INTRODUCTION TO PARAMETRIC DESIGN

4.1. INTRODUCTION TO PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE

1. Design controlled by parameters or certain rulesets.
2. In Grasshopper, most rulesets are based on geometry and mathematical functions
3. Other parameters like environmental factors, loads and forces etc… are achieved with the
support of the wide variety of external plugins available

4.2.1 INTERFACE

COMPONENTS
TAB

MENUBAR
CANVAS

INPUT NAME
OUTPUT

COMPONENT NAME

4.2.2. IMPORTING RHINO GEOMETRIES

1. Using container components
- Components tab – params – geometries – choosing the component
with the right geometry type

4.3. DATAS AND DATA STRUCTURES

- Data – information in the algorithm
- Data types – types of information. Eg: point, curve, surface, vector, numerical,
plane, domains, Booleans etc…
 - Data structures: the way the information is organised. There are 2 types:
1. List – multiple datas in a single path
2. Tree – multiple datas in different paths

PATH

INDEX NUMBER ITEM / DATUM

COMPONENTS
S.NO COMPONENT NAME FUNCTION

1. Construct point Creates a point with given coordinates

2. Circle Creates a circle with centre and radius
3. Extrude Extrudes curves/ surfaces
4. Unit X Vector in x-axis
5. Unit y Vector in y-axis
6. Unit z Vector in z-axis
7. Linear array Arrays in linear axis
8. Line Line between 2 points
9. Boundary surfaces Similar to planarsrf
10. Rectangular Creates rectangular grid
11. Triangular Creates triangular grid
12. Hexagonal For hexagonal grids
13. Area To find centroid
14. Distance Calculates distance b/w 2 points
15. Division Mathematical operation
16. addition Mathematical operation
17. Subtraction Mathematical operation
18. Multiplication Mathematical operation
19. Minimum Compares 2 datas to find the lower value
20. Extremes Compares multiple sets of values to find minimum and
maximum
21. Negative Adds a negative sign to a number or vector
22. Point list To display index number of datas on rhino screen