#grasshopper

Differential growth is a process where different parts of a structure grow at different rates, leading to complex forms. After watching this, I decided to try it in Grasshopper. Here, differential growth mimics this behavior by applying rules such as Repulsion to avoid crowding or overlapping, Cohesion to keep parts connected or within a range, and Insertion to add new elements when a part stretches too far. The algorithm I present here simulates a differential growth process starting from a…

An aperiodic tiling is a pattern that covers the plane without ever repeating itself (i.e., it is non-periodic). A few special shapes, arranged according to specific rules, can cover the entire plane, but the resulting pattern never repeats exactly. I challenged myself on a 3-day coding sprint to create a general-purpose script in Grasshopper that could generate these tilings. I set Socolar Tiling as my first target. This link contains great information about this and many other aperiodic tilings. Socolar…

The Fourier Transform is a powerful mathematical technique that allows us to analyze the different frequency components within a signal or shape. Its discrete version, the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), is used when working with numerical data. I studied the Fourier Series here before. One of the most fascinating aspects of the DFT is that it can represent a signal or shape using rotating circles (or vectors). Each circle corresponds to a specific frequency, amplitude, and phase. When connected in…

In large-scale projects, calculating tiling layouts for wall, floor, and ceiling surfaces becomes even more critical. Evolutionary optimization of these tilings seemed to be a viable approach yesterday. Considering how time-consuming and labor-intensive this process can be, I tried using Galapagos, an old but often overlooked feature in Grasshopper, which might be particularly useful in this situation. Galapagos provides an alternative interface for evolutionary optimization within Grasshopper. It works by minimizing or maximizing a fitness value you define, using parameters…

Although it appears simple, Goldberg Polyhedra in Grasshopper became a tough challenge, which I like a lot. I spent about 24 hours attempting to generate these polyhedra. I started with Goldberg’s original method. This creates an equilateral triangle using coordinates denoted as m and n on a hexagonal grid. Then, we place this triangle onto the faces of an icosahedron. Finally, we project them onto a concentric sphere. We can create many polyhedra by changing the values of m and…

I had been researching Goldberg Polyhedra for a while. While exploring how to perform chamfer operations in Grasshopper, I found some interesting results. I want to share them with you. In this Grasshopper project, I reused my previous work, where I built a dodecahedron using the golden ratio. Essentially, all I did was add the Fillet Edge component. I don’t use this component much, so I learned it through this process. At one point, I realized I had created a…

ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses characters from the ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) set to create images, symbols, and designs. This form of art involves arranging text characters to form a visual representation of objects, scenes, or abstract patterns. I first encountered this art form in the 90s through readme text files and computer games. Years later, attempting to automate it in Grasshopper was a lot of fun. My initial goal was to calculate…

Holger Strøm designed the famous IQlight system in 1973. After more than 50 years, it is still a popular, innovative, and smart design. The IQlight is a self-assembly lamp composed of interlocking quadrilaterals. By utilizing polyhedral geometry, you can generate various shapes and sizes. I created a model of one of the most common IQlight designs, fitting it onto the Catalan solid known as the rhombic triacontahedron. This solid is a convex polyhedron with 30 rhombic faces, making it an…

In architectural research, a significant challenge in robotic fabrication is replicating setups due to the unique configurations used in each study. There is a lack of a unified software platform connecting various researchers and their robotic setups. Additionally, the fabrication tools are typically not open-source and may not be versatile across different scenarios. I suggest using Grasshopper’s parametric modeling capabilities to address these challenges to create flexible robotic tools. Specifically, I’ve developed a definition that allows the design of tools….

A pendentive is an architectural feature used in domed structures. It is a triangular section of a sphere that allows for the transition from a square or polygonal base to a circular or polygonal dome. Pendentives curve upward from the corners of the base and support the dome above. They help distribute the dome’s weight more evenly and enable the construction of a dome over a non-circular base. I created this Grasshopper model using a technique I had previously presented…