Here, we plan and develop a 3d model that uses regular flow on surface command. However, while we are doing this, we also start to create a pseudo-parametric definition (or diagram) of the modeling process. In the end, this gives us the complete dataflow diagram of the 3d model. Students are expected to start understanding both the differences between geometric modeling and parametric modeling and also between procedural computing and dataflow computing. Below is an example of such diagrams students…

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 helpers such as physics engines. Of course, it’s possible to…

Here, 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. The beauty in the simplicity of these algorithms still amaze me.

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 gate. The visual impact on the topography was achieved by…

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 surfaces. Fabrication models of such structures don’t have to be…

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 flv. If you own photoshop cs5, just open the first…

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 finally, Frei Otto illustrated and analyzed a grid of connecting…

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 pedagogical formation for digital design instructors, taking one more step…

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 any point in Euclidean space. We’ll draw it here as…

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 curve attractors. As you probably notice, this is the new version…