Integrated Computational Design & Fabrication
Part I and II
Virginia Tech, School of Architecture
Ramtin Haghnazar
Cloaked in Bricks Tehran, Iran, 2015
(Ramtin Haghnazar as a computational designer at Admun Studio)
Sample of a Computational Design Project
“There was a time, not long ago, when architecture was at the forefront of digital innovation. For sure, architects and designers did not invent digital technology – they just adopted and adapted it, borrowing animation software from the film industry or CAD-CAM technology from aircraft makers, for example. But in the 1990s architects and designers gave visible form to the digital age. An unprecedented architectural experience, the new aesthetics of free form soon also became a source of technological education for all. Free form represented and symbolised a new techno-cultural environment where all the tenets of industrial Modernism had been jettisoned, and a new universe of differentiation, variation, and choice – which Postmodernism had advocated, but could not deliver –became possible, tangible, affordable and, some claim, even pleasurable. In the process, architects and designers contributed to some significant technological advances, and digital design theory in the 1990s set the trends for digital thinking at large.”
Novel complex geometries in architecture, like Free-form structures, always attract architects’ attention based on their novelty and intrigue. However, their complexity makes them so hard to design and build. These complex problems need an algorithmic design tool to tackle them. This kind of costume tool, which computational designers develop, gives us an excellent opportunity to explore the design area. Students work on a digital design workflow to experience integrated design and construction processes.
A free-form structure contains unique elements. Therefore, fabricating the parts with digital design tools such as CNC machines or 3D printers upon the system design is inevitable. Students work with digital fabrication instruments based on the selected system and design details to manufacture the final elements.
Bamboo-Bam
University of Tehran, Iran, 2021
(Ramtin Haghnazar as an instructor)
Sample of a similar course
This course contains two parts and will be presented in two different semesters. Part I is the requirement of part two, or students should prove that they have enough knowledge to participate in part II directly.
With the purpose of experiencing computational design, firstly, students need to learn a computational design tool. Thus, the course will start with teaching the Grasshopper 3D in the first part. In this part, every session, students try to design a super simple form, and the form becomes more complicated step by step.
Next, by studying contemporary and similar Pavilion samples, students try to design their own proposal. They design a real scale Pavilion with Grasshopper 3D in groups of 3, then make a tabletop prototype using a digital fabrication technique
Students start to design a pavilion and develop a structural system using computational design and fabrication tools. The proof of the technique works with prototyping and building tabletop models. In the end, students select one of the design proposals, and the whole class tries to build the real scale of the design on the VT campus.
This course aims to provide students with an integrated digital design and fabrication experience and familiarity with digital fabrication tools and facilities. Our ultimate goal is to introduce digital fabrication tools to the students and show them how the capabilities of the facilities can affect the design process and how the computational design tools can help them design regarding the fabrication capabilities.
- How to design and construct a freeform spatial structure.
- Prototyping.
- Developing a simple BIM modeler for nonstandard buildings.
- Learning Grasshopper as a tool or platform for implementing computational design concepts.
- Digital Fabrication (Introduction to using digital fabrication tools).
(By Ramtin Haghnazar as an instructor) Sample of a similar course
For the first ten weeks, the students must deliver weekly assignments, a simple modeling practice in grasshopper, and need two hours weekly. In the second phase of the course, students design a pavilion and make a prototype.
Grading:
- Homework – 30%
- Developing a structural system – 15%
- Design a Concept – 15%
- Prototyping (building a tabletop model) – 20%
- Final Presentation – 20%
Expectation:
- Bring a laptop and mouse to all software-specific sessions. Using a trackpad is not permitted.
- Students will be asked to install Rhino 7 and some free grasshopper plugins.
- All assignments will be turned in via Canvas.
- Late work loses 30%.
Chapter One, Grasshopper
- Introduction to Computational Design (presentation by instructors).
- Learning Computational Design Tools (9 weeks, presentation by instructors).
Chapter Two, Design and Preliminary Prototyping
- Project Understanding (presentation by instructors).
- Conceptual Design (preliminary sketches by hand, physical model, or digital model).
- Prototype modeling in Grasshopper.
- Building system development.
Chapter Three, Fabrication and Assembly
- Design the final structure.
- Developing the BIM modeler.
- Fabrication Data.
- Fabricating Elements.
- Assembly
Course
Week 1 Introduction: What is Computational Design
Introduction: Digital Fabrication tools
Student Project
Week 2 Introducing the UI + point, number, series & list, line, Reverse Practice No.1
Week 3 Array polar, Rotate, Range, Project, Brep Vs. Mesh
Week 4 Math, graph mapper, remap. Draw a freeform curve.
Week 5 Attraction and 3D Attractor
Week 6 Nurbs modeling, work on the surface
Week 7 Nurbs part II
Week 8 Mesh modeling, weaverbird
Week 9 Triangulation to fabrication
Week 10 Design a structure and generate Fab Data.
Week 11 Correction
Week 12 Correction
Week 13 Correction
Week 14 Final Review
- All theoretical sessions will be held in a class in Burchard.
- All tests and preliminary fabrications will be done at MadLab.
Practice No.2
Practice No.3
Practice No.4
Practice No.5
Practice No.6 + System Development
Practice No.7 + System Development
Practice No.8 + Design
Practice No.9 + Design
Design
Parametric Modeling
Fabrication
3D Printed Spatial Structure (CADF 96)
The University of Tehran, Iran, 2018
(By Ramtin Haghnazar as an instructor)
Sample of a similar course
For the first half of the semester, the students must deliver weekly assignments, design, and modeling in grasshopper, and they need two hours weekly. They do the preliminary design and develop the building system.
In the second phase of the course, students finalize the design and make a pavilion. In this phase, students need to work in the lab to fabricate the elements and assemble the final structure.
Grading:
- Developing a structural system – 15%
- Design a Concept – 15%
- Prototyping (building a tabletop model) – 30%
- Fabrication – 25%
- Assembly – 15%
Expectation:
- Bring a laptop and mouse to all software-specific sessions. Using a trackpad is not permitted.
- Students will be asked to install Rhino 7 and some free grasshopper plugins.
- All assignments will be turned in via Canvas.
- Late work loses 30%.
Chapter One, Design
- Computational Design (presentation by instructors).
- Project Understanding (presentation by instructors).
- Conceptual Design (preliminary sketches by hand, physical model, or digital model).
- Building system development.
- Design the final structure.
- Prototype modeling in Grasshopper.
Chapter Two, Build
- Developing the BIM modeler.
- Fabrication Data.
- Fabricating Elements.
- Assembly
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Course
Introduction: What is Computational Design
Introduction: Project Understanding
Materialization
Building system development
Designing the structure
Design development
Prototyping
Fabrication tabletop model
Review
Design Finalization
Week 10 BIM modeler and fabrication data
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Fabrication
Fabrication
Assembly
Week 14 Extra time
- All theoretical sessions will be held in a class in Burchard.
- All tests and preliminary fabrications will be done at MadLab.
- Fabrication and Assembly site will be determined based on the projects.
The 8th Tehran National Sculpture Biennial, 2020, Dahi Studio.
Robotic Pick and Place, Workshop at University of Tehran and University of Art, 2019.
Bending-Active Shells, Workshop at University of Art, 2019
Ramtin Haghnazar
Ph.D., Architectural Technology (Specialization: Computational Design)
Co-Founder of Dahi Studio
Co-Founder of Digital Craft House
TBD