KARST Eroded Morphologies / MEAL* Grasshopper Intermediate

Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It presents a very distinctive appearance, characterized by elongated spikes of rock, distributed according to complex patterns of erosion. This tutorial will focus on the design of a computational, post-natural Karst, that while referencing such geological formations, explores an ambiguity between digital and material aesthetics, and its potential for architectural design.

The design process is based on the creation of displacement and scattering maps, that control the massing of the topography, and the distribution on it of simple units such as cubes or spheres. The aggregation of a large number of units composes a Karst morphology, which as such is defined by the emerging patterns. By modulating the parameters in the simulation, it is possible to animate the morphology and study its transformation, growth, and decay over time.In the first part of the tutorial, we will build the Karst algorithm component after component. The second part will then focus on animation techniques in Grasshopper, adapting them to the morphologies just produced. Beyond providing an understanding of the features of the tool, this tutorial is meant to introduce the participants to a specific design method, sensibility, and visual space.‍