Develop Parametric Architecture with Grasshopper

Course Curriculum

Chapter 1: Introduction to Grasshopper

Lecture 1: Introduction to Grasshopper: what is parametric design? What is Grasshopper?

Lecture 2: Software installation: where to download and how to install Grasshopper

Lecture 3: Launching Grasshopper and understanding the Grasshopper interface

Chapter 2: First Steps in Grasshopper

Lecture 1: Starting with Points: create a point and control it's position parametrically

Lecture 2: Curves, Lines and Splines: use your point for a curve or line

Lecture 3: Data Matching: how to combine lists and make multiple objects from one component

Chapter 3: Functions and Control

Lecture 1: Series, Range and Domain: generate multiple objects into lists

Lecture 2: Functions: use a math function to draw a curve

Lecture 3: Control and Lists: select items from a list, so you can handle them individually

Lecture 4: Transformations: moving, rotating or scaling objects from a single component

Lecture 5: Graph Mapper: tweak the shape from a series of numbers graphically

Chapter 4: Example: Panelling to place elements over a surface

Lecture 1: Import Geometry from Rhinoceros into Grashopper

Lecture 2: Sub-divide the Surface: create parts from a single surface, using domains

Lecture 3: Twisted Boxes: twist and deform a box volume to follow a smooth surface

Lecture 4: Morphing Reference Geometry: deform geometry to follow the twisted boxes

Lecture 5: Morphing Example continued: finishing with multiple variants

Chapter 5: Example: Twisting Tower: a complete Skyscraper concept from scratch

Lecture 1: Introduction and Project Reference: Turning Torso by Santiago Calatrava (Sweden)

Lecture 2: Floor outlines: translating a series of planar curves into groups of floors

Lecture 3: The Central Core: the elevator shaft from a simple extruded planar curve

Lecture 4: Twisting the Curves: rotating the individual floors around a vertical axis line

Lecture 5: Floor Thickness: extruding planar curves into solid volumes

Lecture 6: Calculating the Façade: preparing the façade surface using a loft component

Lecture 7: Calculating the Façade: continuation: effective use of domains and series

Lecture 8: Reflecting on the result: an overview of the result and adding some color

Chapter 6: Diving into the Data Trees

Lecture 1: Data Trees: Introduction, Grasshopper Data Tree diagram and Param Viewer

Lecture 2: Flatten, Merge and Graft: manipulating the list by restructuring the data tree

Lecture 3: Connect corresponding points on Curves: applying the Data Mapper and Flip Matrix

Lecture 4: Diagrid: structuring a surface with diagonal truss profiles

Lecture 5: Diagrid: continuing and finishing the previous example

Lecture 6: An alternative approach for a Diagrid: a façade two diagonal smooth curve pipes

Lecture 7: How to connect one parameter with two different ranges? Using a Remap component

Chapter 7: Optimisation and Evolution with Galapagos

Lecture 1: Introduction to the Galapagos Module, for optimisation and evolution

Lecture 2: A simple, trivial example to understand how to setup Galapagos

Lecture 3: A more complete example: optimising the parameters to reach a target area

Lecture 4: Some tips for better Fitness Functions: the most difficult part of optimisation

Chapter 8: Conclusion and Bonus

Lecture 1: Concluding lecture and some words on Grasshopper and its community

Lecture 2: Full Course eBook: get a printable PDF with the course summary and screenshots

Lecture 3: Thank you for taking this course