es has guided me in a - what I once thought - specific path within architecture, but recent discoveries (like the Grasshopper-community etc.) have learned me that the field of digital and parametric architecture is so-to-speak alive and kicking. This is also the main subject I would like to write my thesis about. It is however mainly the subject and defining its boundaries – what do I really want to explore and research? – which is the most difficult factor at this time.
A concrete idea is non-existant, and my current visions will probably be redirected when I have a first meeting with the promotors in February. Moreover there is the knowledge that it is impossible to make a thesis at the institute in Antwerp on no matter what subject in the world of digital architecture. Understandably too, it’s a small world and does not always result in realised projects, but in impressive imagery. At this moment however, I am thinking of two possible research fields to focus on.
In a first option the focus might lie on how digital design tools can be used to bring a certain aspect of interactivity to building facades. Such interactivity can occur both in the design phase and throughout the use of the building. The first scenario, in which the interactivity occurs when designing, I would focus on how the designer can shape a building’s outer perspective in function of environmental parameters: obstacles, elements that block sunlight from entering the building, visually important landmarks, etc. It should be noted however that focus will mostly lie on the design element, and less on the energy-efficiency and sustainability. Tools that will be researched would include Grasshopper, Rhino Scripting, Processing and ParaCloud.
A second possible approach could be categorized under both Swarm Intelligence and Generative Design and might study how the aforementioned digital techniques might be implemented in the new urbanism. We notably see more (innovative) interventions in which the design and planning is heavily influenced by movement patterns and morphogenetic parameters and functions. Based on the outcome of these scripted techniques, designers tend to work towards a proposal which answers a certain urbanistic issue.
All additional insights, guidelines, tips, comments are more than welcome in order to help me define the scope of my thesis subject. I must admit I am pretty new to this digital design world (it is not actively promoted at my home university, but it is promoted at the university where I am studying for one year now) and thus have limited experience at the time of writing.
Please also feel free to check out the blog post concerning this topic, which is a little more elaborate: http://nielswouters.be/thesis-digital-design-english/
Thanks for all your help!
…
mplex the models are. If we are running multi-room E+ studies, that will take far longer to calculate.
Rhino/Grasshopper = <1%
Generating Radiance .ill files = 88%
Processing .ill files into DA, etc. = ~2%
E+ = 10%
Parallelizing Grasshopper:
My first instinct is to avoid this problem by running GH on one computer only. Creating the batch files is very fast. The trick will be sending the radiance and E+ batch files to multiple computers. Perhaps a “round-robin” approach could send each iteration to another node on the network until all iterations are assigned. I have no idea how to do that but hope that it is something that can be executed within grasshopper, perhaps a custom code module. I think GH can set a directory for Radiance and E+ to save all final files to. We can set this to a local server location so all runs output to the same location. It will likely run slower than it would on the C:drive, but those losses are acceptable if we can get parallelization to work.
I’m concerned about post-processing of the Radiance/E+ runs. For starters, Honeybee calculates DA after it runs the .ill files. This doesn’t take very long, but it is a separate process that is not included in the original Radiance batch file. Any other data manipulation we intend to automatically run in GH will be left out of the batch file as well. Consolidating the results into a format that Design Explorer or Pollination can read also takes a bit of post-processing. So, it seems to me that we may want to split up the GH automation as follows:
Initiate
Parametrically generate geometry
Assign input values, material, etc.
Generate radiance/ E+ batch files for all iterations
Calculate
Calc separate runs of Radiance/E+ in parallel via network clusters. Each run will be a unique iteration.
Save all temp files to single server location on server
Post Processing
Run a GH script from a single computer. Translate .ill files or .idf files into custom metrics or graphics (DA, ASE, %shade down, net solar gain, etc.)
Collect final data in single location (excel document) to be read by Design Explorer or Pollination.
The above workflow avoids having to parallelize GH. The consequence is that we can’t parallelize any post-processing routines. This may be easier to implement in the short term, but long term we should try to parallelize everything.
Parallelizing EnergyPlus/Radiance:
I agree that the best way to enable large numbers of iterations is to set up multiple unique runs of radiance and E+ on separate computers. I don’t see the incentive to split individual runs between multiple processors because the modular nature of the iterative parametric models does this for us. Multiple unique runs will simplify the post-processing as well.
It seems that the advantages of optimizing matrix based calculations (3-5 phase methods) are most beneficial when iterations are run in series. Is it possible for multiple iterations running on different CPUs to reference the same matrices stored in a common location? Will that enable parallel computation to also benefit from reusing pre-calculated information?
Clustering computers and GPU based calculations:
Clustering unused computers seems like a natural next step for us. Our IT guru told me that we need come kind of software to make this happen, but that he didn’t know what that would be. Do you know what Penn State uses? You mentioned it is a text-only Linux based system. Can you please elaborate so I can explain to our IT department?
Accelerad is a very exciting development, especially for rpict and annual glare analysis. I’m concerned that the high quality GPU’s required might limit our ability to implement it on a large scale within our office. Does it still work well on standard GPU’s? The computer cluster method can tap into resources we already have, which is a big advantage. Our current workflow uses image-based calcs sparingly, because grid-based simulations gather the critical information much faster. The major exception is glare. Accelerad would enable luminance-based glare metrics, especially annual glare metrics, to be more feasible within fast-paced projects. All of that is a good thing.
So, both clusters and GPU-based calcs are great steps forward. Combining both methods would be amazing, especially if it is further optimized by the computational methods you are working on.
Moving forward, I think I need to explore if/how GH can send iterations across a cluster network of some kind and see what it will take to implement Accelerad. I assume some custom scripting will be necessary.…
ll-Facade using Rhino and Grasshopper Participants will learn; Rhinoceros Grasshopper Advanced Parametric Design Brick Formations and Explorations Shadow-Design Relationship
Session 2: Advanced Digital Modeling for Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) Participants will learn; How to prepare a 3D design to 3D Printing process in Rhinoceros Advanced Methods for 3D Print optimisation for time and cost effective production 3D Printing software education Cura
INFO
Date Saturday, 28 September 2019 Schedule 9:30am – 2:30pm (Session 1) | 2:45pm – 7:00pm (Session2) Venue (TBC) Pada Labs, Istanbul Language English/Turkish Softwares Rhinoceros Grasshopper 3D Cura Participants will need to bring their own laptops with software installed; other plugins will be distributed at the workshop. Prerequisites All tutorials are open to beginner level. No previous knowledge of Cura and Grasshopper needed. Basic knowledge of Rhinoceros recommended. Participation The workshop is limited to the first 20 applicants. Each student will receive a certificate of participation. Prices for each session: (You can pick one and attend one) Special Early registration (Deadline 1 August ) Students 310 TL Professionals 400 TL Regular registration Students 390 TL Professionals 480 TL Prices for Session 1&2 Combined: (Full Day) Special Early registration (Deadline 1 August ) Students 540 TL Professionals 690 TL Regular registration Students 620 TL Professionals 790 TL DISCOUNTS Group registration of 3 or more people will get a 15% discount. * Previous Pada workshop students will get a 10% discount. DIRECTOR Begum Aydinoglu, M.Arch AA DRL will be instructing and directing the following workshops. REGISTRATION: Email to pada.workshops@gmail.com for registration instructions. Please note that we have limited seats and there won't be any exceptions. …
y in English. ○Presenter
Robert (Bob) McNeel (McNeel & Associates founder) Robert (Bob) McNeel is the founder and president of Robert McNeel & Associates (RMA). Founded in 1978, RMA originally focused on developing accounting software for accounting, architecture, engineering, and other personal services firms. Within a few years, RMA expanded its services to include selling and supporting microprocessor-based engineering and design software including AutoCAD. By 1985, the main focus of the business had shifted to AutoCAD sales, service, training, and software development. Bob McNeel grew up in the mountains of southern Washington State on a subsistence dairy farm. To pay for college, he worked in construction as a carpenter, welder, and cement finisher. Bob has a BA in Accounting from Washington State University. Prior to founding McNeel & Associates, he was a practicing Certified Public Accountant and the comptroller for a large construction company in Spokane. Andrés González (Rhino Fablab director) Andrés is a software trainer and developer since the 1980s. He has developed applications for diverse design markets as well as training materials for different CAD and Design software including the community of training materialswww.Rhino3D.TV Andrés has been working with the Rhino Team since the very early stages. He is now the head of the McNeel Southeast US & Latin American Division. He is the worldwide director of the digital fabrication community called RhinoFabLabwww.RhinoFabLab.com as well as the Generative Jewelry & Fashion Design community GJD3D www.GJD3d.com and Generative Furniture Design community GFD3D www.GFD3d.com 1981 -1985 University of North Carolina at Charlotte N.C. - EE.UU. B.S., Bachelor of Science in Engineering
…
Added by Yusuke Oono at 9:28pm on October 16, 2013
inventive collaborative environment.
The workshop is part of a series of PARAMETRICA events, promoting computational design thinking and exploring the new possibilities of parametric design.
The workshop is aimed at: students, postgraduates, architects, interior, product and urban designers, engineers, anybody interested.
> Workshop CONCEPT (16th – 28th July 2013):
The advancement of digital technology is helping architects to understand and respond to the complexity of the environment surrounding us.
In this 14 day workshop the various energies which exist in a given environment will be identified, analysed and then digital simulated.
Experimental structures capable of reconfiguring themselves in response to the mapped forces will be generated and fabricated.
> Conference CONCEPT (29th July 2013):
During this day we will present the final workshop projects and our special guest, Patrik Schumacher will exploit the subject of computational design thinking and parametric architecture, by putting the accent on the subject “Parametric Semiology – Architecture as the interface of communication”
> OBJECTIVES:
The workshop objectives are two-fold, in the first phase the workshop focuses on the identification and analysis of resources inherent to the environmental context, thus developing a better understanding of their nature as well as optimized methods of use or response.
In the next phase, the objective is to generate structures which through either means of fabrication or material properties can respond to, or utilize the environmental energy sources.
> The project TEAM:
Key lecturer: PATRIK SCHUMACHER (DE)
Profile: Director, Zaha Hadid Architects, London
Dr Phil, Dip Ing, ARB, RIBA
Founder AA Design Reseach Lab London
Lecturer: Ina Leonte (RO)
Profile: PhDc, teaching assistant (UAIM, Bucharest, Romania)
Co-founder, Zest
Workshop main tutors:
HOOMAN TALEBI [IR]
Profile: MArch (AADRL, London), MSc (AUT, Tehran)
Lead Designer, Zaha Hadid – London
FARSHAD MEHDI’ZADEH [IR]
Profile: March (IaaC-UPC, Barcelona, Spain)
Co-founder, Tehran Architecture Studio (Iran)
Workshop assistant:
MOHSEN MARIZAD [IR]
Profile: MAA 2010 - Architect (IaaC-UPC, Barcelona, Spain)
Parametric design expert
Workshop coordinator: Diana Nitreanu (RO)
Profile: MAA 2010 - Architect/Urban Designer (IaaC-UPC, Barcelona, Spain)
Official Rhino Trainer
Co-founder, Laboratorul de Arhitectura; Co-founder & Tutor, Parametrica
> EQUIPMENT Workshop: Each participant must provide their own laptop with the following software installed: A. Rhinoceros 3D 5.0 B. Grasshopper 3D (Latest Version) C. Arduino
Machines to work on: 1. Laser Cutter - small laser for prototyping 2. Big laser cutter for final production
Materials (provided by Parametrica) - To be specified according to the subject of study for each group;
FOR MORE INFO®ISTRATION:
www.dynamicfields.ro
www.parametrica.ro
office@parametrica.ro
…
will engage a debate on the same theme of the 14th Biennale: "Fundamentals”. Therefore the discussion will focus not on architects, but on buildings, their characteristics and performance in accommodating fundamental requirements.
PROGRAMME
> 10.00
Presentation Aldo Norsa
Iuav - Venice
> 10.20
Architectural Envelopes
Introduction
John Iorio
J&A, Milan
Invited Speakers
Giorgio Buffoni
Arup, London
Sergio De Gaetano
Thornton Tomasetti, London
Ranieri Fontana Giusti
Kpf, New York
Kim Groves
consultant to Morphosis, Los Angeles
Alex Kunz
Gehry Technologies, Los Angeles and Paris
Edmondo Occhipinti
3-im, Paris and Milan
Mic Patterson
Advanced Technology Studios – Enclos, Los Angeles and New York
Lorenzo Vianello AA School of Architecture, London
13.20 > 14.40
Lunch Break (on site)
> 14.40
Interface between Skin and Structure
Franco Mola
Ecsd, Milan
> 15.00
Life Cycle Thinking in Tall Buildings
Dario Trabucco
Ctbuh / Iuav, Venice
> 15.20
Fast Mobility – Vertical amd Horizontal
Leonardo Cavalli
Oneworks, Milan, with a short film produced by Leitner (Vipiteno/Sterzing)*
> 16.00
Living Green in High Rises
Elena Giacomello
Iuav, Venice
> 16.20
Two distinguished speakers illustrate their life long experience in designing and delivering tall buildings:
Dante O. Benini
Founder, Dante O. Benini & Partners Architects, Milan
A.Eugene Kohn
Founder, Kpf – Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, New York
> 17.40
Conclusions
Renzo Dubbini
Dacc – Iuav, Venice
(Top image: Lamellae Tower by Lorenzo Vianello, Giulia Conti, Huang Shigang, Lin Zhigong)…
Organic form and nature...
On Growth and Form: The Complete Revised Edition by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson - The classic
Patterns in Nature - by Peter S. Stevens
A new kind of Science - Q
This blog post is a rough approximation of the lecture I gave at the AAG10 conference in Vienna on September 21st 2010. Naturally it will be quite a different experience as the medium is quite…
Added by David Rutten at 3:27pm on September 24, 2010