Rhino + Grasshopper: Parametric Truss 2

This is a remake of an old tutorial - as the data structures in the most recent version (06.0059) of grasshopper have changed - and the old way of constructing this surface will no longer work. This is a good beginning coverage of the parameter viewer tool and dealing with data trees - shows how you can use the tool for splitting a longer list of paths into smaller ones. For reference you can upload the definition here.

Length: 32.58

Rhinocerous + Vray: Transparency Mapping

In this tutorial I cover how to use transparency maps and different texture maps in Rhino with Vray. Transparency maps allow you to produce convincing effects, such as perforation patterns, fritted glass, landscape patterns, etc... quickly for studies or final renderings. Advantages over producing actual geometry are smaller file sizes, lower render times, and quick creation. Disadvantages are that it doesn't actually produce geometry - so can't be used for 3D output or fabrication. For basics on rendering/lighting with vray, check out Karl Daubman's excellent tutorials on the subject @ paramod.net
Total Length: 52.10

Conference Presentation: Assemblies and Aggregations

Been away from the blog for awhile, as I'm not teaching a computer course this term and working on a couple of competitions - however, I recently attended the ACSA conference in New Orleans, Re-Building, to present a paper on student work in fabrication - from the course Arch 571: Digital Fabrication, conducted in 2008. The projects focused on parametrics and casting in the production of full scale cast units. A copy of the paper can be downloaded through this link. Above are few images of the completed projects. I also recently received a development grant from the University of Michigan to conduct further research in this area. I'll be creating a full scale casting project over the next few months - and will post the developments and results.

Student Work: Arch 591 - Fall 09 - Boards

Student Work: Arch 591 - Fall 09

Below are a few of the 3D prints and laser cut models from the final project in the Fall 2009 Generative Design Computing Course. The project was about 3 weeks in duration - the students were asked to design a small pavilion using the parametric modeling techniques explored throughout the term.


Andrey Budzinskiy

Fernando Velho

Xuanru Chen

Victoria Chu

Yu-Ying Tsai

Wenda Sun

Scripted Scalable Truss

This is a current project I'm playing around with - a scalable truss form - in which the thickness of the surface and the degree of the offset is determined by the distance from the ground plane. This was done in rhinoscript - which I found easier to do than in grasshopper. However, I have a student in studio who has developed a similar system in grasshopper. My plan is to design more complex geometry with the system and more sophisticated levels of control for varying thickness and opening - eventually fabricating a full scale cast construction.

Rhinoscript Work

A little over a month ago I went to a 3 day workshop in Chicago that was part of the Acadia conference. I was looking forward to an intensive 8-9hrs a day for 3 days - for better comprehension - and was not disappointed. Below are a few images of some things that came out of the workshop - nothing refined yet - but also an opportunity to play around with vray for rhino - as I usually do most of my rendering in max.

My plan is to do a sort of comparative analysis between rhinoscript and grasshopper. The question being - what is the advantage of learning script if we have tools such as grasshopper and paneling tools - through which we can create similar forms? Which is apparent through some of the examples below. My first conclusion is that understanding - at least some fundamentals of scripting - has helped me comprehend geometry, functionality, and logic of grasshopper to a greater degree - also there is obviously a greater selection of tools available in scripting then in grasshopper - although many you have to run through command lines (not actually part of the script) such as, pipe, patch, and fillet. My intention is to cover scripting in future versions of the Generative Design Computing Class. More scripting stuff to come...