The Proving Ground by Nathan Miller

UCLA Grasshopper Redux

2012-01-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I will be instructing part 2 of the Grasshopper workshop @ UCLA. This session will focus on more advanced topics and will make use of two popular plug-ins: Kangaroo and DIVA.

In the first half of the workshop, the class will look at Kangaroo Physics to study various forces on parametric structural models and surfaces that can be created with some of The Proving Ground tools.

The second half of the workshop will look at daylight analysis using DIVA. A solar-responsive facade system will be created which responds to daylight parameters.

TPG Tools v0.25 Update Released

2012-01-25T01:52:00.000-08:00

The interest level has been very high for this collection of Grasshopper components. I have made an update to the plug-in to include some additional geometry utilities and more structure components.

More info on v0.25 can be found at the wiki download page....

The Proving Ground Wiki and Program Lab

2012-01-22T21:39:00.001-08:00

I have quietly spent some time giving the wikia big overhaul. I haven't advertised it on my main blog since I wanted to make sure there was enough content there to be of interest.

As a key component of this, I have added a lot of content to my program lab. The page includes a growing collection of scripts. My focus right now is on documenting code for RhinoCommon and Grasshopper that I think may be useful in scripting workshops. Processing and Revit code is also sprinkled throughout. If you have been following my Facebook page, you may have noticed some image galleries pop up showing off the content there.

I am also releasing the first version of The Proving Ground plug-in for Grasshopper.

This plug-in is a growing collection of some of the more useful code from the wiki. The focus is on parametric shapes, paneling, structures, and workflows... check it out and do not hesitate to make recommendations or report bugs.

Slingshot!... for Revit?

2012-01-20T00:25:00.001-08:00

Now that I am done being all 'protest-y'...(for now)

...I thought it would be good to reward my readers with an update on something many have been excited to know more about. I am in the process of prototyping some functionality and work flows for a new tool.... Slingshot! for Revit.

Generally, the tool will provide different means of connecting Revit (and Vasari) to relational database management systems, including MySQL. More importantly, I am interested in establishing common database schema that will allow for a more fluid workflow between Revit and external design tools like Rhino and Grasshopper. This includes sharing parameters and geometry.

I had developed several proofs-of-concept in late 2010 and previewed a few demos at ACADIA in New York... but finally I am finding time (and motivation) to give this the push it needs.

The images below show me prototyping some functionality via the RevitPythonShell plug-in in Vasari. Python is giving me a more fluid workflow than the usual Revit development process. Eventually, the tools will become true add-ins...

A point cloud in Vasari being created using a MySQL database...

The RevitPythonShell console printing a bunch of data from MySQL...

The source of all the trouble...Slingshot! for Grasshopper building a point cloud database...

Slingshot! is Copyright (c) Nathan Miller 2012

Design Against Censorship

2012-01-18T20:18:00.000-08:00

Well that blackout was fun!

The internet blackout in protest of SOPA and PIPA seems to have done its job for today... but the fight is not over yet...

Here are some results:

If you are a designer, architect, BIM'er, or computational guru and want a small banner on your site, I took a stab at a simple one. You can see I have a one on the side bar linking over to http://americancensorship.org

Here is a little act of computational design protest...via my Slingshot! Database Plug-in for Grasshopper...

Blackout!

2012-01-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Proving Ground will be joining the blackout in opposition to SOPA and Protect IP tomorrow, January 18th starting at 12AM PST.... A free and open internet is essential for innovative, community-driven technology, tools, and design!

Dear readers,

For 4 years, I have used this blog as a medium for sharing some of the things I have been up to with regards to design, computation, Grasshopper, BIM, and so on. Blogging and the open sharing of ideas is a huge passion of mine and will continue to be so. I firmly believe that an open and uncensored internet continues to bring about new avenues for innovation and contributes to the betterment of society.

Without the basic idea of an open internet, I believe that the design tools we love to use and the communities that support and expand them would not have been able to come into being to the success that they are experiencing today (if at all).... No Grasshopper, No Blender, No Processing... No Kangaroo, No Geco, No Diva, No Slingshot, No GeometryGym... and the list goes on.

This may sound like an extreme assertion, but having spent much time in a country (China) that actively censors the internet and prevents their citizens from accessing social media sites like Facebook (and, yes, even blogger sites like this one) I can say that this is no joking matter.

This week, you may notice that some popular internet websites, such as Wikipedia and Reddit, are participating in a 'blackout' of services in protest of bills in the United States congress: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). While the intentions are to prevent internet piracy, the bills would also dangerously affect the DNA of the internet by making internet censorship a matter of law in the US...and possibly influence other countries to pass similar measures.

In support of the protest efforts.......(from Forbes)

Do you like the look of that? I didn't think so...

The Proving Ground opposes internet censorship in all its forms and supports innovation through the freedom and sharing of ideas.

Find out how you can fight SOPA/PIPA by visiting...

http://americancensorship.org
http://sopastrike.com/

And even if these bills are defeated, this probably won't be the last time we see something like this... so keep your eyes open.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming... (for a long time to come, I hope)

Nathan Miller

The Proving Ground

UCLA Grasshopper Workshop

2012-01-09T22:24:00.000-08:00

Starting this weekend, I will be teaching a 2-part Grasshopper workshop @ UCLA. The workshop is open to UCLA students interested in learning basic and advanced parametric design techniques with the Grasshopper plug-in for Rhino.

Part 1: Saturday, January 14 10AM-4PM

Part 2: Saturday, January 28 10AM-4PM

Slingshot! Documentation and Tutorials WIP

2012-01-07T23:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings Slingshot! users...!

I have created a page dedicated to documentation and tutorials for the Slingshot! plug-in. The page is a work-in-progress and more examples and reference materials will be made available as time permits

Currently, there is some general documentation along with tutorials for:

Basics: Connections, Commands, Queries
Creating a mesh database

Creating a genome database

Using Excel as a database with OLE DB

Parametric Strategies Issuu

2012-01-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published in 2009 as part of the ACADIA conference. This article is an overview of the parametric tools and systems used in the design process of civic and sports architecture at NBBJ.

Open publication - Free publishing - More computation

Survey Says...

2011-12-29T22:29:00.000-08:00

I have published the results from the AEC Tech Survey

This began as a private survey of colleagues and personal connections who work in a variety of different sizes of Architecture firms in different parts of the country. I later opened this up to the blog and on my Facebook shortly thereafter. Overall, the number of responses was small (38 submissions) but interesting.

The survey for academic programs is still open...

The Hangzhou Tennis Center Issuu

2011-12-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Earlier this past year, I had presented a short paper at the ACADIA Regional conference on some of the parametric tools and systems used on the Hangzhou Tennis Center.

The full article is now available as an Issuu...

Open publication - Free publishing - More computation

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T17:15:00.000-08:00

This year saw the release of the Slingshot! Database plug-in, workshops and a keynote at ACADIA Regional, presentations at Extreme BIM and ACSA, an article in the Oz Journal, and numerous little computational experiments.

Internet traffic to The Proving Ground has continued to grow over this past year and I wanted to thank you, the visitors, for your continued interest in the content. I am humbled that my little blog gets the attention it does.

I hope to keep things exciting here moving into the new year with more to come for Rhino, Grasshopper, Processing, Slingshot!, Revit/Vasari, and more....!

Some things to keep an eye on....

The Proving Ground's sister wiki has been going through some transformations with new content.

As of today, I have created a Facebook page... be sure to 'like' it!

Trying out some Processing + Android...!

2011-12-20T00:35:00.001-08:00

To be continued...?

Survey Time! Technology and AEC....

2011-12-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

The Proving Ground tends to feature explorations related to more advanced uses of digital technology and computational tools.... But how is the larger rest of the AEC industry and academy moving along?

Are the latest tools being adopted by industry practitioners?
Where are the perceived value gains for new technology?
Is the BIM mightier than the sword?

These questions have been explored before, but I thought I would tap into my own network with the help of my handy-dandy Google Docs tools.

This short survey is intended as a general means of collecting information about the impact digital technology is making on practice and academia. While it may not be the most scientific, my hope is to test a few hypotheses about this subject and report back here...!

Please select the most appropriate survey...

OPTION 1 Professional:
Please complete this survey if you are involved in an AEC-related professional organization...

OPTION 2 Academic:
Please complete this survey if you are involved in an AEC-related academic program...

Results will be posted here in a few days (or weeks depending on how responses trickle in...)

Slingshot! v0.82 Update Available

2011-12-10T13:33:00.001-08:00

A new version of Slingshot! Database for Grasshopper is now available to download.

The new release features new components for creating databases for geometry and analysis data. The update includes a number of other enhancements and fixes.

More Upcoming Slingshot! Stuff...

2011-12-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

The next update will introduce some standard tools to simplify creating database systems for storing and updating geometry and analysis results.
New "Sensor Component" will let you convert sensor data from analysis tools (like DIVA) in a structured database.

A few other database creation components will allow rapid creation and updating of geometric elements such as points, lines, and meshes.... These tools are sure to rapidly expand to include other forms of geometry types and representations.

And, of course, an update to the Twitter Search component. The component now parses search results into lists in addition to providing the raw Atom XML.

Coming Soon...Slingshot! Geometry Tools

2011-12-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

Coming soon... new Slingshot tools for translating geometry into executable SQL code for DB storage.

This images shows a component which takes a mesh as an input and converts it to a SQL code for use in different databases and accessed from different platforms.

Secret Agent Men

2011-11-27T23:32:00.001-08:00

No, this is not a post about secret agents... but rather computational agents! (ok, bad joke!)

Jose Sanchez has an excellent example of flocking agents at the Plethora Project. Additionally, Satoru Sugihara has some great tutorials on using the agent class for piGeon.

My videos below show flocking behavior in 3D...specifically in relationship to the boundaries defined by a surface.

I am fascinated by the ability to use this behavior to describe irregular surface patterning. The processing sketch constrains the agents to the UV space of the surface and draws traces of the agent movement. The color change refers to the UV position.

I am also interesting dynamic human interaction with the agent system. This example shows a ControlP5 interface for dynamically changing the flocking variables (alignment, cohesion, and separation). I can also adjust the line connection variable to study the relationship structure.

Processing: Custom Paneling Interface

2011-11-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

Building on my previous examples of combining the piGeon library with ControlP5, I put together another example showing an interface for exploring paneling options on a surface created in Rhino. The user is able to select different paneling patterns (quads, triangles, diagrids, etc) and visualize them as surface or wireframe cells. U and V parameters are controlled by sliders (sound familiar?)

Of course, this is something that is easy to accomplish with parametric tools like Grasshopper. However, my interest here is in being able to customize a simple, standalone, and easy-to-learn interfaces for specific design problems. Easy enough for grandma to use...

I have published an interface template on my wiki...

More as I have it...

iGeo: Open Source 3D Software Library for Java

2011-11-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

**updated with code**

Download the code for ControlP5 integration from The Proving Ground wiki....

This is one of the coolest things I have come across in awhile...

Satoru Sugihara, recently release iGeo: a "free and open source 3D modeling software library in Java for computational design in architecture, product design, interaction design and more."

As part of my enthusiastic response to this tool kit, I thought it would be an interesting experiment to combine piGeon with another popular processing GUI called ControlP5. ControlP5 is another great open source library for creating interactive controls such as sliders, toggles, knobs, and other gizmos.

piGeon provides an interface for Processing which makes iGeo easy to learn for quick implementation. Satoru has also provided some great tutorials...

iGeo is very extensive and well documented. The library provides fantastic support for NURBS and it is possible to read and write Rhino 3dm and Obj files.

ACSA 2011 Admin Conference: Old School/New School

2011-10-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be involved in this year's ACSA Administrators Conference in Los Angeles. I was invited to participate in a panel discussion surrounding the challenges and opportunities for schools of architecture in the 21st century:

How should architecture schools respond to the changes posed by social media, the proliferation of data, globalization, climate change, and demands for economic and ethnic diversity? Are our existing educational concepts and methods adequate?

The Challenges and/or Opportunities panel will take place on Friday, November 11 from 10:30 to 12:00 AM and will include the following participants....

Ila Berman, California College of the Arts
Michael Speaks, Univesrity of Kentucky
Frances Bronet, University Oregon
Richard Sommer, University of Toronto
Robert Somol, University of Illinois, Chicago
Nathan Miller, NBBJ
Steven Lewis, RAW

A full schedule for the conference can be found here....

NBBJ LA Project: Grand Stade de Casablanca

2011-10-27T12:35:00.001-07:00

ArchDaily recently posted our proposal for the Grand Stade de Casablanca. The stadium is an 80,000 seat facility capable of hosting multiple types of sporting events. Grasshopper was used extensively in the design process to develop the concept and produce generative algorithms for the exterior faceted shell and paneling systems.

Architects: NBBJ & Yassir Khalil Studio
Location: Casablanca, Morocco
Structural Engineer: Schlaich Bergermann & Partner
Animation and Renderings: Studio 216

What's New in Slingshot! Database v0.8?

2011-10-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

Here are short visual tour of some the new features available in Slingshot! Database v0.8

Download the plug-in here!

1. Support for multiple database systems. The MySQL connector is still supported. ODBC and OLE DB allow access to many other RDBMS where information can be accessed, shared and coordinated with Grasshopper.

2. Perform SQL queries and commands on Excel files using OLE DB. Access information and search for data without launching the Excel program. (This is an alternative to the more common System.Runtime.InteropServices workflow.)

3. Access information from around the Web using FTP and HTTP components. Source information from websites and social networks. The Twitter Search component allows for Grasshopper to track recent posts and trends.

Slingshot! Database Plug-in v0.8

2011-10-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce a new milestone update to the Slingshot! plug-in for Grasshopper. The aim of the tool is to combine the power of parametric modeling with relational database management systems. Previously, MySQL was the only RDBMS supported. The new version includes support for ODBC and OLE DB which will allow connections to many different types of databases such as Access, PostgreSQL, SQL server, etc. In addition, I am beginning to build a collection of other helpful (and sometimes fun) workflow tools for accessing web information.

Visit the Slingshot! Database wiki to download the Grasshopper Plug-in!

The new version introduces new (yet familiar) database workflows. For those of you who have been putting the MySQL plug-in to good use, you may want to hold off on upgrading until I have some demonstration videos and instructions up.

The older versions of the MySQL plug-in will continue to be available. However, you should not have both installed at the same time (The Slingshot! tab will get messy!)

Here is a list of updates...(not comprehensive)

Now officially called Slingshot! Database

Plug-In supports MySQL, ODBC, and OLE DB.
Reorganized toolbar with new icons and components.
Query and Command components enable access to different databases.
SQL string components help users compose SQL code for use with query and command components.
Web tools provide support for FTP upload/download and HTTP streams.
Read and write to remote (and closed) Excel files using OLE DB access.
Twitter Search gives users access to the search API and returns XML into Grasshopper.

MySQL components now require the MySQL .NET connector 6.4.4

Oz Journal v33: Augment... Coming Soon!

2011-10-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Oz Journal v33 is available this month with a great collection of authors.

Yours truly has a write up... and from what I remember, it wasn't entirely incoherent! Check it out!

Edited by
Laura Beth Cochran and Samantha Smith

Less Is More Intense
Magnus Larsson

Revolutions of Choice
Frank Barkow

Hand Drawing in a Digital Age
Alan Dunlop

Shared Transformation
Lisa Iwamoto

Measurement, Uncertainty, and the Dataspace
Nathan Miller

Augmented Culture
Daniel Dendra

Illustrating Ecologies
Bradley Cantrell

Augmenting Architecture through Algorithmic Modeling
Nathan Howe

More. Better. Integrated.
Ryan Gedney

Ordering Complexity
Patrick Schumacher

Digital Craft
Monica Ponce de Leon

On Intimacy and Design
Ramona Albert and Christopher Johnson

Force-Based Data Visualization

2011-09-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

Using a combination of Slingshot! and Kangaroo Physics, this post demonstrates the self-organization of a complex data set. This approach is similar to the 2D tools available in graph visualizers such as Gephi.

The process uses the friend relationships on my Facebook network. This data is stored in a MySQL database and pulled into Grasshopper using Slingshot! The data set contains the names of all of my Facebook friends and their connection to my other friends. In 3D space, these connections are represented as lines.

When the data is first brought into the Grasshopper environment, the visualization is unstructured with name and connections scattered randomly in space.

Using Kangaroo Physics, the connection lines translate to force vectors which "push" and "pull" the names around. Based on relationships in the data, the 3D diagram will self-organize. Related friends cluster together using attraction forces. Friends with higher connectivity have a higher repulsion setting allowing them to be distinguished in the network.

The resulting structures are quite amazing. Navigating them shows a natural grouping of friends with some interesting granularity... For example: my relatives, work colleagues, and college friends exist in distinct clusters within the network. The source data does not inherently have these biases built in.

Interested in pulling your Facebook network information for some data viz? Check out this Gephi tutorial... Once you have it, you can store it in the format of your choosing.

Slingshot! GH+MySQL v0.7.2.1 Released

2011-09-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

This is a minor update to the Slingshot! MySQL plugin for Grasshopper. This version ensures compatibility with Grasshopper version 0.8.0051

In addition there have been a few parameter additions and some naming corrections. Check the version history for more details.

Download the latest here... Enjoy!

Blender Particle Systems with Grasshopper

2011-09-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Blender is a fantastic open source mesh modeling software often used in game development. The tool is full of rich features and may even give Maya a run for its money. You also can't beat its price tag (did I mention it is free?). For an API, it boasts an extensive Python scripting environment.

In addition to its mesh modeling tools, Blender also features some great physical effects including particle systems for simulating fluids and wind.

This blog post demonstrates creating a workflow for exporting particle information into a text file which can be accessed by Grasshopper for different purposes.

Download the Python script and an example output file here...

Energy Modeling with Grasshopper (Proof-of-Concept)

2011-08-28T22:39:00.001-07:00

Grasshopper users have all kinds of simulation tools at their disposal... however, I have yet to see an attempt at integrating energy simulation tools with Grasshopper... so here is a 'weekend warrior' study which links Grasshopper to EnergyPlus.

I wrote a few custom components which automate the formatting of Grasshopper geometry into a simulation-ready model that can be read directly by EnergyPlus. The colorful visualizations show a simple box structure going through an hourly analysis on a specified design day. The analysis results are streamed back into Grasshopper after the energy analysis is run

There is much potential here (and work to be done before I can put this into a full release!)... I would also like to consult with the experts first before I release this as a plug-in. I am not an MEP expert, after all...

We have just about everything else: solar (DIVA, Geco), structures (Karamba, StructDraw), physics (Kangaroo).... What other simulation tools will we see in Grasshopper's future?

An Energy Model... of Earth? ASHRAE + Slingshot!

2011-08-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

What do all of those ASHRAE Climactic Design Conditions look like?

Using some CSV file parsing, I translated the ASHRAE 2009 Design Conditions into a MySQL relational database. Location, heating, cooling, and extreme conditions for 5564 stations are stored in tables and can be dynamically searched. Using Slingshot!, I can query information and load it into Grasshopper for visualization...

NBBJ Design Computation - Job Opening

2011-08-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Computation Community,

I am happy to announce that NBBJ is expanding its efforts in the field of Design Computation. We have officially opened a search for an additional expertise to work with me on a firm-wide effort based out of the Los Angeles studio. Please review the job description below.

If you are interested in this position, apply through the NBBJ website!

NBBJ Los Angeles is seeking an expert in Design Computation who will be placed in a co-leadership position with a collaborative team of experts. The Designer we are seeking must have a proven track-record for pushing the boundaries of design by drawing upon a deep interest in science, mathematics and computing. This individual should possess experience in applying technology driven methodologies in the context of real-world design problems.

The individual will have responsibilities which include collaborating on the design of architecture projects, working with teams to develop innovative computational design tools, and mentoring design teams in computational methods. The position will offer the candidate opportunities to grow within the firm and exposure to an innovative, fast-paced and highly collaborative environment.

• 4-year degree in related field required; Architectural degree a plus
• Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in leveraging computational methods for architectural design
• Advanced knowledge of parametric design software and generative design techniques (software may include Grasshopper, Generative Components, Catia, and/or Inventor)
• Working knowledge of common computer programming languages (VB.NET, C#, Python)
• Familiarity with scripting and application programming interfaces (API) for tools such as Revit, Rhino and/or AutoCAD
• Comfortable working in common 2D and 3D design environments including Revit, Rhino, and/or AutoCAD
• Proven experience teaching design computation
• Strong critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to travel and lead team training seminars in all of NBBJ’s office locations

Genome Database using Slingshot!

2011-07-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks the new record component and some fixed slider functionality, I was able to create a process for recording Galapagos iterations to a MySQL database via the Slingshot! plug-in...

I have provided the SQL code for database formatting at the Slingshot! wiki.

The process for recording is fairly straight forward...

Step 1: Use the 'record' component to track changing sliders and fitness values.

Step 2: Run Galapagos

Step 3: Insert the recorded fitness and gene values into the database.

Step 4: Query the database to view and sort the genomes.

Quite handy for revisiting all iterations and comparing different ranges of fitness...

The Supershape Returns... with Vasari and IronPython

2011-07-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

**Update** Download the IronPython code here...!

Awhile back, I was playing around with 3D Supershapes in Grasshopper. Zach Kron from Buildz recently attempted to approximate a similar effect using Revit parameters and formulas.

So to continue the theme, I thought I would take a crack at creating a script for generating 3D Supershapes using strictly IronPython and the RevitPythonShell.

The script creates reference points based on mathematical formula and draws section curves in one direction. I then used the loft form method to connect adjacent curve together and describe the surface. I should note that lofting the sections together for a continuously smooth look fails under just about every scenario... I hope more options are available in the future.

Speed wise... well... it sure takes its sweet time to generate the geometry. Other scripting environments are lightning fast when dealing with similar levels of complexity. In the future, I hope the Revit/Vasari team can streamline the form creation process and provide more creation methods...

Installing IronPython with Vasari

2011-07-19T01:21:00.000-07:00

Zach Kron from Buildz recently posted an very cool example of using IronPython with Revit/Vasari. This is made possible using RevitPythonShell by Daren Thomas. This got me excited to kill two bird's with one stone 1. See what Vasari is all about and 2. start digging into Python.

I had to go through a number of blog posts to get all the pieces to work together (most only told part of the story). The fact that Vasari tries to keep everything under the hood a secret does not help matters.

So to ensure you do not exhaust as much time getting it to work as I did... I present...

The 12 Step Program to get Vasari to work with IronPython

First why would you WANT to do this? Unless you are going through the VSTA in Revit ( this is not available in Vasari), you have to use Visual Studio to compile a plug-in and load it as an Add-In. This can be a cumbersome experience if you want a more fluid scripted workflow where you can test code on the fly.

Enter RevitPythonShell. This plug-in gives Revit/Vasari the capability to execute IronPython scripts with full access to the Revit API. Once it is up and running, you are able to quickly test different code from either the command console or a script editor of your choice.

The steps below are more specific for Vasari. For those unfamiliar, Vasari is a standalone package of some of Revit's more conceptual modeling and analysis features. The application is a free download.

Instructions:

Note: Currently, RevitPythonShell works with Revit 2011 and Vasari 1.1. RevitPythonShell is not yet compatible with Revit 2012 or Vasari 2.0.

1. Download Autodesk Vasari 1.1

2. Download and install Python 2.5

3. Download and install RevitPythonShell (includes IronPython 2.0 DLLs)

4. Launch the Vasari.exe file for the first time.

5. After Vasari has launched... close Vasari.

Note: Vasari comes as a standalone exe file but it does create a few folders on your computer which you will need in order to get it to work with RevitPythonShell.

6. Navigate to the following directory (Windows 7): C:\Users\*yournamehere*\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Vasari\Addins\TP1.1

Note: This directory is where you can place custom Add-ins. Revit 2011 add-ins that take advantage of the conceptual massing environment can be also be used with Vasari. (More info can be found at TheBuildingCoder)

7. Download this revitpythonshell.addin file and place it in the TP1.1 directory.

Note: This is an XML file I made which contains a path to the RevitPythonShell.dll directory. You may need to open the file to verify the path to the assembly file is correct.

8. Launch Vasari 1.1

9. Exit the current massing editor ('Cancel Mass' in the ribbon)

10. Click on the 'Add-Ins' menu tab. Viola! If you did everything correctly, you should have a RevitPythonShell menu category with "Open Python Shell" and "Configure..." buttons available.

11. Click "Configure Commands". Check that a Search Path is included for C:\Python25\Lib (this is necessary to make use of the AutoComplete feature and to make use of other standard libraries)

12. Download an IronPython IDE (like SharpDevelop) to write scripts. You can load them using "Configure..." through the Vasari Add-In tab.

If this post needs any corrections or clarifications, please let me know!

GH+MySQL v0.7.2 Released (w/ ODBC)

2011-07-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

A new release of the Slingshot! GH+MySQL plug-in is available.

The release is a minor update which re-organizes a few categories and also includes a new generic MySQL Command component for executing SQL operations not included in other components.

The main reason for this release was to introduce ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) into the mix. The two components (ODBC Command and ODBC Query) should let users access any ODBC compliant database. I have tested the plug-in with PostgreSQL... if anyone tests them with others, please let me know!

Enjoy!

Fun with Hashtags

2011-07-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

What if you could turn twitter into a giant command-line cloud.... maybe you can?

More info here....

Free Download! ACADIA Regional 2011: Parametricism (SPC)

2011-06-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

The book for the 2011 ACADIA Regional conference is available for a free download. The conference was hosted by the University of Nebraska Lincoln this past spring.

The proceedings feature an impressive line-up of research papers (including one of my own) complete with color images. The national conference has a lot to live up to moving into the fall!

Visit the UNL Digital Commons for the download!

Grasshopper > AutoCAD v0.1 Open Source Plug-in!

2011-06-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

I have released an open source plug-in which enables Grasshopper to connect to AutoCAD's command line.

I have only tested this on one machine. Let me know how it works for you!

Both the plug-in and the source code are available here...!

Slingshot! GH+MySQL v0.7 Released

2011-05-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

A new version of the Slingshot! plug-in has been released. The primary aim was to consolidate functionality for better workflow. In addition, some components have new or expanded output features which I hope will be useful.

A full list of changes can be found here.

You can download the plug-in here....

PS I will be traveling to China tonight on business for the next three weeks. Apologies in advance if I am not able to provide support or answer questions immediately.

Extreme BIM @ USC

2011-05-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

I have been invited to give a talk at USC's annual BIM symposium. This year, the topic is...

Extreme BIM: Parametrics and Customization

My lecture is titled Dataspaces and Uncertainty... in no way did I draw those words out of a hat at random. I will be discussing recent work at NBBJ, my Slingshot! project, and other observations on computation in practice.

The speaker list includes experts from around Los Angeles on the topic of parametric design and computation.

Participating firms include Perkins+Will, Morphosis, Gehry Partners, Gensler, Thornton Tomasetti, Buro Happold... and more!

Visit the website for a full speaker list and schedule.

SQL Code: Create a Mesh Database

2011-05-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have provided the SQL source code and a Grasshopper definition for creating a simple mesh database containing tables for vertices and faces. This is the standard database table format I have been using in my recent Slingshot! demos.

Grab the SQL code here...!

Slingshot!... to the web???

2011-05-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Parametric, generative, BIM.... web browsing?

This proof-of-concept video shows a Grasshopper-generated model being updated and visualized within Google Chrome. The Slingshot! plug-in updates a database when the model changes.

After each, change the web browser is refreshed to show changes to the 3D visual and the database tables.

Download Slingshot! here....

Slingshot! Demo: Querying a Mesh

2011-05-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

In the video demonstration below, MySQL queries are used to progressively assemble a Grasshopper mesh using information stored in database tables on a remote computer.

First, individual x,y,z coordinates are queried from a points table to create the point cloud.

Second, the index numbers for the faces are queried to produce the mesh surface

Third, gaussian curvature values are queried and used to produce the gradient color.

Get the latest release of the plug-in here....!

Slingshot! GH+MySQL v0.6 Released

2011-05-01T01:27:00.000-07:00

A new version of the Slingshot GH+MySQL plug-in has been released. The release improves on the workflow for writing information to a MySQL table. A new Write Table component is included which allows the user to dynamically insert and update multiple columns of data.

A workflow example for creating, writing, and querying is also included in this release.

Visit the development wiki to DOWNLOAD v0.6....

Join the Grasshopper 3D group for this tool...

Watch some video tutorials to get started with the plug-in...

Slingshot! GH+MySQL Released for Testing!

2011-04-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

The Grasshopper + MySQL plug-in has been officially released for testing under the umbrella of Slingshot! The plug-in combines the power of Grasshopper parametric design with the world's most popular open-source database: MySQL.

Visit the development wiki @ slingshot-dev.wikidot.com for more information!

Tutorials and other support materials are in the works. The download file contains a few examples.

STADIA: Design and Technology Expo

2011-04-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

Join NBBJ for the Stadia: Design and Technology Expo

at the Los Angeles Convention Center

We have 3 booths featuring a variety of different sports projects including the Hangzhou Sports Park, UCLA's Pauly Pavilion, Dalian Stadium, among others.

We will have computers running so you can test out some of our parametric tools. We will also have rapid prototype models and CG animations on display.

Stop by if you are in the LA area!

Slingshot! Preview

2011-04-03T01:09:00.000-07:00

Slingshot! is my new personal project. It is a work-in-progress suite of tools aimed at enabling the coordination of design information among different software environments. The project is open ended in its trajectory and may take some radical turns in the course of its development. Several plug-ins which will fall under the Slingshot! 'banner' are already near completion.

Below is a preview of my plug-in for Grasshopper which aims at combining the power of parametric design with 'the world's most popular open source database': MySQL.

I am placing the finishing touches on this plug-in... so hopefully you will see a release for testing this month. In the mean time, stay tuned for more information!

My questions: Will this be useful to you? How will you use it?

Release date for testing: April, 2011

USC ARCH 517: Featured Work!

2011-04-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Visit The Proving Ground Wiki to see featured work from my 5-Week course: Problem Solving Using Evolutionary Systems.

Images, videos, and Grasshopper files are available.

Keynote Lecture Excerpts....

2011-03-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Visit The Proving Ground wiki for some excerpts from my ACADIA Regional Keynote...

ACADIA Regional 2011 @ UNL

2011-03-14T18:58:00.001-07:00

$20 in an old pair of jeans....

2011-03-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered that one of my older, short-burn ideas competition entries was included in an Actar/Iaac publication.... The title of this post refers my feelings on the matter....!

Pick up the book here...!

Original post on the entry here...!

Introduction: USC Arch 517 Galapagos Course

2011-02-13T23:39:00.001-08:00

Intro: Problem Solving Using Evolutionary Systems on Prezi

NBBJ/CCDI Hangzhou Tennis Center @ ACADIA Regional 2011

2011-01-13T18:16:00.001-08:00

This March at the ACADIA 2011 regional conference, I will be giving a presentation on the Hangzhou Tennis Center: A Case Study in Integrated Parametric Design.

The Tennis Center is a new component of the larger Hangzhou Sports Park which I have blogged about in previous posts.

My lecture will describe, in detail, the process of assembling the parametric model of the exterior shell which includes systems for form finding, rationalization, detailed cladding, simulation and coordination. The project builds on the processes implemented in the main stadium project and extends them to achieve new levels of efficiency, detail, and rigor in a large-scale, international application.

USC ARCH 517: Spring 2011

2010-12-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be returning to the USC spring semester line up to teach a 5-week seminar on the use of Grasshopper and Galapagos.

Keep an eye on The Proving Ground Wiki for course information.

Kangaroo Physics

2010-11-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

Below are some videos showing off some of the fun I am having with the Kangaroo Physics engine by Daniel Piker. Kanagroo is a powerful and intuitive tool that allows you simulate physical phenomena, such as gravity, within the Grasshopper environment.

You can test drive Kangaroo by visiting KangarooPhysics.com

Click the images to go to videos:

Simulated gravity loading on a truss structure.

Catenary surface creation

ACADIA Regional 2011: Parametricism (SPC)

2010-11-07T01:28:00.000-07:00

The 2011 ACADIA Regional Conference will be hosted by the University of Nebraska Lincoln in March.

Paper abstracts are due by December 21st, 2010.

http://acadiaregional.unl.edu/

Themes:

1.0 Analog Parametrics
2.0 Forms that Matter
3.0 Building Envelopes & Surface Geometry
4.0 Investigations in Digital Curricula
5.0 Reconfiguring Collaboration by Computational Means
6.0 Comprehensive (Parametric) Design
7.0 Simulations: Quantitative and Qualitative
8.0 In-Formation Based Design

ACADIA 2010: Presentation

2010-10-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

Grasshopper + AutoCAD IPC Video

2010-10-10T09:59:00.001-07:00

A demonstration of inter-process communication between Grasshopper and AutoCAD. Grasshopper sends remote commands to AutoCAD to create 2D drawings of the tower floor plates. Tower floors are defined by arcs.

Galapagos + Ecotect: Tower Form-Finding Video

2010-10-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

The video shows a snippet of a tower form-finding process using Grasshopper, Galapagos, and Ecotect.

Custom Grasshopper components are used to send a tower mass to Ecotect and retrieve information via a DDE connection. Galapagos evaluates the tower analysis results and looks for shapes which have the lowest total radiation.

A low-poly shape is used for the purposes of speed in this video.

Web3D, VRML Testing

2010-10-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not seeing much info on the use of using VRML or X3D on my usual blog circuit... so I thought I would do a quick post on the topic to point interested people in the right direction.

Setting up your web browser to view 3D files:

VRML Plugin and Browser Detector
Cosmo Player (View VRML Files in a web browser...I am currently using this to quickly test models)

After you have installed a web browser plug-in, you should be able to freely view 3D files...

like this Rhino file I converted to the VRML format.

Here are some other helpful resources....

Web3D Consortium
X3D for Developers

Give it a go... it's a lot of fun!

LADTF Lecture: Computational Design - Aesthetics and Approaches

2010-09-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Design Technology Forum

Date: September 16, 2010

Location: UCLA, Perloff Hall

Topics covered:

Information vs. Data

Technical challenges in collaborative workflows

Design computation at NBBJ

Tool customization

Tool 'ecology'

The Los Angeles Design Technology Forum Lecture

2010-09-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

I will be presenting at UCLA as part of the Los Angeles Design Technology forum on Thursday, September 16th @ 7:00 PM.

My presentation will be alongside Satoru Sugihara from Morphosis.

More information can be found at the LADTF website

Grasshopper FTP Components

2010-08-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

I have created a few scripting components that allow Grasshopper users to upload and download files using FTP.

An HTTP component allows the user to download files from a web address.

The components are located at The Proving Ground Wiki

ACADIA 2010

2010-07-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that I will be presenting at the ACADIA 2010 conference in NYC @ the Cooper Union.

My presentation will look at some case studies to examine how design information exchange and collaboration occurs in an international setting. The presentation will also study emerging workflows and evaluate their benefits for integrating teams and maintaining information integrity.

For more information, visit the ACADIA 2010 website.

Making a Remote COM Connection to AutoCAD using VB.NET

2010-07-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Inter-process communication allows you to create dynamic workflows between software applications. This can be achieved in a variety of ways (COM, Remoting...)

The example below provides some basic code for establishing a COM connection to AutoCAD using VB.NET. After a connection is established, it is then possible to send remote commands to the AutoCAD command-line as well as automate other features in the program.

The screenshot shows a custom Grasshopper VB.NET component using this code.

The process is quite simple....  Head over to The Proving Ground Wiki for details...

Feedback Cloud Lecture: Teaser Image 01

2010-07-12T02:16:00.000-07:00

My lecture for the BIM Analytics symposium will demonstrate a series of methodologies for achieving a performance-driven design and collaboration process.

As a teaser... here is one technique that I will demonstrate showing an "ecology" of tools in use at once.
The tools are connected together and sharing information using inter-process communication.

More 'teasers' to come....

A change to the Rhino surface will update the connected software environments creating a dynamic design-analyze-document process.

1. Rhino (surface design)
2. Grasshopper (surface rationalization, inter-process communication control)
3. Ecotect (Solar analysis)
4. AutoCAD (2D Panel documentation)

Credit: [uto] were the first ones to figure out the process for connecting Grasshopper to Ecotect and were generous enough to provide me with information on how Ecotect could be accessed remotely using DDE. The particular components depicted in the image are custom made 'from scratch' to suit my specific needs.

For those of you interested in a similar kind of Ecotect-Grasshopper DDE link, please refer to [uto]'s Grasshopper plug-in: Geco.

For those of you interested in the COM connection to AutoCAD, you may find some sample code in my post here.

Info on my BIM Analytics lecture: Feedback Cloud

USC BIM Conference Lecture: Feedback Cloud

2010-06-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to give a lecture at USC's 2010 BIM Conference: BIM Analytics.

My lecture is tentatively titled: Feedback Cloud: Tactics for Toolset Integration and Design Optimization.

The talk will outline the digital processes used on some recent NBBJ projects as well describe a few experiments for creating performance-driven design solutions in a team made up of diverse participants using a multitude of tools.

By coordinating customized tools and workflows, Feedback Cloud.....
1. Embraces technological difference within a team.
2. Provides an adaptive framework for design change and variation.
3. Links together design and analysis for a performance-driven process.

My talk is tentatively scheduled on Wednesday, August 4th @ 1:30-2:00.
The conference is free, however you will need to RSVP here.

Speakers at the conference include...

architecture + engineering
Rachelle Villalon, Jenna Knudsen, and Alex Korter, CO Architects
Erin McConahey, ARUP
Mitch Dec, David Summers, and Tianxin Xing, Glumac

construction
Jim Bedrick, Webcor
Viktor Bullain, Turner Construction
Jonathan Widney, Solibri
Darren Roos, Suffolk Construction Company, Inc.

parametrics / performance based or algorithmic based design
Nathan Miller, NBBJ
Kurt Komraus, Buro Happold

integration, standards, the big picture
Richard Nowicki, NTD Architecture
Lance Lareau, San Diego CCD
Michael Rendler, e7 Studio at LACCD
Chuck Good-Man, Irwin Partners Architects

Reading OBJ Mesh Files from K3DSURF in Grasshopper

2010-06-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

I have created a custom scripting component that reads OBJ mesh files created in K3DSURF and reconstructs a triangular mesh within Grasshopper. Currently, the component will only read triangular OBJ meshes.

This allows for a more seamless workflow between K3DSURF and Grasshopper by eliminating the need to import the mesh into Rhino and then link the mesh into Grasshopper. If the OBJ file is updated from K3DSURF, the change is immediately affects the Grasshopper script.

Download the definition at The Proving Ground Wiki...

Sending Remote Commands to Ecotect using VB.NET

2010-05-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

A large pitfall in any design process is the disconnect between design and analysis. Software, like Ecotect, gives the designer the ability to perform detailed environmental analysis on a design. However, it is sometimes difficult to create a useful feedback of the analysis information to inform the design.

As a strategy, it is possible to use inter-process communication to bridge the gap between design and analysis environments. A fantastic example of this are the brilliant GH to Ecotect components developed by [uto]

When Ecotect is launched, it automatically creates a Dynamic Data Exchange server which allows the program to be accessed by remote applications. By accessing the DDE server, you can send commands to Ecotect as well as request information. Ecotect must always be running in the background for this to work. While DDE is older technology (in dotNet, it was replaced by "remoting"), it works quite well in this context.

Visit The Proving Ground Wiki for instructions and some sample code.

Thanks to Thomas from [uto] for cluing me in on Ecotect's use of DDE!

Transformable Batwing Surface

2010-05-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

I have created a fun definition for manipulating Schoen's batwing surface and tiling the results into 3D patterns.

Head on over to The Proving Ground Wiki to download the Grasshopper file.

FYI. All of my previous Grasshopper definitions (and more!) are hosted and organized on The Proving Ground Wiki. Enjoy!

USC ARCH 517: Featured Student Work

2010-05-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Visit The Proving Ground Wiki
....to see the results of the 5 week USC Grasshopper course!

NBBJ + CCDI: Hangzhou Sports Park on ArchDaily

2010-04-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hangzhou on ArchDaily

Read about the use of parametric tools in the design of the stadium here....

USC Arch 517 Grasshopper Course: It's Alive!

2010-04-15T01:18:00.000-07:00

We are now half-way through the 5-week Grasshopper course at USC and The Proving Ground Wiki is coming alive!

Students are posting their experiments,the forum is becoming quite active, and class materials are being made available to download.... have a look!

Student: Mohamed El Sheikh
Student: Eve Lin

Student: Jeffrey Vaglio

arcCA 10.1: Parametrics and IPD

2010-04-11T00:45:00.001-07:00

arcCA (Architecture California) has recently published its latest issue on Parametrics and IPD. Included is an article titled "Parametric Voices" where various practitioners and academics have chimed in with their thoughts on the relevance and potential of parametric technology. I am happy to have my thoughts included alongside other leading practitioners involved in the field....

Articles:
Integrated Project Delivery: A History of Leadership, Advocacy, and Commitment
by Stephan Castellanos, FAIA

Toward Integrated Project Delivery: A New Design and Delivery Method
by Armando L. Gonzalez, FAIA and David L. Goodale, AIA

Internships for IPD: Gaining Perspective on Collaboration
by Dorit Fromm, AIA

Parametric Design: A Brief History
by Stephen Phillips, PhD

Parametric Voices
With contributions from....
Mark Anderson, Anderson Anderson Architecture
Phil Bernstein, Autodesk
Thomas W. Chessum, CO Architects
Tim Durfee, DurfeeRegn
John Enright, Griffen Enright Architects
Thom Faulders, Faulders Studio
Lisa Iwamoto, IwamotoScott Architecture
Hina Jamelle, Contemporary Architecture Practice
Michael Meredith, MOS
Nathan Miller, NBBJ
Pierluigi Serraino, Author
Nick Sowers, UC Berkeley
Carrie Byles, SOM
Mark Sarkisian, Eric Long, David Shook, SOM Structural Group
Craig Hartman, SOM

Pick it up if happen to come across it!

The Proving Ground Wiki: USC Arch 517 Class

2010-03-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

To coincided with my 5-week Grasshopper seminar at USC, I have created The Proving Ground Wiki. The purpose is to encourage experimentation and collaboration among the students enrolled in the course. As the course moves forward, the wiki will evolve with new content in the form of diagrams, descriptions, and Grasshopper files.

The Proving Ground Wiki

Have a look.... and check back throughout April to see how the class is going!

NYCCT Emerge Lecture Images

2010-03-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Below are some images from my recent lecture at the New York City College of Technology. I had a fantastic visit!

Generally, the basic premise of my lecture "Algorithms, Parameters, Practice" is that the architect cannot divorce the work that they do from the tools that they employ. The tool itself is not simply a means to achieve an architectural idea but is, in part, a driver for thought itself (consciously, subconsciously, or both). To demonstrate this, I showcased a series of projects I have been working on at NBBJ where the design and optimization of the project went in tandem with the design and optimization of various toolsets.

Presenting @ NYCCT: Emerge Lecture Series

2010-02-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that I will be presenting at the New York City College of Technology as part of the Emerge Lecture Series.

The program will begin at 6:00 PM on March 4th at the NYCCT.

Revit API: Mathematical Form-Making

2010-01-05T01:27:00.000-08:00

In addition to my continued exploration with Grasshopper, I will begin doing posts relating to my recent interest with the Revit API.... and as my previous post suggests, these interests are not necessarily going to be "exclusive" from one another....

Below are some examples of making some parametric surfaces using a simple API script. The kinds of surfaces you are able to create is limited for two reasons:
1. There are only about 4 ways to create a surface (Loft, extrude, sweep, revolve)... A surface from a point cloud or from 4-points would be very handy, Autodesk!
2. Revit doesn't seem to "like" self-intersecting surfaces very much... and even sometimes mistakes 'closed' shapes or shapes where edges touch for self-intersection....so no Kleins or Catalans, booo!

Wave Surface

Torus Shell Mobius Segment

Sample Code (Wave surface):
Dim ref_ar_ar As ReferenceArrayArray = New ReferenceArrayArray()
Dim XYZ As Autodesk.Revit.Geometry.XYZ

For u As Double = 0 To 4 * Math.PI Step Math.PI / 4
Dim rfptsarr As ReferencePointArray = New ReferencePointArray()
For v As Double = 0 To 4 * Math.PI Step Math.PI / 4

Dim refpt As Autodesk.Revit.Elements.ReferencePoint

Dim x As Double
Dim y As Double
Dim z As Double

x = 10 * u
y = 10 * v
z = 10 * Math.Cos(u) + 10 * Math.Sin(v)

XYZ = revit_app.Create.NewXYZ(x, y, z)
refpt = revit_doc.FamilyCreate.NewReferencePoint(XYZ)

rfptsarr.Append(refpt)
Next
Dim crv As CurveByPoints = revit_doc.FamilyCreate.NewCurveByPoints(rfptsarr)
Dim ref_ar As ReferenceArray = New ReferenceArray()
ref_ar.Append(crv.GeometryCurve.Reference)
ref_ar_ar.Append(ref_ar)
Next

Dim loftform As Autodesk.Revit.Elements.Form = revit_doc.FamilyCreate.NewLoftForm(True, ref_ar_ar)

Enjoy!

Streaming Grasshopper Points into a Revit Conceptual Mass

2010-01-03T01:39:00.000-08:00

This will be the first of a series of posts where I will explore various strategies for moving geometric and analytical data between software platforms...

While often times sufficient, I have sometimes found the standard means of Importing/Exporting model information using file formats to be quite cumbersome and limiting... especially in the case of Revit where it is next to impossible to modify or build from linked/imported files

Below is a basic example of streaming a list of XYZ coordinates from Grasshopper into a *csv file and then using that file to create reference points in a Revit conceptual mass... A custom script was written using the Revit API to read the CSV file and make the points.

Here is the Revit API code (in VB.NET) for reading the *.csv file :

Dim XYZfile As String = "insert file path here"

If File.Exists(XYZfile) Then

Dim FileReadXYZ As New StreamReader(XYZfile)

Do While FileReadXYZ.Peek <> -1
Dim XYZLine As String = FileReadXYZ.ReadLine()
Dim XYZData As String() = XYZLine.Split(",")
Dim XYZ As Autodesk.Revit.Geometry.XYZ
Dim RefPt As Autodesk.Revit.Elements.ReferencePoint

XYZ = revit_app.Create.NewXYZ(Convert.ToDouble(XYZData(0)), Convert.ToDouble(XYZData(1)), Convert.ToDouble(XYZData(2)))
RefPt = revit_doc.FamilyCreate.NewReferencePoint(XYZ)
Loop

End If

NBBJ: Parametric Strategies in the Design of Hangzhou Stadium (Part 1)

2009-12-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

This is the first of a series of posts which will give an overview of the parametric design processes that are being used to design and develop the Hangzhou Stadium by NBBJ and CCDI.

Grasshopper was used to create the parametric model. Click the images below to get a description of the techniques used.

Location: Hangzhou, The People's Republic of China
Client: Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Centre Construction and Investment Co. Ltd.
International Architect: NBBJ
Local Architect: CCDI
Program: 80,000 seat stadium, tennis tournament + practice facility (23 courts), cultural center, retail + commercial center

NBBJ + CCDI: Ground Broken on Hangzhou Sports Center!

2009-12-28T09:26:00.001-08:00

On December 26th, ground was broken on the Hangzhou Sports Center. I am happy to have been a part of this amazing project since the competition that took place over a year and a half ago. Check back soon for some additional information regarding the use of advanced digital modeling (Grasshopper) on the stadium...

Location: Hangzhou, The People's Republic of China
Client: Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Centre Construction and Investment Co. Ltd.
International Architect: NBBJ
Local Architect: CCDI
Program: 80,000 seat stadium, tennis tournament + practice facility (23 courts), cultural center, retail + commercial center

Photo Copyright NBBJ

Photo Copyright NBBJPhoto Copyright NBBJPhoto Copyright NBBJPhoto Copyright NBBJ

Grasshopper Course @ USC

2009-12-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that I will be teaching a 5 week Grasshopper course at the University of Southern California.

The class will begin in April 2010. Stay tuned for details!

Image Fabrication: Thanksgiving Turkey

2009-11-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

A fun definition for fabricating supergraphics on a modular set of panels....

The definition allows the user to...

1. Specify any image
2. Control number of panels
3. Control panel size
4. Control amount + size of perforation on each panel.

Download Here

Have fun!

Grasshopper 0.60043 Available

2009-11-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

Be sure to read David Rutten's post for a more complete overview of the new features....

Click here to download the latest Work-In-Progress release of Grasshopper.

A few cool features that immediately come to mind...

1. You can now "Undo" and "Redo" (YES!)
2. You can now "Find" components being used within the definition. (Right-click to find the component... renamed components can also be found)
3. You can now enable/disable components.
4. There is a new color scheme for components making their 'state' more easily legible in larger definitions.
5. New user interface components: "Multidimensional Slider", Bar/Line graph visualization...
6. There are many new fun toys to play with in this release including Metaballs

Quadrangular Flat Panels in Grasshopper

2009-10-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

I made a quick and dirty VB.NET script component in Grasshopper for finding surfaces that work with quadrangular flat panels. this script makes it so the flat panel edges match their neighbors. No mathematical surfaces are used in this case...

Click here to download the Grasshopper Definition

SOME NOTES ON HOW IT WORKS:

1. This script uses lists UV points on a surface and generates an iterative set of planar panels.
2. It works from one corner of the surface and then assembles flat panels row-by-row
3. The resulting panels are always planar with edges that meet.
4. Very handy if you are looking for irregular doubly-curved surfaces that you can fabricate out of flat material.

KNOWN ISSUES:

1. The script just does what it wants... and what it wants is flat panels. Don't expect a lot of flexibility in this regard (ie, Do not expect the output to match your input surface if you are working with double-curvatures. it does its best, but as Scotty would say "I can't break the laws of physics!")

ACADIA 2009 - 'Conclusion'...?

2009-10-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

The 2009 ACADIA conference has officially come to an end. As a young professional, it was a fantastic experience to see research and projects at the cutting edge of digital technology and fabrication. I was flattered and humbled by the response I received for my work at NBBJ. The success of the presentation is a great motivator for pushing the work ahead. ACADIA is a great community and I am happy to be a part of it!

At the end of this week, I will be traveling again to Beijing to continue work on the Hangzhou stadium. We are entering into the construction documentation phase so it will be an opportunity for us to take the design and the parametric system to the next level.

Next year, ACADIA will be in New York.... see you in 2010? I hope so! To be continued....

ACADIA 2009 - THIS WEEK!

2009-10-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

If you are attending the ACADIA 2009 conference, you can catch my lecture on Friday, October 23 @ 12:10.

Below is a preview....

Update from Beijing

2009-09-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, For anyone that may, on occasion, visit this blog...sorry for my lack of updating. I have been in Beijing working on Design Development for the Hangzhou Sports Park. NBBJ sent a team of three to work with our local collaborator, CCDI.

We will be completing DD at the end of the month. Here are some shots of the 1:100 scale rough working model for the 80,000 seat main stadium... (yes, that tall, balding fellow is me...)

3D Supershape in Grasshopper

2009-08-02T16:26:00.001-07:00

This is a Grasshopper definition I made earlier this year that allows the user to generate 3D Supershapes. I started playing with it again in the last few days to test out the "Save state" feature in the new 6.0018 release of Grasshopper.

The definition plots a set of UV points in 3D. The surface by points component is used to create the supershape.

Click Here to Download the 3D Supershape Definition by Nathan Miller

The definition works with t he latest release of Grasshopper (6.0018)
(I've tested it with GH 6.0018 on two Windows XP computers with Rhino SR4 and SR4b)

If anyone does anything cool with it, let me know and I will post it on the blog.

Enjoy!

***Updated with additional definition notes***

ACADIA 09 Paper Abstract + Teaser

2009-08-01T16:32:00.001-07:00

Parametric Strategies in Civic Architecture Design by Nathan Miller
Presented at the ACADIA 2009 reForm() Conference

Chicago, IL. October 22-25.

ACADIA 2009 Paper Accepted!

2009-06-23T00:03:00.001-07:00

My paper for the ACADIA 09 Conference was accepted today. The title is "Parametric Strategies for Civic Architecture Design". There were 106 paper submissions and only 21 papers were chosen. I am very happy to be a presenter! Visit the ACADIA 09 Website for more info!

http://www.grasshopper3d.com

2009-05-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

A new official Grasshopper community has been created to replace the Google Group site. The new site allows you to set up your own Facebook-esque profile and post pictures and videos. The site also features tutorials and links to other tutorials online.

Click Here to Visit http://www.grasshopper3d.com

Open Source Spotlight 02: TopMod 3D

2009-05-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

TopMod 3D
Click here to visit the Top Mod website and Download.
TopMod3d is a free, open source, portable, platform independent topological mesh modeling system that allows users to create high genus 2-manifold meshes.

While a little buggy and (sometimes) sluggish, TopMod has some very unique tools for creating complex meshes. You begin with a primitive shape (a cube, for example) and then manipulate it to create more intricate, continuous meshes.

The program has many subdivision and remeshing options although I wish it featured a sub-d 'preview' toggle so I could get a better idea of what the smooth result looks like before committing to a permanent operation.

Regardless of its flaws... there is still much fun to be had with TopMod...

Open Source Spotlight 01: K3DSurf

2009-05-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

As an ongoing feature, I will spotlight various Open Source design software that I find useful, fun, interesting... and most of all COOL.

K3DSurf
Click here to Visit the K3DSurf Website and Download
From the Website: K3DSurf is a program to visualize and manipulate Mathematical models in three, four, five and six dimensions. K3DSurf supports Parametric equations and Isosurfaces.

As a designer, if you are at all interested in mathematical form finding, definitely check this software out... the simple interface allows you to navigate through a huge library of mathematically derived forms and surfaces. You can manipulate/create equations, adjust mesh resolutions, and output the mesh (*.obj) for use in other programs. Below is the result of some fun I had playing around with a gyroid for 5 minutes....

3D Voronoi "Porn" in Grasshopper

2009-04-26T22:38:00.001-07:00

There has been an interesting discussion going on over at the Grasshopper Google Group for achieving 3D Voronoi within the Grasshopper environment.

Visose recently posted a method for using the VB.NET script component in conjunction with the Pointset Reconstruction plug-in in order produce a set of 3D Voronoi polysurfaces (BReps) within Grasshopper. The method does not allow for auto-updating. You will have to hit F5 in GH to refresh the result. Still, this is pretty effective if you want slightly more automation than is currently offered by the PSet plug-in.

I have posted the *.ghx file of the method: GH_3D Voronoi_Pointset Macro Method.ghx

You will need to have the Pointset Reconstruction Plug-In installed for this to work. The image above is a result I got after modifying the voronoi BReps within Grasshopper (offset and fillet of 3D voronoi = trendy architecture!)

Ribbing Revisited

2009-04-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

I have received several requests to post the Grasshopper definition for rib system screen shot I posted here.

I did not post it before because the definition was extremely unorganized and very "touchy".

I have since rebuilt the definition to be compatible with GH v.0.6. Also, the definition no longer relies on solid booleans to create the rib notches (I have found solid booleans to be extremely unreliable in Grasshopper).

Anyway... now available by popular demand:Click Here to Download Cylindrical+Vertical Ribbing 1.0

Note: I make no guarantees for how well the definition works. Sometimes it has problems when a vertical rib intersects a surface seam... Suggestions welcome!

UNL Grasshopper Workshop Results!

2009-04-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday April 11, I instructed a 1-Day (9AM-5PM) Grasshopper workshop at UNL College of Architecture for undergraduate and graduate students. There were 25 students who participated. Most were familiar with Rhino but had never used Grasshopper before. I covered a lot of topics for one day and the students did an excellent job adapting to a new way of working and designing. Below is a summary of what we accomplished...

PS... a new version of the plug-in was released this past Friday: click here

GENERAL WORKSHOP SUMMARY:
I began the day discussing the interface and how Grasshopper manages data using lists... this included an overview of the new functionality offered by trees and paths...Next I did some step-by-step exercises showing how to set up some basic relationships between geometry.Following this, we moved into more complex design problems including a bridge system and a tower study. As students become more comfortable with grasshopper they began to move into creating their own design problems and studies.

STUDENT RESULTS:

Below are some examples of what the students produced...

GREAT JOB GUYS! I hope to be back in NE for another one in the future!

UNL Presentation Schedule

2009-04-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

APRIL 10th: Parametric Strategies Lecture
Architecture Hall Gallery
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

APRIL 11th: Grasshopper Workshop
Architecture Hall Gallery
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Workshop Schedule:

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Grasshopper Interface and Examples

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Step-by-Step Exercises

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch Break

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Design Problem: A Parametric Tower in LA

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wrap-up and Discussion

UNL Presentation + Grasshopper Workshop

2009-03-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Architecture
Lecture April 10th__Grasshopper Workshop April 11th

On April 10, I will be giving a lecture on parametric strategies in practice to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Architecture. The lecture will focus on work I have done over the past year at NBBJ that has integrated parametric techniques into the design and delivery process. This will be coupled with a Grasshopper workshop on April 11 where I will introduce students to Rhino's generative modeling plug-in and take them through a series of design exercises using this tool.

NBBJ Los Angeles Project on ArchDaily

2009-02-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this project completed by NBBJ Los Angeles (my office). The team here did a great job executing this. Congrats on the ArchDaily, Bustler postings!

ArchDaily: Chinatrust Bank Headquarters
Firm Website: NBBJ.com