My experience with Rhino 3D and Grasshopper 3D software

By: Kristina Shrestha

We are half way through the spring 2016 semester. After the spring break there were tons of things that we were supposed to do like prepare for review 2 presentation, Professional practice exam and projects of Global Traditions. This spring break I was learning to use Rhino 3D and Grasshopper. Rhino is very good in making malleable structure which could be made within seconds that would take days to do in Revit. I started learning Revit in the fall 2015 semester and I did my fall project in Revit. Since, I started using Revit my life has been so much easier.

Rhino was very helpful to create surfaces which are curve and those which are very complex. Grasshopper is a 3D application which work with Rhino 3D. You can place complex mathematical equations that can be used to form the form. It has in build functions like voronoi cells, Delaunay triangulation, different geometry, etc. which would take hours to work in Rhino. The lines and surfaces that are created in Rhino 3D can be manipulated in multiple of ways. The functions of grasshopper are designed in tabs and it has wires which joins one function with the other. Also, there are plugins like Lunchbox, honeybee, human, etc. which can be installed in grasshopper which are used to make complex structures. 

Many experimental research of pre fabrication system are done through the grasshopper 3D tool. It is also useful to 3d print with accuracy of complex structures. I have been using Rhino 3D and Grasshopper 3D applications for my thesis. It has been about two – three weeks that I started using these software. It is time consuming for me as it is a heavy file as I have a large building for my thesis. I have been using these software to design a roof for my project. I have been experimenting with voronoi cell walls and honeycomb roof.

Some of the pictures of my experimental projects are as follows:

Curve Wall

Hexagonal Wall Design

Waffle Roof