Adaptive Components_Lina Lee

Parametric and generative modeling has become increasingly popular in the world of architectural design. Many software developers release applications that support this kind of modeling. To parametrically generate parametric modeling software such as Grasshopper is an amazingly powerful tool and workflow. And the Digital Project is also broad and powerful software in parametric modeling.

There are two main types of object in grasshopper which is parameters and components. Parameters are used to input variables and feed them into components that transform them and output the result, which may be geometry or simply data that can be input into further components. This visual system allows highly complex systems to be created in a flexible and non-linear way and enables relationship between different operations to be easily laid bare. Unlike grasshopper, digital project operates at a more fundamental level than other modeling software. It is able to deal with very complex shapes, really large and complex models, and came with all the utilities embedded into Catia from PowerCopy to optimization algorithms or user-defined feature, which allows you to control associatively at the component level, rather than across an entire system. The PowerCopy tool is one of the most beneficial items in Digital Project. By selecting a few simple inputs, we can instantiate a large parametric system into various configurations. I think, both of software is really great, it’s a good way for people who have never worked in parametric to get a visual idea of how parametric software works.