Yixun Zhang
Instructor: Dr. Wei Yan
Spring 2014, TAMU
Introduction
In project 1(described below ), I use Pipe command to make
the skin of roof. In project 2 I try to find different methods to make various
patterns of skin. Those methods include Voronoi, VB_Script and Panel Tool. I
simplify the shape of my roof since it will be more easy to control and test, and
I make my roof in Rhino and use Brep to put it in grasshopper. I also try to
make solar analysis by Geco to find out the reasonable size of opens for the
skin. It can be very useful data to modify my roof skin in the future.
Modeling Process Video
Method
1. Skin Pattern 1_Voronoi
First step is to make a rectangular surface, use
Pop2D and Voronoi to make random cells within the rectangular surface. The density
of cells can be controlled by the count number of Pop2D command. Second step
is to offset those cells and extrude the inner cells. Then I use a solid box to
minus those solid cells. In this way, the skin can be formed. There will be
some problems if I use the skin of roof to minus the solid cells (by solid
difference command, some of the inner portion will be disappeared). Therefore, the skin form
should be made first and use Solid intersection command to get the skin within
the boundary of my roof.
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| Figure 1 |
2. Skin Pattern 2_Honeycomb_VB Script
I use VB scrip to create the base shape of
the honeycomb through polylines. The VB Script is not wrote by me, I download it
from http://designplaygrounds.com/projects/honeycomb-morphologies-rhino-grasshopper/ Surface subdivision command is used to control
the size, shape, and number of the hexagon. Similar with the Voronoi method,
the skin pattern is formed first by solid difference between solid box and
solid extrude of hexagon within a rectangular surface. Then I use Solid
intersection command to get the skin pattern within the boundary of my roof.  |
| Script |
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| Figure 2 |
3. Skin Pattern 3_Panel Tool_MorphBox to
Surface
The concept of this method is to make a skin pattern and grid box on the surface separately. Then copy the pattern into each box to form the skin of roof. The number and density of box can be controlled by the Divide commend. Surface box and Box Morph are used to make the skin. One thing should pay attention to is that the skin pattern should be a 3D solid geometry rather than a 2D surface. However the thickness of skin is changed by the height of Surface Box other than the height of the solid skin pattern.
The concept of this method is to make a skin pattern and grid box on the surface separately. Then copy the pattern into each box to form the skin of roof. The number and density of box can be controlled by the Divide commend. Surface box and Box Morph are used to make the skin. One thing should pay attention to is that the skin pattern should be a 3D solid geometry rather than a 2D surface. However the thickness of skin is changed by the height of Surface Box other than the height of the solid skin pattern.
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| Figure 3 |
4. Skin Pattern 4_5_6_Panel Tool_Morph3D
By using panel tool, this is another method
to make skin. Morph 3D command has a similar function with MorphBox. Compared
with MorphBox, Morph 3D has more controllers and more effects. The amplitude
control the thickness of the skin. A curve should be defined as a curve
attractor which will control the distribution of points on the roof. If there
is only one input objective pattern for the surface, it seems having no
effects. Figure4 and figure5 illustrate the skins formed by only one pattern. However,
if there are more than one objective patterns connect with Morph 3D, the curve
attractor will control the distribute of pattern. The number of magnitude
control the influence ability of curve attractor. Figure6 shows that there are four
skin patterns connect with Morph 3D. Based on the order of connection which is
triangle, square, pentagon and hexagon, the triangles are closest with the
curve attractor while as the hexagons are farthest away from the curve
attractor. Besides, if the skin pattern is made by grasshopper with several
parameters (Figure5 ), there will be more controllers for the pattern of skin.
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| Figure 4 |
Figure 5
Figure 6
5. Solar Analysis
To
make solar analysis by Geco, first I need to install Ecotect Analysis in my
computer. I also need to install Geco and Mesh editor plug-in in my
grasshopper. Before making the solar analysis, I need to test Ecolink to ensure
my Geco can be used in grasshopper. If the test is successful I can move into
next step. The roof surface will be set from Rhino into grasshopper, I should
change the surface into mesh. EcoMeshExplod, MeshExplode and EcoSolCal commands
will be used and if it is correct, a colorful graphic will be formed in the
Ecotect Analysis software (Figure 7) to illustrate the solar analysis. I use
the weather data of Houston to make this analysis as an exercise since I cannot
find the weather data of Dubai. Next step is aimed to make that colorful graphic
into grasshopper. EcoObjectRequest and Mesh color commands are applied to
finish this analysis. (Figure 8).
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| Figure 7 |
Figure 8
Reference
Paneling Tools For Grasshopper Primerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEhna0AFfsY
http://designplaygrounds.com/projects/honeycomb-morphologies-rhino-grasshopper/
http://v5.rhino3d.com/video/video/listTagged?tag=PanelingTools
ARCH 689 Project 1_Case Study of Parametric Model, Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi
Yixun Zhang
Instructor: Dr. Wei Yan
Spring 2014, TAMU
Instruction
Project 1 is my
case study of parametric model, Yas hotel located in Abu Dhabi. Rhino, Grasshopper and Kangaroo are used to create parametric form (mass and skin) for the curved design, make physically-based model as alternative solution and do some analyses.
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| Final Perspective of Yas Hotel |
Objective
The purpose of this case study is learning how to make parametric model by Grasshopper in Rhino environment. The challenges include how to design the formula, how to make irregular shape and make the design changeable. During this process, it gives me a new understanding of modelling and provides me another effective way to show design concept.
Modeling Process Video
1. Parametric Form (mass and skin) for the Curved Design
There are mainly four parts of the building: building body, roofs, skin of roof and corridor between the building. Each part may need different modeling solutions.
1.1 Building Body
The first step is drawing simple base map in AutoCAD and importing it into Rhino. These curves are used as basic reference for my model. It controls the horizontal performance of the building.
The command of Boundary, Move, Extrude, Solid Difference are used to create the wall of building. Icon Series is used to create multiple layers of building and control the number of layers, as well as the thickness of floor. Several formulas are used to calculate the location of each potion and ensure that each potion is related with each other. In another word, If I change the parameter of variables, the part of building based on that variable will be changed.
1.2 Roofs of Building
For the right roof the idea is also
subtraction. However the cut shape is a challenge, since the profile shapes are
different when looking from right and left. The method is finding tow suitable points on a rectangle base surface and increasing the location of these points through Z direction to get two new points. After that, I find other points on the base surface as a list and put the new tow points into this list. By using Surface from Point to get the irregular cut surface with the objective shape.
1.3 Skin of Roof
To create the skin of roof, first I use
point on surface icon to find those points on the roof．By changing
the number of U count and V count I can control the number of points, which
means I can control the density of curves. Second, I connect the point from U
direction and V direction to create those lines on the roof. After that I use Pipe command
to make the tube shape for the skin.
1.4 Corridor Between Building
For the corridor between building, the
concept is Projection and Loft. first I draw a circle and rectangle as the
profile and then project them on the surface of the walls. Therefore I get
four profiles and then loft them to get the structure as I want.
2. Parametric, Physically-Based Model of Part of Design
There are various ways to make models. For
the corridor, I can also use Kangaroo to make a similar structure. I need to
add Spring command and install U-Force for a mesh from XYZ direction and make
suitable anchor points. In this way, I can get a similar structure. Further edit is necessary after baking this model. In terms of effective connection with wall, in my case the command Projection and Loft is better than Kangaroo. However, command Loft may have some problems in Grasshopper, since the older of points in the profiles should be always constant. In this respect, Kangaroo maybe more convenient.
Besides,
I can also use Wind command to create a roof. Further edit in Rhino is necessary. Since just part of the shape made by Kangaroo is needed. After get the outcome, I need to change mesh into surface and split it in Rhino. Then I can get the objective shape.
3. Analyses
By
using Rhino and grasshopper, several analyses can be made. For example, I can
make curvature analysis by using colors to represent the condition of curves. I
can get the area of surface, volume of building, length of curve, etc.
Analyses in Rhino
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| Surface Analyses_Zebra |
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| Surface Analyses_Environment |
Reference
http://www.grasshopper3d.com/page/tutorials-1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCHJdlqs0Pc
http://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/mesh-to-surface
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ancK7hCZXQc
