The tower is a simple example of using the diagrammatic qualities of the spiral in a more formal solution.  It simply moves the points up in the z-axis and generates a voronoi pattern. These cells are then broken apart and the points are piped.  The height of the tower and the distance between cells can be changed. 

Download Circle Operations GHX

Note:Version of Grasshopper Used-(Grasshopper 0.8.0063)

Version of HoopSnake Used-(HoopSnake 0.6.1)

My exploration focuses on the base features. It takes a starting value adds to it consistently until it reaches a limit threshold set in my initial variables. These values are used as seeds to generate a varying topology that is then confined and split from a box. The result is a continuous list of varied objects. The benefit being that now I can filter down the list to desirable solutions.

Download Mesh Form Generator

Note:Version of Grasshopper Used-(Grasshopper 0.8.0063)

Version of HoopSnake Used-(HoopSnake 0.6.1)

Connecting Points Grasshopper File

Note:Version of Grasshopper Used-(Grasshopper 0.6.0059)

Interconnected Loop Tile Grasshopper File

Note:Version of Grasshopper Used-(Grasshopper 0.6.0059)

The aggregation of the module starts with a standardized grid; this grid is then distorted to create variation within the wall.  It could easily be linked to some kind of attractor point (as was intended).  The actual grasshopper definition of aggregation was borrowed from PinupSpace’s component population page.  The definition is very simple; all it requires is a subdivided mesh, preferably with some kind of color information embedded.  However, if you haven’t worked that out you can always just attach a Mesh Color component to your mesh, this will pattern your mesh with a color.  PinupSpace’s script basically just breaks your mesh up into its color coded parts and then applies the selected module using a simple box-morph.  I’ve included their video at the bottom of the page.

Part of what made this project such a learning experience was the fabrication portion of it.  Our material choice for the project was 2″ insulation foam.  This was mainly due to the contours that the router would need to cut.  Having never used the machine before, I had no idea what to expect in terms of accuracy.  I started with the preconception that the router would perfectly sculpt my 3d model.  This preconception was flawed in two respects, the first being that the router dropped every pass a slight amount in the z axis.  This meant you never really had a cut that was true to its digital counter part.  The second oversight was in the ability of the material to retain its rigidity after having half of it sculpted away.  A 2′x8′ sheet of foam does not stay flat after that much of it is stripped away.

-Liam Morrow

-Component Population On Mesh from Ted Ngai on Vimeo.

Perforation Panel Grasshopper File

Note:Version of Grasshopper Needed-(Grasshopper 0.6.0059)

This little macro is really sweet for skewing rhino models into axonometrics.  Its important to note however that this will actually skew your model, save your model before you do this.

Just paste the following text into your menu bar:

! _Select _Pause _SetActiveViewport Top _Rotate 0 30 _SetActiveViewport Right _Shear w0 w0,0,1 -45 _SetActiveViewport Top _Zoom _All _Extents

Note:Version of Grasshopper Needed-(Grasshopper 0.6.0019)

VBscript:

a = rhutil.RhinoSplitBrepFace(y, 0, x.ToArray, doc.AbsoluteTolerance)

As a bit of code, its actually not very necessary.  Does it really matter if you split the circles in grasshopper or rhino space?  In this case, not really, however its useful to know and more importantly it brings up the question of how integrated grasshopper can become with rhino.  As a tool, grasshopper can be great a modeling things really quickly and when you start to make relationships its really great at doing calculations for you.  These panels are a good example, they illustrate both a much easier way of modeling and an easier way of calculating the relationships between points.  Grasshopper presents a much clearer way for the designer to understand what the relationships are within a given project.  Given this diagrammatic way of seeing the logic behind an object, designers should begin to spend more time articulating these relationships and less time articulating the form.

The set of images at the top of the article represent an ethereal form of an object.  They show a logic, but in order for them to mean anything they need to be put within context.  The context would then generate a meaningful form.  Whether you design in grasshopper or rhino space is irrelevant as long as there is some context attached to the object.  An example with respect to this tutorial could be assigning the attractor points some sort of value, such as amount of light, pre-existing site constraints, or even something as simple as compositional logic.

-Liam Morrow

Note:Version of Grasshopper Needed-(Grasshopper 0.6.0019)