, connection detail, and a number of foamboards become important inputs for this design. In the three-day workshop, one group of students interpreted this idea of using several moving layers and creating an emergent pattern at the perceptual level. However their project was slightly different from this one, I’ll post their…

This is a Cycloid-like family of curves, generated by its classical description: a rolling circle. I had several other studies on similar topics before. In this cycloid experiment, I used Grasshopper in which, we don’t need to roll the circle. Instead, we can divide a parametric curve, utilizing data lists to simply rotate a circle around it. Finally, evaluating the circle repeatedly creates a Cycloid-like result. I found this as the most simplistic way of showing and studying these special…

While testing Anemone components for Grasshopper, I accidentally generated these branches by looping. In fact, I was trying to develop the definition that mimics the well-known “Arch SED” component method. This method uses the tangent vectors for the endpoints of the arcs. Then, it iterates the process in a random fashion so that the branches (arcs) join nicely. Anyway, this definition develops new branches from a previous one. It does this by using three graph mappers for the position, rotation,…

Here are two macros that automate some of the classical structural styles in today’s architectural geometry. They could be developed more to include joint details, however. It is a relaxing experience to study macros when the process doesn’t have algorithmic expressions (such as recursion, iteration, or conditionals). It is today’s subject in the first-year design computing course at İBU. The first one requires at least two curves already present in order to define a lofted surface (to be “waffled”): The second…

Here is the video of the project Life Sciences, designed together with Fulya Akipek, and engineered by Filika Interactive. To be presented in the 2014 Vitra Contemporary Architecture Series Exhibition, Life Sciences is an interactive project produced by Filika Interactive using Openframeworks following the conceptual and visual design by Fulya Özsel Alipek and Tuğrul Yazar. The project is an interactive presentation of the content obtained from the interviews made with primary education students by artists in a visual structure that resembles a…

Here is the simple Grasshopper definition that activates Rhinoceros’ camera by given parameters. Camera position is determined by the “point-oriented” method here. This means that you have to have a target point for the camera first. In fact, I was trying to find a suitable command for getting the actual camera position of the Rhinoceros but I think it is impossible (for now). I couldn’t track the camera object by its ID number also. There are some Grasshopper components that deal with…

Here is the winning team of this year’s mid-term jury competition in the first-year Basic Design studio at İstanbul Bilgi University. The challenge they undertook was called “Void by Subtraction.” Initially, the students engaged in a series of short-term exercises exploring solid and void relationships. Alongside the studio sessions, they honed their digital modeling skills through Architectural Geometry courses. Their task was to create a contoured structure within a restricted 8m3 volume. Through various iterations using clay and foamboard prototypes,…

Together with Fulya Akipek and Mehmet Ali Altın, we’re conducting a 4-day workshop at Anadolu University, Eskişehir, between the 1 and 4th of May. We’ll be focusing on Grasshopper + Firefly + RhinoNest (the casual trio), in order to introduce some of the basic concepts of parametric design to students. Materyal dünya, sayısal ortamın olanaklarıyla entegre edildiğinde beklenmedik performanslar açığa çıkabilir. Parametrik modelleme teknikleri, tasarımcıya tekil ürünün ötesinde olasılık setlerinin araştırılabileceği bir ortam sağlar. Bu tür olasılık setleriyle çalışmak, tasarım…

Design Computing classes conducted a “voluntary” assignment; a “contouring” fabrication, that outputs physical prototypes of the previous parametric wall assignment. They worked very well with the corrugated cardboard in fact and extended the simple contouring exercise in Rhinoceros into a design study of patterning and transparency. It seems that corrugated cardboard is a perfect material to study the shift from digital to the material. Below are some of the student works that study various angles of contouring on different seamless surface…