This workshop introduces a computational design framework that integrates environmental conditions, ecological processes, and human behavior within the Rhino and Grasshopper environment. Participants will work across three simulation systems to understand how spatial decisions influence microclimate, vegetation dynamics, and pedestrian experience over time in an urban context.
The workshop is led by the development team of Rhino.Ecologic -Verena Vogler & Eleftherios Kourkopoulos & Jens Joschinski (McNeel Europe), together with invited contributors including Mariusz Hermansdorfer former Head of Computational Design at Henning Larsen, and developer of jifto, and the develpment team behind Kova PedSim, Puja Bhagat and Jonathan Wong from Architectural Association London/ Populous. The instructors bring expertise spanning computational design, environmental simulation, ecological modeling, and socially driven agent-based systems.
Participants will learn how to construct integrated simulation workflows that connect geometry, environmental analysis, ecological modeling, and human behavior. By the end of the workshop, they will be able to evaluate design scenarios across climate, biodiversity, and pedestrian dynamics, and use simulation outputs to inform design decisions.
Day 1: Designing with Microclimate (jifto- a real-time sustainability analysis plugin for Rhino, born at Henning Larsen Architects)
Day 2: Ecological Simulation in Design (Rhino.Ecologic- an ecolological simulation framework for Rhino & Grasshopper by R&D McNeel Europe)
Day 3: Social Simulation and Pedestrian Dynamics (Kova PedSim- a socially-driven pedestrian simulation framework for Grasshopper, born at AA EmTech)
Course requirements: Intermediate knowledge of Rhino is required. No prior experience with environmental, ecolocial nor human interaction analysis needed. We will start with the fundamentals.
Software requirement: Rhino 8 for Windows. Rhino.Ecologic, Kova PedSim, and jifto will be provided to all participants.
Online course fees: EUR 395 (+VAT). Full-time students and university teachers receive a 50% discount (proof of status required). Please note that we will confirm your seat after your payment has cleared.
Maximum number of participants for each course: 25. If there is no quorum, the course will be canceled 15 days before.
Course language: English
Educational seats are limited. Sign up now by contacting Verena!
"EcoHouse is a small house located on a plot very close to Campeche beach, on the island of Florianopolis, Brazil. It seeks to minimize the impact of construction, both in terms of interference with the landscape and the materials used. Except for the foundations (reinforced concrete), the entire house was built with autoclaved treated pine wood, and some walls were clad with plasterboard. The carpentry is aluminum, with mosquito screens, promoting cross-ventilation.
Another important aspect was building the smallest possible house to free up land for the garden. It has a living room with a home office space, dining room, and kitchen—all in one integrated area. This space opens onto a balcony and a deck that connects the house with the outside. The goal was to create a certain "confusion," where you don't know if you are inside or outside the house, or inside or outside the property. We believe in a continuous, integrated space. The bathroom is on the ground floor, and the bedroom, also without doors, is on the upper floor.
The timber frame construction process allowed for a lightweight yet high-quality build with excellent thermal and acoustic comfort. We used "rock wool" as insulation. When studying the best solution for rainwater, we noticed a tendency for people to cement the ground, which causes flooding because the soil cannot absorb the rain. Flooding is typical in Floripa on rainy days. So, we created a 40 cm layer with construction debris, which was practically free. When it rains, this "mattress" absorbs the rainwater, creating a natural drainage system that allows the earth to "dialogue" with the high-water table due to the proximity of the beach.
The house has a green roof and a large tropical garden on the ground. From above, what you see is a large green spot. Therefore, we do not interfere with the natural process of the rainwater cycle.
As a concept, the main idea is to minimize the boundary between being inside and outside. The house opens to the garden and the street, contrary to the trend of high walls with security systems. It aims to be as transparent as possible and to establish a dialogue with the neighborhood. This is the only way to build a city.
In terms of project development, we chose to use Rhino and VisualARQ. We were obsessed with having exhaustive control over all the materials used to generate the minimum amount of waste. In this sense, the material lists that VisualARQ generated were fundamental. VisualARQ also helped define the construction steps. We were able to complete the construction in 2 months with 3 people on-site.
EcoHouse aims to be an alternative for sustainable construction, rationalizing the materials used and the speed of execution. At the same time, it re-evaluates the amount of space a home needs. In its natural life cycle, it can be easily expanded, with the goal of reusing its materials."
Affonso Orciuoli + Marcelo Leal, arquitetos
Complete details (in Portuguese)...
Learn more about Pragmatic Parametrics in the latest Rhino User Webinar. New recording now available!
About the speaker:
Ragunath Vasudevan is a Frankfurt-based architect who currently leads the parametric design work at schneider+schumacher Design & Computation. With a professional career spanning over two decades, he specializes in 3D coordination and digital design techniques, having previously held a research position at the University of Kassel. His academic background includes a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Mumbai and a Master of Arts in Advanced Architectural Design from the Städelschule Architecture Class under Ben van Berkel.
Complete details and registration...
Course requirements: Intermediate knowledge of Rhino is required.
Simulate realistic cables that maintain tension and flow. This tutorial will walk you through how to create dynamic, form-found cables in Grasshopper using the Kangaroo physics engine.
Grasshopper 3D Masterclass dates
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Looking for professional landscape architecture software? Check out the upcoming RhinoLands webinar on March 17 at 10:00 AM CET.
This session is designed for professionals and teams who want to improve their landscape design workflow and get more value from RhinoLands in real projects. Whether you are new to RhinoLands or already using it, this webinar will help you work more efficiently and create stronger technical and visual project presentations.
What to expect
During the webinar, you'll explore key RhinoLands workflows and practical features that support landscape architecture and urban design projects, including:
If you're interested in furniture design and Rhino workflow, take the time to watch this recorded webinar and learn from Ditte Willads Petersen how to build cleaner, lighter, and more efficient 3D models for use across different software, using mesh, NURBS, and SubD geometry.
Through practical examples from furniture design projects from Muuto, she demonstrates soft modelling techniques and structured CAD approaches that help make Rhino models more predictable, organised, and ready for architectural and interior design applications.
Software requirements:
Format: Live one-on-one training sessions
Interactive lessons with direct instructor support
Next course start: March 10, 2026 (dates may vary)
Duration: 7 sessions, 10 hours total
Course requirements: The training is tailored for architects, engineers, and designers seeking greater technical control over building performance modelling. Intermediate knowledge of Rhino and Grasshopper is required.
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