Monoceros 3 now available!

Hong Kong Drone Module

Drone-based prefabricated architecture using WFC

by Johan Navarro, Estudio panamétrico, 2022

Monoceros is a Grasshopper plugin that assembles discrete modular structures using Wave Function Collapse. You design a set of parts, define how their faces connect, and the solver fills a 3D envelope with valid combinations. The results can range from architectural facades and spatial partitions to furniture, game environments, or abstract sculptures.

The biggest change in version 3 is how you set up a project. In previous versions, defining adjacency rules between modules was manual and error-prone, especially with rotated variants. Version 3 introduces connectors. You describe how each module face connects, including its rotation and symmetry, and the full rule set is derived automatically. Modules no longer need to be duplicated for each orientation. The overall setup requires significantly fewer components than before, both from Monoceros and from Grasshopper itself.

Documentation, workflow guides, and example files are at monoceros.tools. The documentation is also structured for AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude, which can help set up and troubleshoot definitions.

Monoceros 3 is free to use with a limited number of solver runs per session. A license removes the limit. Educational pricing is available. Projects from earlier versions can be converted.

Monoceros was created by Ján Pernecký and Ján Tóth. Version 3 was developed independently by Ján Pernecký.

Download Monoceros from food4Rhino or search for it on the Package Manager...

World Expanded / NFTS and Rendering - The new book by Tobias Eder (in German)

The German sculptor Tobias Eder has realized his virtual art in digital space since 2009 using McNeel's Rhino software. Since then, a large number of artworks have been created with Rhino. 

His book, published in November 2023, comprises 400 pages with numerous illustrations and provides a deep insight into Eder's digital world. It includes futuristic spaces, digitally created sculptures, which are often realized using 3D printing, and even the Old Synagogue in Freiburg, which was cast in bronze based on his digital model and is now installed in front of the University Library in Freiburg. Text contributions in the book reflect the new art in digital space, and the art historian Wolfgang Ullrich focuses on the NFTs created by Eder, which are also shown in the book.

Tobias Eder was born in 1966 in Rheinfelden/Baden. He studied sculpture at the art academies in Karlsruhe and Munich and now lives and works in Freiburg im Breisgau. With Rhino, he designs both profane and sacred spaces and in some cases their new contemporary furnishings. 


World Expanded
NFTS and Renderings, Tobias Eder
Softcover, 22.5 x 17.2 cm, 400 pages, numerous illustrations
With essays by Wolfgang Ullrich, Mareike Hartmann, AI/Marek Kralewski, Tobias Eder
Euro 35.- (plus shipping)
Published by Galerie Marek Kralewski
ISBN 978-3-945173-18-1

Order the book (in German) on the gallery's website...

Grasshopper Meets Lacquer: Innovating Art with Ekkehard Altenburger

The artist Ekkehard Altenburger showcased his latest work, which merges Grasshopper definitions with the traditional technique of Vietnamese lacquer art painting.

As a well-respected Professor of Sculpture at the Academy of Visual Arts in Hong Kong, Altenburger collaborated closely with a master lacquer artist in a Hanoi studio to master the ancient Vietnamese lacquer art technique. With his expertise in programming robotic systems and the extended use of Grasshopper code in his research, Altenburger took inspiration from the convergence of ancient traditions and modern technology.

Altenburger's fascination with the shift from high-end digital environments to the humble surroundings of a Hanoi studio is evident in his exhibition. Working in intense humidity, crucial for the drying and curing of Vietnamese lacquer derived from tree resin, Altenburger's art exudes a unique blend of ancient artistry and contemporary innovation.

The exhibition, held at Galerie Lunette in the heart of historic Hanoi, allowed Altenburger to showcase his works alongside established artists such as Claudia Van and Dinh Ngoc Canh.

Looking forward to further exploration in this field, Altenburger is drawn to the immersive experience of working in Hanoi studios. He anticipates many more productive days in the sweltering heat as he continues to explore how digital technology opens new aesthetic avenues in this ancient technique.

For more about this exhibition, look at this local TV interview.

Contact Ekkehard Altenburger at

Web: /altenburger.co.uk

Instagram: /altenburger_artist