Flexible walls - generate form

Hi.

I am working on a small student project, an exhibition space for an
airport. I would like the space to be created from simple panels,
similar in shape, which can be attached to each other and turned on a
hinge in order to create a space. Imagine multiple changing screens/room
divider (example) connected together. In this way the exhibition space can be changed to create one big space, or several small ones, or even spaces that are outside/inside.

Could someone please push me in the right direction, how I would go about to create this space in Grasshopper? .. I imagine a slider that can set the number of panels, and then maybe another that will dictate how many interior and half-interior spaces are wanted. And maybe how many openings. I would create a curve and extrude it, and then start a new one from the last point. However, an algorithm that suggests a path back to the starting point to get the vector or direction of the new curve is a bit harder... I am proficient in C#, so that could also be ok...

I would greatly appreciate it if you could give me a push in the right direction...

Cheers,
Eirik

Attachments:

flexible space.jpg, 99 KB
flexible walls.jpg, 142 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eirik K on December 10, 2010 at 7:48am

I have experimented a bit, and in a probably confusing grasshopper file I have managed to get some sort of result.

My idea was to take the wall segment as a length of an equilateral triangle and to add a triangle for each wall segment, so that I could use the outer parts of the triangle as the walls. For now, I have managed to create a project where the wall length, the number of segments and the height is controllable. The space is then created from those. Unfortunately only in the form of a long room. I would like it to be a bit more exciting in the form and also variable. Any thoughts?

I would also appreciate some input on my grasshopper file, I am sure I can achieve my results easier than my chaos ?

Cheers, Eirik

Attachments:

create walls - with triangles.ghx, 377 KB

Permalink Reply by Eirik K on December 10, 2010 at 12:05pm

A better version I think.

This project still is not very variable, so I would appreciate input on how to vary the space - especially in the width, so that the space will become wider than the one segment length.

Cheers, Eirik

Attachments:

create walls - varied -triangulated.ghx, 103 KB

Permalink Reply by Chris Tietjen on December 10, 2010 at 3:16pm

Eirik-

I'd like to look at what you're doing but how do I get your xml file into Grasshopper? Clicking on the link merely opens the file in IE. How do I download it to my local disk?

Thanks.

Chris

Permalink Reply by Eirik K on December 11, 2010 at 2:38am

Hi Chris.

Just right-click on the link (to the ghx file), and select 'Save link as..' - select a location on your disk - open Rhino and Grasshopper, and in Grasshopper select File .. Open .. and then you can select the downloaded file.

If anyone has a suggestion for an algorithm that will create a variable width space where the outer walls always return to close the shape, I would greatly appreciate it.

Cheers, Eirik

Permalink Reply by Chris Tietjen on December 11, 2010 at 7:55am

Thanks Eirik. It turns out I have to add .ghx to the file when I save it.

Regarding your project are you trying to create random arrangements of the walls from which to choose one for the space? I'm not understanding what the criteria for a useful arrangement might be.

Chris

Permalink Reply by Eirik K on December 12, 2010 at 2:44am

Sorry Chris, maybe I was a bit unclear on the criteria. I am not sure if it should result in one "correct" result, I would be happy to have more instances to evaluate externally.

But for the criteria, I was thinking maybe I should try to come closer to the maximum area that can be enclosed by the segments. At the moment the resulting space is just a corridor, I would appreciate it if this could be varied.

I was also thinking maybe the maximum space idea could be extended by adding a parameter setting the number of rooms. In this case the segments could enclose a series of spaces where the transition ia a narrow corridor? Like a model of a molecule?

I hope this made it a bit clearer? ..

Best, Eirik

Permalink Reply by Chris Tietjen on December 12, 2010 at 10:50am

Here's a definition that I put together as a starting point. I have no skill with scripted components so it's quite 'manual' by comparison to what can be done with scripting. It's easily extensible though by copying and pasting 'modules'. Perhaps it's also helpful to see how in concept someone else looks at the problem.

Chris

Attachments: