Inside Adam Savage's Cave

Adam Savage from Mythbusters playing with Rhino and a Trotec Laser

In case you missed this recent video on Tested.. "Adam equips his workshop with an old friend and powerful tool: the laser cutter. We learn how Adam used laser cutters in his model-making days and see a demonstration of the process of designing and cutting a simple object."

Thanks Adam for the very kind words about Rhino!

Grasshopper Workshop Series in LA

Grasshopper Workshop Series
August 3-8, 2013
Los Angeles, CA

SomewhereSomething is offering a series of Grasshopper workshops in Los Angeles. The series begins with a 2-day intensive introduction to Grasshopper, and is followed by four topic-specific workshops.

• Introduction to Grasshopper, August 3-4
• Kangaroo: Live Physics Simulation, August 5
• Mesh Topologies, August 6
• Color: Visualization + Analysis, August 7
• Subdivisions, August 8

Sign up for one or all five. Participants that register for all five will receive a discounted rate.

Details and registration...

3DM View 1.3 update released

3DM View is an Android application for 3D model rendering that supports openNURBS files including files generated by Rhinoceros. 

This new 3DM View 1.3 release contains such useful features as management of paths to folders with 3DM files and support of older Android versions starting from 2.3. Also, bugs with opening from URL were fixed, range of file managers for local opening was widened and the disappearing of warnings after device rotation was fixed.

3DM View 1.3 available at Google Play...

Modeling a vase, online tutorial by AD-3D

The Clip on vase brings double functionality to an IKEA Pokal glass,

as it can be also used as a vase.  Learn how to model it for 3D

printing with Rhino and Grasshopper by following this free 10-minute online tutorial.

Watch the tutorial...

NOVA Shoe by Zaha Hadid

Yes, it is a shoe!

So how do you design and make a shoe like this? Dezeen investigated. Read the story and watch the video here...

Or, just buy your own pair here...

Robotic 3D printing with "Undo"

Suspended depositions

As Dezeen reported this week, Brian Harms, a masters student at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-arc) in Los Angeles, with a team of colleagues has developed a method of using a robotic arm to 3D print objects in a tank of gel, allowing free-form printing without the need for support structures and potentially adding an "undo" function to remove errors.

More details...

Robotic hotwire-cutting and assembly

Robots in Architecture Workshop at RMIT

Watch the video: Combining Robotic Processes » Linking hotwire-cutting and assembly.

• Design an economic, stackable, hotwire-cut structure out of planar EPS blocks (50x30x15cm)
• Create an interactive design tool within Grasshopper for aesthetic and production immanent control
• Use KUKA|prc to integrate the robotic fabrication processes

All projects were developed and fabricated within a 5-day robot workshop at the RMIT Design Hub. The full-scale prototype was designed by Cam Newnham.

Special thanks go to the hard working and enthusiastic students from RMIT’s architecture program, as well as the RMIT faculty - especially Jane, Andrew, Roland, and Rafael - for their continuous support and for being great hosts.

More on Robots in Architecture....

Save these conference and workshop dates...

New RhinoBIM beta 3.23.107

RhinoBIM beta 3.23.107 is now available
with the following functions and fixes:

• RhinoBIM properties are now in the Rhino's Property tab.
• EDIT Rotation: Before only integer increment allowed. Now rotates in four decimal place degrees.
• Highlight elements behavior: Now highlights and selects.
• Grasshopper add-on for RhinoBIM.
• Various fixes.

Download RhinoBIM beta 3.23.107...

Geometry Gym Live with John Mirtschin

Simply Rhino UK Training Classroom
London
Wednesday, August 7
2 pm to 3:30 pm

John Mirtschin of Geometry Gym will be at Simply Rhino UK to show the latest GeometryGym release:

• Generative BIM using Grasshopper and third party plug-ins for architecture and engineering.
• Grasshopper to Revit, ARCHICAD, Bentley, Tekla and other BIM software.
• Form finding and structural analysis.
• Open BIM workflows including:

- IFC4 (ISO 16739:2013) Industry Foundation classes
- Physical and analytical model, representation layers
- Time and cost metrics
- Fabrication and construction

• Project case studies including 2012 Velodrome.

Details and free registration...

“Switch to Pure Volvo” International Design pavilion

Synthesis Design + Architecture has been named the winner of the “Switch to Pure Volvo” International Design pavilion competition sponsored by Volvo Car Italia and The Plan Magazine.

Volvo’s “Switch to Pure Volvo” competition, organized by international architecture magazine THE PLAN, called for an innovative and original design for a temporary pavilion that expressed a “strong and creative identity” to showcase the car at fairs and open air presentations in Italian squares.

SDA’s approach was to use the car’s design as a flexible and sustainable vehicle as the basis to reimagine the typical trade show pavilion.  Toward this end, SDA emphasized the qualities of dynamic form, interactivity, visual impact, functionality, and efficiency to create a novel temporary structure that while iconic also offers high-performance. The design integrates structure, form, and performance by utilizing a continuous organic form composed of HDPE mesh fabric with integrated photovoltaic panels tensioned over carbon fiber rods. In fact, the digitally designed contours of the mesh fabric are what bend the rods into their curvy forms. The result calls to mind the image of an elegantly diaphanous orchid.

All modeling, form-finding, meshing done in Rhino / Grasshopper / Kangaroo / Weaverbird.

The project is currently in development and will open in Rome, Italy on September 15, 2013.

For more information and images of the project click here.

MCDC // Master Computational Design and Construction

MCDC // Master Computational Design and Construction
Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe
University of Applied Sciences
Detmolder Schule für Architektur und Innenarchitektur
Starts September 2013

Digital technologies altered the field of architecture and the architectural profession significantly – from design to production. Even though CAD as drawing tool became a standard throughout the last decades - both in architecture schools and practices - there is still a huge potential of computational technology waiting to be activated for the architectural production process. However, to get in-depth understanding of the capability of digital applications requires not only time and the ability to operate these tools but foremost a broad expertise in architectural design methodology and construction principles within an integral approach.

Against this background the international post-graduate Master program Computational Design and Construction (MCDC) incorporates the professional qualities of higher architectural education as well as the theoretic and operative aspects of information technology. The study focuses on digital design methods and construction technologies. Therefore, the Curriculum provides scientific and practical foundation and gives an overview of latest developments in Computational Design and Construction. To convey further knowledge of these methods and technologies is the main goal of the Master´s curriculum in order to extend the competencies and expertise of the participants for an international market. The three-semester Master program addresses graduates from Architecture and Engineering, as well as Product Design, Information Technology and related studies. Cooperative projects, symposia and master theses serve as a platform for collaborations with the building industry, software suppliers, other universities and architectural practices.

Complete details...

Primate: Leap Motion for Grasshopper

Primate is the first plugin to integrate Leap Motion with parametric design in Grasshopper.

The component library includes:

• Component for counting fingers
• Component for counting hands
• Component for tracking a pointing finger
• Component that tracks the direction of an extended hand
• Component that tracks a palm and the vector normal to a palm
• Component that mimics the sphere described by a cupped hand

Each component pulls in a slightly different piece of data from the movement of your hands in realtime. The direction of the fingers and palm, as points and vectors and even spherical or other 3-dimensional data become parameters in Grasshopper.  These components give you the power to feed this data into geometric algorithms for your own programming or design.

Download from food4Rhino...

Face editing now in Scan&Solve 2013 WIP

Scan&Solve 2013 for Rhino WIP now includes a new frequently requested feature:  interactive face editing of restrained and loaded faces.  Not satisfied with the faces that are loaded or restrained? Running multiple "what if" scenarios has never been easier. You can continue using Scan&Solve 2013 WIP right now at no additional cost. This WIP is available immediately to all licensed and evaluation users of Scan&Solve. The current version will operate until August 8, 2013.

Scan&Solve 2013 for Rhino completely automates basic structural simulation of Rhino solids. Unlike other analysis tools, no preprocessing (meshing, simplification, healing, translating, etc.) is needed.

Face editing video...

Download Scan&Solve 2013 for Rhino WIP...

3D PDF exporter for Rhino

SimLab Soft released version 3.2 of the 3D PDF exporter for Rhino.

New features:

• Handles large models. The 64-bit version of the plug-in was tested to work with extremely large Rhino models.
• Supports exporting polylines and curves. Curves and polylines included in the Rhino model can be optionally exported to 3D PDF file.
• Supports exporting dimensions and annotations.
• Improved image quality of the 2D images included in the generated 3D PDF.
• Template designer now allows the user to place images on top of the 3D area to create amazing 3D PDF files.
• New navigation model for navigating large scenes in the 3D PDF file.
• Automatically opens the Object tree (optional).

This new version supports Rhino 5 (32- and 64-bit) and Rhino 4.
This is a free upgrade to current users of version 3.x of the plugin.

More info and eval version...

 

Iterative parametric tables for Studio 4D by Demiurge LLC

The interior design firm Studio 4D contacted Demiurge to design and produce a series of three tables inspired by boulders. Demiurge took the opportunity to show off our parametric design and production capabilities.

Demiurge began by working with Studio 4D to define a height and width for the tables, a bounding box within which each table would always fit. Using Grasshopper for Rhino, they programmed a simulation that altered a basic rectangular form by adding random facets at different points on the table. The design software was set to produce one table for every second the simulation was running, enabling as many iterations as were necessary to find visually appealing forms. The simulation was started and a series of well over 300 tables was generated to start with.

"Demiurge LLC has been a long time McNeel customer and recently upgraded to Rhino 5 - the products you produce are an integral part of our ability to produce high-quality projects on budget and on-schedule".

Read the full story here...
Check also the video produced with the help of Bongo 2...

Rose Pavilion for the Winter Olympic Games

Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort will host the media Rose Pavilion during the XXII Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

The Rose Pavilion has been designed by Dimitry Demin with parametric techniques in Rhino and Grasshopper. The final architectural form resulted from an analysis of material properties and engineering calculations, taking into account local climatic conditions, and it's inspired by the natural beauty of Rosaceae Rosa canina – plants of the dog-rose family. These roses have a pentagonal symmetry and double curvature in their petals – features that have been translated through precision engineering into an aesthetically beautiful architectural form.

Project details in English...

Project details in Russian...

Rhino Piping 0.9.24 WIP available

 

Rhino Piping 0.9.24 is the newest WIP version for:

• Designing a 3D piping network either directly or from a catalog of components 
• Enabling the modification of the parameters and elements of a catalog 
• Editing a detailed part list 
• Isometric views

This Rhino plugin can be used by companies in various fields of activity:

• Shipbuilding industry 
• Construction industry 
• Water industry 
• Agri-food industry 
• Engineering firms 
• Energy industry 
• Oil and gas and petrochemical industries 
• Pharmaceutical industry

Demonstration videos of Rhino Piping...
Enhancements and bug fixes to Rhino Piping 0.9.24...
Download Rhino Piping 0.9.24 WIP...

Datakit Import/Export plugins for Rhino updated

Datakit Import/Export plugins for Rhino have been updated!

There are now 12 input formats and 4 output formats supported.

Details and download...

Computational Environmental Design workshop in Tallinn

Computational Environmental Design workshop

Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia

August 21-23, 2013

International workshop on parametric and generative design environmental simulations based for architecture and planning. 

Workshop focus: Increased availability and tool use for daylight and energy simulation into parametric and generative design software facilitates the integration of environmental factors into the design process from the very early stages. The efficiency of the design processes and the performance of the buildings is improved, giving the designer new methodologies of work to create environmentally aware and performative architectural and spatial design. 
The workshop will focus on the new methodologies of integration of daylight and energy simulations into architectural design processes by parametric and generative computational tools.

• Tutor: Francesco De Luca, Tallinn University of Technology
• Software: Rhino 5 + Grasshopper + environmental analysis plug-ins
• Fees: professionals (6 places) 150 Euro/students (6 places) free (The students' places will be assigned on the principle of the higher level of study and earlier registrations) 
• Deadline for registration: July 31
• Language: English

Complete details and registration...

Paresite: The Environmental Summer Pavilion

MÖBIUS:
Environmental Summer Pavilion for reSITE

The Paresite – The Environmental Pavilion is a mobius shaped triangular structure build from torsed pine wood planks with half cm thin pine wood triangular sheets that provide a shadow and evaporate moisture in dry weather. The sheets, cut in the tangential section, interact with the humidity by warping themselves, allowing air circulation for the evaporation in arid conditions.

The design was accomplished in Grasshopper for Rhino in combination with Rhino and fabricated on Hundegger Speed-Cut 3 and HOMAG Venture 06S 3-axis milling machine. Few pieces had to be produced in hand as the machine doesn't accept such shallow angles.

The project was held in cooperation of the Architectural Institute in Prague (ARCHIP) and the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (FLD CZU) and the reSITE Festival. The goal was, together with the students from the mentioned schools, to design and build a pavilion from a massive pine wood that deals with its material properties and reacts to the environment. The design was ready within half term lasting studio course and completed in June 2013 on Karlovo Square in Prague.

The course to build this pavilion was led by Marie Davidova/Collaborative Collective, Martin Sichman/Oximoron and Martin Gsandtner. Photos by Rostislav Zapletal.

More details...

Ripple 360 - 360-degree panoramic pinhole camera

 

Ripple 360 is a 360-degree panoramic pinhole camera designed by Fabraft Design Lab. Its structure and surface patterns are generated in Rhino with Grasshopper, and printed from a 3D Printer. The 360-degree pinhole camera consists of six units. The ripple patterns on the camera surface correlate with interface of captured images, the transformation and merging are affected by the two pinholes of the camera.

About FabCafe Taipei...

About Fabraft Design Lab...

Past Forward Bratislava parametric Summer Lab

Past Forward Bratislava parametric Summer Lab

Bratislava, Slovakia

August 11-18, 2013

The 2013 Parametric Bratislava Summer School named "Past Forward“ investigates in 6 days the capabilities of the current digital design tools to create a highly contemporary homage to the architectural heritage of the 70's. The participants will learn advanced Grasshopper and Starling plug-in on the formal explorations of the buildings of Vladimír Dedeček – a local architectural counterpart of Oscar Niemeyer and Marcel Breuer.

The Summer School, under the patronage of Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology and 3D Dreaming + rese arch, lectured by Michael Pryor (USA) and Mateusz Zwierzycki (PL), will take place in Bratislava, Slovakia on 12th-18th August 2013.

The participants will be awarded 4+1 ECTS credits (depending on the project outcome), in the winter semester of 2013.

Complete details...

Pencil vase designed with Rhino

Aleksandar Dimitrov of AD-3D, designed a new vase that is fabricated by 3D printing. The Pencil Vase uses 3 hexagonal pencils to turn any glass, coffee cup, or soup bowl into a beautiful minimalist style vase.

All one needs for assembly is a set of 3 standard hexagonal pencils with erasers to avoid sliding on glossy surfaces. Pencil vase is made of laser sintered polyamide, flexible and yet strong enough to support 1-3 small flowers. The inspiration for this design is to provide comfort and gentle flower care with a compact hi-tech 3D printed corner piece and everyday materials.

Purchase a 3D printed Pencil Vase...

See more of AD-3D projects...

Summer School digitalMed

DigitalMed Workshop IV Edition

Smart: Interaction between People/Cities/Environment

Mediterranean FabLab - Cava De’ Tirreni (Salerno)

July 22-28, 2013

The Summer School digitalMed’s fourth edition is a planning laboratory directed to investigate subjects, operations, and techniques that affect the current international architectural panorama.

This edition focuses on the investigation of interactions between the environment and the human being, made through objects, mechanisms, and architectures able to interact with those who make use of them. The aim of digitalMed IV is to draw a catalog of projects/prototypes to insert them in an urban context and to outline new future-cities profiles.

Complete details and registration...