Parametrics

Dean Millar Place

” Distance – and its dependency upon measurement – also contributed to the diminishing of place. This was a period  of the ‘mathematization of nature’ whereby the world was engaged with only insofar as it could be mathematically determined. Galileo, Descartes and Locke removed what were seen as the ‘secondary qualities’ of place – such as color, temperature, and texture – from their enquiries, as none of these could be converted to calculable distances and so were irrelevant to the matter in hand”

“…… the belief that the landscape might be made to mirror the emotional state of the person found within it.”

During spring break I visited UK and went to The Seven Sisters Cliff on my own. The fist image is the map that I found before my trip. Although In the map there are only lots of names ,geographical information and  legend , I can read little dramatic stories or personal experience from this single map. The following two photographs are the pictures taken by myself during the trip. There is no mathematical information in these pictures but I could read more stories and my own experiences in them. The ” place” that we engage can provide us with memories, personal experience or even reflection of our emotions at the time.

Project Statement:Everyone has a pen holder on the desk. My project is to design a unique pen holder. Inspired by the shape of the Canton Tower, it is a hyperbolic shape formed by a number of straight pillars. I hope to create a uniquely shaped pen holder by twisting and controlling the direction of the pillar.

My model comes from a point,then generate a line that can control the height from this points. Then divide the line equally and generate a circle at each point. The radius of these circles is controlled by the graph mapper. Then divide the circle equally to generate points. Rotate these points to twist. The degree of rotation is also obtained by connecting these points in the vertical direction to get a vertical line. Inverted vertical lines are obtained by changing the order of the connection points.

So my model has four key parameters, height, density, shape, and direction of the structure line. Considering that it is a pen holder, set the height to 5 inches to reduce the number of models generated.

Finally I used Colibri to generate 2700 models. Then upload them to design explorer to screen 100 family models and the final 5 printed models.

Key Parameter: Height

Key Parameter: Density

Key Parameter: Profile Curve 1

Key Parameter: Profile Curve 2

Design Explorer

https://goo.gl/ZSy8R9

Project Statement: Inspired by Turkish “cesm-i bulbul” glassware which is created by inserting colored glass rods into the molten glass, then turning the rods to make twisting patterns, this product family seeks to emulate the visual twist of these patterns but in the structure of the vessels themselves.

The basic form of these vessels begins with a point and a line whose height can be determined with a slider. This line is then divided into equal lengths and a circle is created at each length to give the vessels their circular shape. The addition of the seam component connects the circle vertically, so the vessel’s surface is not solid but instead made up of a series of vertical lines or strands. These strands can then be twisted to give the illusion of the patterns on the Turkish glassware. Along with the degree of twist, the number of strands can be determined with the divide component a slider. This seam and divide sequence is then flipped and two interpolated curved are created so that one set of strands twists in one direction and another set twists in the opposite direction. Having two sets of strands that twist in opposite directions is necessary to ensure that the strands intersect to provide structural support for the vessel. All of these variables are funneled into the cocoon component, which essentially wraps all of these existing geometric elements and gives them thickness.

Using seven key design parameters, this grasshopper definition provides endless possibilities for vessel forms while maintaining the visual and structural twist. The 5 objects that I’ve chosen to print showcase how these variables can be manipulated to create objects that are very different in overall form with more subtle variation in their strand structure that makes them a cohesive collection.

DESIGN INTENT

KEY DESIGN DRIVERS

FAMILY MATRIX

FINAL FAMILY MEMBERS

Design Explorer

Parametrics Final_Charlotte Kirsten

This is a 3D project inspired by the twisting pattern which shows in my sketches. I tried to build a series of functional products like vase, cup and bowl by using different twisting strategies and different geometry patterns.

Design Explorer :  http://tt-acm.github.io/DesignExplorer/?ID=T9LuZi

PPT File :   Functional Products Family (2)

Candle holder

Statement: I purpose to create a twist vase at first. The curve and twist shape are very “parametric”. However, to make something different, instead of making pattern on the container, I decided to make some opening on it, turning a container to candle holders. Various openings change the light directions and form various light spots. For the progress of my project, I created a twist shape container and patched some pattern on it. Using parameter to control the shape, twist degrees, branches, even the thickness and the base. To make use of the feature of rhino and grasshopper and to make my project unique, the shape is a twist curve and some parts are missing. So, basically, there are several branches connected to the base. the patterns actually are leaf shape openings. Those make light could go through and follow different directions creating changing patterns. While printing them, I need to make the model fit to print, like changing the thickness of the body to make it stable.

Design Intent:

http://tt-acm.github.io/DesignExplorer/?ID=dX9fY3