Week 02

Week assignments

Computer-Aided Design
Model (raster, vector, 2D, 3D, render, animate, simulate, …) a possible final project, compress your images and videos, and post a description with your design files on your class page

• Evaluate and select 2D and 3D software
• Demonstrate and describe processes used in modelling with 2D and 3D softwares
• Demonstrate image and video compression

2D Software, raster and vector

Inkscape

Vector files have many advantages. Two obvious differences is that their resolution is not dependent on scale and files are typically small. One of the most popular vector design programs is Inkscape, whose files are by deafult saved as svg. To test this design software I created the logos of my webpage with inkscape. First, I used several left-hand tools such as the spiral creation tool:

Then I tested other capacitilites such as coloring and stroking:

Finally, I played around resolutions and types of exportations for generating different raster images of my logo. Those images then were attached as logos in my website as well as favicon image.

To achieve that, I included a suite of image files in the static folder, whose names are coincident with the labelling of the website construction code. Then, I just needed to include a tiny file (site.webmanifest) in the static folder with the code {“name”:"",“short_name”:"",“icons”:[{“src”:"/android-chrome-192x192.png",“sizes”:“192x192”,“type”:“image/png”},{“src”:"/android-chrome-512x512.png",“sizes”:“512x512”,“type”:“image/png”}],“theme_color”:"#ffffff",“background_color”:"#ffffff",“display”:“standalone”}.

3D Software

As a timber engineer, I normally work with CAD/CAM software for design of buildings. However, there is a lot of software in this branch I am not used to work with. One of the most attractive to me is the Rhinoceros, beacuse it has Grasshopper inside it. Grasshopper is a parametric design software, whose possibilities are limitless in timber construction. Therefore, I really wanted to get my fingers in it. And that time has come!

To test the possibilities of this software, I developed a parametric design program of the smart timber pannel I want to develop as final project of the FabAcademy. Please refer to the final project section for a more detailed explanation of my project, but in brief, I want to develop a composite timber-glass-hydrogel pannel which, by automatized sensors and devices, offers very high energetic efficiency at a very low carbon footprint price.

To ehnance the attractiveness of my pannel, I created a non-planar curved fassade element. In the following, I summarize the steps for creating my program.

First of all, I defined all the parameters necessary for constructed the pannel, including its height, length, thickness, thickness of timber elements, thickness of glass, and thickness of the air space.

Second, I created four straight lines defining the lower and upper edges of the pannel as well as a series of equally spaced frames in the X direction in which latter the timber elements will be distributed.

Third, I parammetrically created a Bezier curve that serves for styling the fassade

Fourth, I parametrically created a second Bezier curve following the same procedure, this will serve to finish the styling of the fassade. This non-planar finishing of the fassade will give a cool touch to my pannel!

Fifth, I cut all the lines (the four straigth and two curves) at a regular spacing, which exactly fits with the separation of timber studs. Then I create a polygon following all the cuts, with that I create a boundary and with that I extruce each timber stud according to the defined timber thickness.

This results in the non-planar timber studs that conform my fassade

Next, I tested the CadworkInsideRhino functionality (and it worked!). With this functionality I am fully able of interachanging data between Grasshopper-Rhino (the software I am not used to use) and Cadwork (the software I am used to do). In order to do that, I downloaded from Food4Rhino the RhinoinsideCadwork library, installed the file in the Roaming component folder and unblockled it in the windows environment (otherwise it does not work). Next I defined a series of parameters (BIM information other than geometry, such as number of piece, timber species, etc.) for each piece of my fassade as shown below. That allows one see exactly the same geometry in Cadwork and work with that.

Following, I defined the lower and upper timber chords of the fassade elment, plus its glass layer out of the firstly defined parameters.

Resulting in the following additions in the geoemtrical model

Once the external fassade part was defined, I replicated the timber elments to the inner wall part of my pannel. That part consisted of the same timber elements of the fassade but in straight form (without curves), which is much more convenient in practical architectural applications.

Resulting in the following timber studs

Then I also created the upper and lower timber chords as well as the recipient and hydrogel that will be placed in the most inner part of the timber pannel. These components will allow for increasing fire protection, thermal mass and all other benefits explained in the final project section.

Resulting in the final geometry of the pannel element

Here you can see the overall view of the visually programmed code in Grasshopper (a copy of this is uploaded in the documments section of this website).

This program is fully parametrized, which means that the pannel is automatically addapted to any change of the firstly defined parameters (length of wall, height, number of timber elements,etc.). Here in this demonstrative animation you can see how the geometry of the pannel is updated when changing the defining parameters

Once the parametric model was ready, I focused on textures and rednering. In order to do that, I baked all the geometry from Grasshopper to Rhino, which means that it came to the later as any regularly created geometry. Then I dowloaded textures from Food4Rhino for wood, glass and water (hydrogel). Finally, I switched Rhino to render mode and assigned all textures to the corresponding objects in the materials tab.

Resulting in the following view

Then I played with different renderings with my graphic card, achieving more beautiful views of my project

As well as simulating natural sunlight

Here you can see the final result of this first excercise. Note that although this is a first approximation to my final project geometry, the fact that it is fully parametrized will allow for rapidly improving and refining the design in the comming weeks.

Image and video compression

For compression of images I discovered that the native Windows photo editor mode makes a great job in compressing images. For using it, one just needs to select the modifying size option and change format and quality. The dialog box already states the new size of the compression so I find it is a very practical tool.