13th Post
As my final post today I would like present my thoughts on what the next step in the process in this workshop should be. After having made a couple of hand sketches, whilst keeping my experiments in mind, I have come up with a plan for what to do next.
The plan consists of a city plan made up by multiple layers, which each have their own parametric input. The layers I have in mind is as follows:
- A large populated rectangle
- A circular city with increasing density in the centre
- The centre of the circle is defined by a couple of main roads running through the city
- A river made also running through the area
- Parks is situated throughout the area
- Buildings are extruded and orientated based on existing elements
- Perhaps different typologies could be introduced
12th Post
This post also uses progress schemes, this time however they are used on rather more complicated systems. So that there are variables in each system, and only one system each page. The schemes are set up like a matrix so the two variables follows either the x- or y-axis.
The first scheme shows a improved version of system using parks or squares to remove buildings. This time however the number of parks can be regulated using a slider, and the points from where the parks originates are randomly chosen by the system it self. Furthermore the second variable is the total area of all the parks combined. This means that the no matter how many parks you’ll set the slider for the total area will always be the same.
The first gif shows the change in number of parks, while the second shows the change in total area.
The file for the system can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ryq14ccogeiks5v/AAAY2-Zzn1ddehqWq3Tq_Tjia
The next scheme illustrates a river as it has been used so many times before. This time however the river also has a safety distance within with you can’t build normal buildings, because of the fact that the ground would not be suitable. So the first variable of the system is the width of the river it self, which terminates all buildings in its way. The second variable is the distance along the river in which only stilt-houses are allowed. The data is then analysed and the relation between stilt-houses and regular buildings is processed along with the overall plot ratio.
The first gif shows the change in width of the river, while the second is the varying safety distance.
The system file can be found using this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e6crodurtpmxebz/AAARheLeIU0RNeZolXs9NtRWa
The last scheme uses the example of a road being built through a city, and the impact it has on its surroundings. The road can be altered by changing its width so it can represent anything from a small one lane suburban road to a huge multi lane highway. The width also affects the width of the roadside area, as it has to adapt to the road type. The other adjustable parameter is the progress of the building of the road or the road length. The dimensions of the road also affects the lampposts alongside it. The width controls the height and distance between them, whilst the length of the road controls the number of lampposts.
The first gif illustrates the changing road width, and the second one shows the varying road length.
The grasshopper file for the system can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kydq7hnlrstr9ac/AAAysF1g8oBLiToryCkKjQIMa
11th Post
A couple of simple progress schemes have been made illustrating the different outputs you get from the many adjustable parameters. All the systems are set up so that there is only one adjustable parameter to each system. There are mainly systems that have been shown on this blog before, but also a few new additions.
This first scheme shows the previously shown systems with the river eliminating buildings, and the river influencing the surrounding building heights. The grasshopper files can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5c6d19ohpiosf36/AAA15Xb3iO8jLatEc0FK7YTZa
The next scheme includes an improved version of the previously used system, that rotates surrounding buildings after a curve. The other system is a new attempt to make a urban area in a shape of a circle, with higher density in the centre region. The grasshopper files can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nsce5fw7kmy6tai/AACOPRk0J2A4a3QTt6J6fYdca
The last scheme also includes two systems, the first being an attempt to simulate the sun and its path around a group of buildings, and the resulting shadows. The second system is the previously used one, with the parks or squares within a urban area. I am currently working on a new and better version of that very system. The grasshopper files can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/80hw9i3b61mk3px/AABubeAp2rd74KjhdBfDx5WHa
10th Post
In addition to the previous system, an addition has been made so that the area of the parks also controls the size of the surrounding buildings.
The small addition and result to the previous system.
9th Post
To simulate a densely build area with park or squares within a new system was made. There has been within a vast area of buildings set four random points from where open spaces is created, those spaces can be regulated in their radius, which removes the surrounding buildings.
The system in function showing how the open spaces terminate the buildings intersecting with it.
A rather complicated system, I’m currently working on improving the setup
8th Post
The buildings within the site, are moved towards the centre of the circle, in order to increase the density. The movement direction is controlled by vectors from the cloud defining the buildings towards the centre of the circle. The length of movement is adjusted by the amplitude of the movement vector, defined by a slider. This is done to make a more realistic city with varying density focused around the city centre.
The pictures above shows, the Grasshopper system and its relation to the resulting Rhino output. The problem is however that the movement of the building makes them overlap in the centre of the circle.
7th Post
Instead of having a lot of buildings within a square, the similar thing was tested using a circle instead. First it was attempted to populate a circle, but because that didn’t work out another method was attempted. The other solution was to use the centre of the circle and the radius to remove the points outside a certain reach of the centre. That has been done using a smaller than component, at only keeping the points within the radius.
Pictures showing both the system and its result
6th Post
In order to create a larger diversity among the buildings on the site a grasshopper file which is able to create random squares was created. It can be done rather simpler, but in order to make the process as transparent as possible, every calculation has been done using a component.
Pictures shows both the result in Rhino and the system in Grasshopper. The system could have been made quite a lot simpler, but in order to enable other people to copy it, all calculations was made using a separate component.
5th Post
In order to expand the scenario a bit (and hopefully improve it), a curve was created instead of a single point. The curve was then subdivided into its points closest to the surrounding points. The geometry was rotated towards the curve, to simulate the orientation towards the good direction of view.
The result of the system can be seen above, here it is rather obvious that the system is still quite flawed. Hopefully this will be solved in a later addition to the blog.
The system as it looks in Grasshopper
4th Post
The rotation of the buildings was tested, using a point, as a guide point or landmark if you will. The angle of rotation was calculated using the vectors from the cloud to the landmark, and the unit vector y. The landmark can then be moved around and the building should redirect the view direction accordingly.
The two pictures shows the system in function, there is however a problem with some of the buildings. It seams that the angle can’t turn above 180 degrees. This will be attempted in a later post.
The system
3rd
Post
The next scenario is using the river as well, this time the buildings getting within certain proximity of the river are removed. The distance that is disallowed within the river is decided by the width of the river, which is the distance the centre arc is offset to either side.
The pictures and gif above shows the system working.
The system as it is
2nd Post
This post consists of a rather minimal change to the previous system. In order to restrict the buildings to a certain height both minimum and maximum, an evaluation component is used. The component is written to take all values, in this case height, and replace it with another, if above or below a given number. This is done to simulate the real world where you would never see an impractically low building, and a ridiculously tall building.
The pictures above illustrates some of the values that represents the minimal and maximum height of the buildings.
The system can be seen above.
1st Post
Welcome to my part of this blog, where I personally will expand my knowledge and explore the subject parametric urbanism. I hope you will enjoy and see the progress I hopefully will be going through.
As my first system, I will try to simulate a river within a fully build site, a parametric arc is made. The buildings within the site are then extruded, keeping their height relative to the distance between the building and the river. This is done in order to give every inhabitant a view over the once in from at towards the river.
The pictures show the parametrically defined river, and its resulting impact on the buildings around it.
The entire system look like the above
Parametric Urbanism Studio 2014 