#interlocking

You are seeing the last of the interlocking system trials that I have previously tested in two exercises. If you remember, in our first trial, we were drawing interlocking joinery details on cross-sections using closed curves, without any solid modeling. And here is the most advanced one, I guess. In this exercise, however, we are creating a solid model that incorporates these interlocking details. This time, we will look at how to construct the same system using Boolean operations. Boolean…

The interlocking frame structures represent a quintessential example of parametric design since very old times. More recently, they gained widespread attention through the Metropol Parasol in Seville, captivating architects and designers. I’ve extensively explored these structures on this blog, attempting various methods like manual slit drawing and solid/region boolean operations. My latest iteration aimed for greater simplicity and adaptability on complex surfaces. I call this new version Interlocking Pavilion. The ribs now align perpendicularly to the surface, which is a…

In this short trial, I will be testing the Open Nest add-on for Grasshopper. The add-on is available in food4rhino as of 2023. For this test, I will use the latest exercise on Interlocking structures I experimented with here. Nesting is an important topic, especially in today’s economic crisis. It reduces the waste materials on laser-cut plates. First, I should re-visit the interlocking structures Grasshopper definition here. The below image is the new definition for the interlocking structure: The new…

I have created a straightforward Grasshopper code that generates a Voronoi diagram on a surface. Then, it adds thickness to form a structure called a “Voronoi Cage.” In the initial step, I project a surface onto the ground plane (Z=0). The projected frame serves as the boundary for two operations: generating random points using the Populate 2D (Pop2D) function and calculating the Voronoi diagram based on these points. The resulting Voronoi cells are then slightly offset inwards. Moving on to…

I studied the interlocking joint details in Grasshopper here and here. This time, the interlocking structures were revisited with a cleaner code and an in-depth explanation. I believe that this is a very good educational exercise for learning the potential of the native Grasshopper components. The Preparations The Region Difference (RDiff) component is used to create the interlocking detail of a surface that is contoured with bi-directional spacing. In the first part of the code, after contouring our surface in…

In this Voronoi puzzle exercise, we derive two-dimensional puzzles by using Voronoi diagrams. This is similar to my previous studies here, and here. Part 1: The Random Voronoi Diagram In section 1 of the below image, I use a rectangular region to generate random points. Then, I create a standard Voronoi diagram by using those points. Finally, I explode the Voronoi cells. Part 2: The Voronoi Puzzle Details In the second part, we draw an arc on the edges of…

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…

Kündekâri is an old woodworking technique, composed of interlocking parts without any glue or nail. It is primarily used in wooden doors and minbers inside Mosques. The interlocking system makes the whole structure very durable. I tried to model this technique using the Voronoi pattern, naming it Voronoi Kündekâri. Below you see a typical example of Kündekâri pieces and the resulting pattern. The interesting part of the Grasshopper model is to define the tongue-and-groove detail. It is similar to a…

The following posts will include some of the final projects, completed in Basic Design Studio, İstanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Architecture in 2013. Below, you see the amazing work of group 1, an interlocking system that presents diversity and structural integrity at the same time. This project initiated a hard discussion among the final jury. I think the interesting geometric underlying, great precision for a hand-made computer modeling of each piece, and the layer of structural details that generates a…

The Möbius strip is a famous mathematical object. Although being in three-dimensional space, it is a closed-loop of only one surface and only one edge. This quality alone makes the object an interesting study for computational design. I aimed to create an object to test our new CNC machine. I wanted to test the egg-crate interlocking fabrication method. This is why the study became a Möbius strip fabrication. Apart from its uses in science and technology, here is an interesting…