Surface Relaxation – Gh level 2

“Surface Relaxation – Gh lvl. 2” is a 2-day (12-hour) intensive Grasshopper workshop, dealing with physics simulation with Kangaroo.  In this workshop, we will be dealing with advanced simulation techniques for both design and optimization purposes and we will test some of them with our in-house 3d-printers. During the course of this class, you’ll be introduced to most of Kangaroo’s functionality, in both versions 0.099 and 2.1.4, and learn to utilize it in an array of common design scenarios. Apart from that, you will learn how to work with physics and gain an edge through complex mesh modelling techniques.

This 2 days event is designed for people who already have a basic understanding of how Grasshopper works and want to take their skills a bit further, with a focus on design analysis and optimisation. During these days, you will be introduced to physics simulation, you will gain access to a wide range of form-finding tools and techniques and you will learn ways of preparing your ideas for prototyping and fabrication.

Course Outline

This 2 days event is designed for people who already have a basic understanding of how Grasshopper works and want to take their skills a bit further, with a focus on design analysis and optimisation. During these days, you will be introduced to physics simulation, you will gain access to a wide range of form-finding tools and techniques and you will learn ways of preparing your ideas for prototyping and fabrication.

The duration of the course is 12 hours. The course is intensive and spans two consecutive days of design training (11:00 to 18:00, with a 1 hour lunch-break at 14:30). Information will be presented at an accelerated pace.

Key Learning Points

• Forces & Goals
• Mesh relaxation
• Catenaries
• Collisions
• Remeshing
• Origami folding
• Circle Packing
• Quad planarization
• Unrolling, nesting and tagging for fabrication.

Pre-requisites

Requires Windows skills and desire to create. A basic level of Grasshopper knowledge is deemed necesary. Previous rhino3d modeling experience is deemed greatly helpful but not required. A general understanding of basic mathematical principles is also considered helpful, but an explanatory lecture will be given where needed.

All participants are required to have:

• Their personal laptop with them. Additional NUC computers can be provided after timely communication.
• Rhinoceros3d V5.0 pre-installed. You can download a 90-days evaluation version from http://www.rhino3d.com/download
• Grasshopper 3d (latest version) pre-installed. You can download the plugin for free from http://www.grasshopper3d.com/page/download-1
• Lots of patience and positive thinking, learning is fun after all!