Algorithmic Scetchbook Leila Creagh 584 605
Contents Page 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 29 30 31 32 34 36
W2. Transorm Menu & Intersection Menu W2. Sectioning & Contouring W2. Curves Menu W4. Polyline Definitions W4. Image Sampling W4. Evaluating Fields Personal Explorations: Surface Mesh Explorations W5. Graph Control W5. Driftwood Iterations Personal Explorations: Vase Iteration W6. List Manipulation and List Item W6. Aranda Lasch Continuous Patterning NTP1. The Travelling Salesman Cam Newnham Series: Mapping using Elk Cam Newnham Series: Live Sound Mapping using Firefly Personal Explorations: Parametric Box Fabrication Explorations: 3D Printing
6
Initial Experiments
Lofted Surfaces
F1 Voronoi and Delaunay Edges
F2 Metaball(t)
F3 3D Voronoi
F4 OcTree
Week 2 Understanding Transforms, Geometry and Intersections F5 Lofted Nurbs Surface
F6 Voronoi Component Applied
Further investigation using the techniches highlighted in XLab’s 1.03 Trianglulation. The application of voronoi and delaunay edges offers a basic meshing technique. One challenge was determining the interaction between point planes, as demonstrated in Figure 6. This was solved by flattening the series of points and the 3D voronoi component. A second challenge was applying the voronoi 3D to the lofted surface explicitly. This was not resolved, as demonstrated in F8. The bounding box rejected the loft and instead assumed it’s own box.
F7 Delaunay Edges Applied
F8 Voronoi 3D Applied
Page 7
F12-14 Smoothed Mesh x=3 F9 Freehand Mesh
F10 Rendered Mesh F13 x=50
F11 Smooth Mesh Operation
F14 x=150
Week 2 Sectioning and Contours Figures 9 and 10 show a custom made mesh. This is an important skill. The mesh is used to fabricate the model. If this element of the design can be created specifically in response to an environmental factor it will be one way to validate the design.
F15 Champhering
Figures 12-14 demonstrate the augmenting effects of Grasshopper’s Smooth Mesh Component. The tool creates shapes that, with increasing smoothness (x-factor), are more organic. This may be a useful tool in conceptualising a form for the LAGI project. Used in isolation the tool is fairly basic as it is only one slider which gives the product. However, in respect to generative design, the component can be utlised to create ideas and challenge the dimensions or density of the form. Figure 15 shows the champered polygons. This tool may be useful in building detail in a model. The process demonstrated mathematical knowledge involving the relationship between the edge length, height and normal of the five sided polygon. Of most value in this tutorial was the approach to design and form manipulation. It clearly described rules or algorithms to control the final form. Figures 16 and 17 show adapted data from land.gov.vic on the topography of Brunswick. The sectioning tool is highly useful in fabrication.
F16 Brunswick Locality SurfaceS
F17 Brunsiwck Locality Contours Page 9
Curve Menu, Arc and Intersect Geodesic Curves (Below) Week 2
Page 11
Modelling a vase for fabrication. 4 polylines are lofted.
Week 4: Definitions with Polylines
Offset Lofted Surface. Slight distortion
The offset surfaces is lofted to the original, creating a new, ribbon like form.
Page 13
Image Sampling
This tutorial was useful in demonstrating the use of expressions in response to light pigment in an (arbitrary) Image. Circle radias is dependant on the presence of black pixels - specifically set by the user. The application of this tool is to give a form relevance to a specific environment. It can validate the curve, direction and density of shape and thus offer depth and dimension to concept development.
Images (top left, down) 1. 2D circle radius determined by image of zebra stripes 2. 2D Image Sampling, Circle radius (x*y)+0.1 3. 3D Image sampling, Z axis determined by tan(y)*(x-0.1) 4. Image sample
Images (Two images Left, going down) 1. Degraves Lane, Melbourne 1a. 2D circle radius determined by black and white pi 2. Z-axis, radius x+0.1 3. Z axis, radius tan(y)-(x-0.1) 4. Z-axis, radius x+0.01 5. Z axis, radius tan(y)-(x-0.01) Further investigation began with an image of a local area. This gives some relevance to the form in terms of relating the product to reality. The form becomes a representation of an existing precedence. In some ways I was curious to know if this parametric design might capture some of the energy of the bustling Degraves Lane in Melbourne’s CBD.
Page 15
Evaluating Fields Right to left 1. Initial Tutorial example 2. Field Line (FL) = 250 Point charge Decay PCD = 1 3. FL=250, PCD=5 4. FL=250, PCD=10 5. FL=500, PCD=1 6. FL=500, PCD=5 7. FL=500, PCD=10
Surface Exploration Some (Ir)Relevant surface development In order to offer a form that responded well to site, the contours of the land were mapped and translated to a developable surface. Below is the result - the ‘arms’ reach to the the water as well as the land. The dominant axis is that which runs along the water - the path of most common movement. The arms are intended as spaces to capture sights, light, air flow and sounds. The dominant axis is to service the functional use of the built form and thus cater to the basic uses of the space to date. In response to the brief, the question of integrating renewable energy methods into the buildilng design and fabric is raised. There is potential for solar panels to be fitted to the top line of each section.
Also, investigation into wind chanelling may lead to an original use of sectioned spaces. This however will be discussed later in the journal. Immediately however, the form is explored. Below, Base Surface Right, Left to right 1. Box Mesh 2. Custom Mesh, Wing 3. Custom Mesh, Skewed Triangle 4. Sphereical Mesh 5. Square Based Sphereical Mesh 6. Sphereical Mesh, jittered and culled
Page 19
Wk 5 Cull Pattern Cull Pattern 1. n,9 2. n, 40 3. n, 80
Cull Pattern 1. Generic 2. No Cull 3. Odd Divide
Cull Pattern 1. TF 2. TFFF 3. No Cull
Cull Pattern 1. n,2 2. n, 50 3. n, 100
N, 50 Bezier Graph
Perlin Graph
SqRt Graph
1-3
4-6
Wk 5 Driftwood Iterations 1-3 showing increasing offset series. n, 10. n, 100, n, 500 4 and 5 showing irregular base geometry of cutting plane 6 and 7 showing cicular cutting plane
7
These explorations were severly limted by the lag time on the computer. Further attempts were made though eventually the only way to generate visually stimulating and diverse iterations was to disregard surface components completely. Curves were used for exploration instead. This was a useful lesson in realising the limitations of the design technologies available in Rhino and GH.
Wk 5 Driftwood Iterations Matrix 1. 3D geometry on 2D sectioning plane (box, cone, pyramid) 2. Spheres on a 2D sectioning plane 3. Box on a 2D sectioning plane 4. 3D geometry in Pop3D sectioning 5. Manipulation/torsion/twisting of lofted cutting plane 6. Attempt to orient Driftwood Brep to plane and use it as the cutting line 7. Parametric cutting plane
Page 23
Personal Exploration of Data manipulation Iteration on Initial vase Exploration 1. Crv > Loft > DivideSrf > InterpolateCrv > Offset > Cull Pattern > List Item > Loft
2. Crv > Loft > DivideSrf > InterpolateCrv > Offset > Cull Pattern > List Item > Loft > Mesh Iteration
Above; Grasshopper Definition of List Manipulation
Page 25
W6 List Manipulation Defining a point to have control over opens a range of possiblilties and limitations in parametric design. Firstly, it is a highly useful tool because it allows customisation and detail of a form. The image to the left for example was intially a simple lofted surface. The items were listed according to plans originally. I adapted the data structure so that two points on one plane and a third on the plane below were grouped to one tree. The image to the right demosntrates how data grouping can result in dynamic and evolutionary form. However, manual data listing can be laborious. Firstly, desired points must be identified and then named. In a large, complex project time constraints may render this particular approach too time consuming. Yet, the control points may be chosen for a localised part ot the greater project and then repeated. For example, this form may be applied as a column to a commercial atrium area.
Another disadvantage of list manipulation is that it somewhat detracts from the ideal of parametric design. It is a singluar action of data grouping and once enacted is unlikely to be changed later on. It strongly informs the final product, at least in my explorations with it here.
Page 27
List Manipulation
1
4
2
5
3
1. Controlling Individual Points 2. Flip Matrix 3. Offset 4. Joining Curves exprimentation 5. Lofting between sets.
Aranda Lasch
1
3
2
4
1. Fractal Geometry 2. Culled Pattern 3. Connecting with Polyline (Alternative to [2] 4. For fabrication Page 29
NTP Travelling Salesman 1
2
3
4 1. Clustering Data 2. Attempt at Python Programming 3. Fractal through Clustering 4. Grasshopper Definition of Fractals (Clustered)
Mapping Data Using Elk
1. ‘Highways’ and Buildings of Campertogno, Italy
2. ‘Highways’ and Buildings of Copenhagan, Demark
Elk is an amazing plugin which applies data from openstreetmap.com to grasshopper in the form of vector points. This is a tool that has obvious applications in data gathering and representation. It is highly useful as it translates a once highly skilled job to a efficient and clear application of mapping data and can be used in design to integrate diverity of place, culture and environment.
Above, Grasshopper definition. Graph mapper used to manipulate mesh responsiveness.
Above, Weaverbird Stellate (triangulated mesh surface)
Live Sound Mapping using Firefly
Above, Live sound data translated to Int Crv. Below, Weaverbird Stellate on sphere.
Page 33
Parmetric Box Kolaravick’s exploration of generative design as a means to produce numerous iterations simply and efficiently. Each side of this box is patterned according to the same algorithm where alternations are made according to design criteria. The selection criteria is highly guided by aesthetics and diversity of formation. The effect was to create a physical model of how generative design can be applied to a simple object.
Far left, Line drawing of parametric box, submitted for fabrication Left, top down, side view, detail, top view with lid. Page
35
Preparation for 3D Printing Three dimensional printing is an additive fabrication method where one material is built, layer by layer, to create the final geometry. The technology allows smooth, NURBS surfaces to be fabricated precisely. The technology is limited by the size of possible model, the bulky and expensive machinery and expensive material cost. In this case, black polymer was used to fabricate a series of moulds. Initially, the model itself was propsed to be printed. However, there were thousands of disjointed surfaces which translated to severe structural integrity in the final model. As a compromise, the moulds were created and the pipe structures added in post the form being sculpted. 3D printing enhanced the relevance of our site model. The accuracy of the forms on site allowed us to communicate our design intent from computer to real-world, unadlterated by human error. Furthermore, this fabrication method gave me the opportunity for the first time in my studies in digital design to represent a commonly used NURBS surface in a way that can be engaged tactily. Admittedly, 3D modelling as a communication tool has its limits. I believe the primary limitation is the demand for a ‘good’ mesh which often translate to a simple mesh. The fewer details the greater liklihood there is of the design being realised. This is evident in three step strip-back process my groups design underwent (the pipes removed and then the forms booleaned into arbitrary rectangular prisms).
Right, top down, View of digital design of mould for 3D fabrication from below, view from side, view from top.