Please enter the following info in the fields above:
- Your Name as the Card title
- The link to your Module 4 folder in our Autodesk Construction Cloud project
Please also type the first few letters of your first name into the Link to Student field, then hover over your name from the list of matching records and click the blue plus sign to link this entry to your Design Journal.
Then, share your Design Journal entry here (replacing these instructions) ...
Click the text area below the headers and just start typing your response. There's no need to add new properties.
Please include:
- A screenshot of your model geometry from each part of the assignment that you completed:
- For 2 or More Units: Rise and Shine
- For 3 or More Units: Gonna Need Shades
- For 4 Units: Shield Your Eyes
- A few sentences describing your modeling approach for each stage
- A brief description of your design outlining the parameters that can be used to flex and dynamically change your structure
Link:
https://acc.autodesk.com/docs/files/projects/6db2c3ca-7a2c-4f34-96a1-8a8189c7754d?folderUrn=urn%3Aadsk.wipprod%3Afs.folder%3Aco.YM3FyxnyQ9CLs2ihtFhgEg&viewModel=detail&moduleId=folders
Stage1 - Part 1
Modeling Approach:
At this stage of the design process, I focused on constructing a wall structure based on sine waves, which not only has dynamic geometry but also personal significance. The overall form is controlled by parameters such as wall length, amplitude, wave number, and extrusion height. Inspired by a photo of my friend's cat, Parada—whose playful yet composed demeanor captivated me—I decided to incorporate her into the project as its emotional anchor. Therefore, I added an image processing workflow that reads the pixel data from her portrait and uses this data to determine the position, direction, or color of surface adaptive components. This gives the model dual meanings: geometric expression through sine modulation and emotional expression through visual encoding.
Geometry:
The geometry is generated by defining a baseline line, which is then modulated into a sine curve using parametric controls such as amplitude and number of waves. This curve is then extruded vertically to form the wall surface. The surface is subdivided into a grid of panels using isolines and parameter points, which are then grouped into sets of four to define adaptive component placement.To reflect Parada’s image onto the surface, pixel data was read using the Image.Pixels node, rescaled to match the panel grid resolution, and reversed/flipped accordingly to match the spatial orientation. Each panel thus becomes a "pixel carrier" in the physical form.
Stage1 - Part 2
Modeling Approach:
In Stage 1 Part 2, I extended my system by allowing each panel to vary its height or thickness individually. By introducing a parameter called "Elev_Top_Panel" into the adaptive family, and dynamically assigning values through a random generator or image-driven mapping, I was able to create a field of panels that ripple across the surface—much like pixels rising and falling.
This approach gave the model a new spatial quality: it no longer only reacts in color (as in Part 1), but now also expresses information through form. The geometry became a medium of tactile and spatial communication.
Geometry:
Each panel's placement remained consistent with the sine-based subdivision system from Part 1, but the Z-elevation of the top surface was controlled parametrically. The elevation values were generated either through a pseudo-random list (for organic irregularity), or via pixel brightness extracted from an image file. This dual-mode control allowed both playful irregularity and structured image-based modulation.
Stage2
Modeling Approach:
At this stage of the design process, my focus was on establishing a solar response system that could not only assess the amount of sunlight hitting the wall panels but also respond dynamically through visual and geometric adjustments. Based on a parametric base geometry derived from the rectangular building shape, I used sliders to control the dimensions and panel divisions. Then, I integrated the sun vectors using the SunSettings.Current set in Revit and calculated the angle of each panel relative to the sun. The goal is to develop a workflow that allows the color and geometry of each panel to respond to changes in the sun's angle throughout the day. I tested this by adjusting the sun angle in Revit and observed real-time updates in both Dynamo and the Revit model, thereby achieving interactive environmental feedback.
Geometry:
The building volume is constructed as a simple rectangular extruded body, flexibly defined by length, width, and height parameters. I use horizontal and vertical division dimensions to subdivide the facade into a regular panel grid. Each panel is implemented using a four-point adaptive component generated based on the surface grid. There are two ways to use the directness values from the solar direction vector:
Use a “color range” mapped from low exposure to high exposure to cover the surface panel colors;
Controlling custom instance parameters (“Panel Fold Angle A”), which dynamically adjusts the panel geometry to simulate a physical response to sunlight.
I used list operations and custom nodes (e.g., Panels.ComputeSunDirectnessOutwardNormals) to ensure accurate evaluation of panel normals and to ensure that colors and fold angles are continuously updated. The final result demonstrates a fully responsive facade system capable of responding to changes in sunlight throughout the day.