Marianne Dang - Module 3

Modeling a Parametric Structure

• I wanted my structure to have a wavy form and provide some angular interest. For the foundational geometry, I defined a sin curve as the basis of my design, and then angled and duplicated it to make the structure for the loft, beams and panels. The height, width, length of the overall structure can be modified, as can the number and radius of the structural members and the number/size of the panels. The frequency of the waves can be adjusted through modifying a combination of the x-value step & value count as well as the length scaler.

Transforming Your Geometry

• Since I had already started with a sin function as the basis for my initial geometry, I decided to experiment with an attractor geometry for the second stage. I chose the middle curve to be the attractor geometry and modified the central aperture and bounds of the panels based on their proximity or distance from the curve. I was interested in looking at how the panels could give the form a more textural feel, almost like scales or feathers. In this stage, there are sliders for the panel apertures that depending on the range, can maximize/minimize aperture size depending on proximity to the attractor curve.

Applying Your Form at Different Scales

Small Scale - Playground Play Structure

Medium Scale - Transportation Hub Stops

Large Scale - Stadium/Arena Shell

• It was interesting to play with all of the above parameters at different scales and to think about what might be desirable aesthetically/functionally as opposed to what might actually be able to be constructed at a large scale. Proportion seemed to me to be quite important when jumping between scales, just sizing up a geometry that might make sense at a small scale to its larger counterparts often didn’t seem to be a good structural/functional decision.