For this submission, I chose to parametrically model an outdoor stage cover. My modeling approach was to first sketch the structure that I wanted to complete, and list out the important dimensions that I wanted to initialize into the parametric study.
From this sketch, I determined that I wanted to create three lines: two lines to designate the base, and one line to designate the height of the stage cover. From these three lines, I would find their midpoints, and include sliders that allowed the user to alter the width, length, and height of the stage cover, as well as the relative dimensions for the front and back outer “rings” of the stage.
With the three lines determined, a lofted surface could be easily constructed. From this lofted surface, a new grid could then be created, in which the user could specify the number of rows of “beams” or “pipes” that they wanted in each direction (and subsequently, the number of panels). Additional touch-ups were included, such as a truss form instead of singular beams for the structure via the LunchBox plugin, and allowing the user to modify the radius of the ball joints connecting each pipe, as well as the radius of the truss pipes.
For the additional “Transforming Your Geometry” assignment, a mathematical function was used to create a sinusoidal curve that would replace the highest line that represented the height of the stage cover. The resulting lofted surface would conform as best as possible to the curve. The user is able to specify certain parameters of the sinusoidal curve, including the number of waves and the amplitude.
Due to the constraints of the loft node, the middle curvature of the stage could only flex as far as the length of one full wave, as shown below. On the other hand, creating a sinusoidal curve that had “0” number of waves would create a simple tent, in which the middle curve would be a straight line. Specifying a larger number of waves, as well as a larger sinusoidal amplitude, would mute the stage curvature instead of amplifying it. Negative values would only flip the sinusoidal curve. Overall, the user will have greater control in creating dramatic shapes via the first code instead of the second code.
From “Modeling a Parametric Structure”
From “Transforming Your Geometry”