GSD2020_Representation + Landscape_ Grasshopper Docofosser Tutorial One

Representation + Landscape

Landscape Architecture Program Graduate School of Design Harvard University

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CONTE NTS

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do cofo sser i nterface

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su rface g ri d generati o n

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path generati o n

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sl o pe vecto rs

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water l evel

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intro ductio n Docofossor is a terrain modeling plugin for Rhino 6 + Grasshopper. It enables easy editing of cut and fill operations for landscape architecture.

This tutorial will recreate an abstraction of Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty (1970) to introduce the docofosser workflow.

Link to Download https://www.food4rhino.com/app/docofossor

Download Instructions In the grasshopper window, go to file > special folders > components then copy the .ghpy file there

Reference Paper HURKXKENS, I., BERNHARD, M. (2019). Computational Terrain Modeling with Distance Functions for Large Scale Landscape Design. In: Buhmann, E., Ervin, S., Helh-Lange, S., Palmer, J. (Eds.), Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, 4-2019, Wichmann Verlag, Berlin.

Components Documentation github.com/dbt-ethz/docofossor

Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty, 1970. Š Holt/Smithson Foundation and Dia Art Foundation/Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Photo: George Steinmetz

Case Study Reference https://www.diaart.org/visit/visit-our-locationssites/robert-smithson-spiral-jetty

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interface Once installed, docofosser components will be accessible via grasshopper plug-in for Rhino. Select the docofosser tab, and you will see the collection of icons as shown on the left.

Analysis Set of tools that analyze the shortest path, viewshed, and slope vectors

Generative Set of tools that generate noise in the docofosser surface grid

Geometry Set of tools that translate docofosser distancefield (df) to mesh or grid points

Grid Set of tools for manipulating the docofosser grid

I/O Set of tools that import/export ASC or XYZ file to and from docofosser grid

Operations Absolute The absolute mode takes points, open curves or surfaces as input and operates directly on the terrain in place. It moves the existing terrain to a specific new location.

Operations Relative The relative mode takes points, open curves or closed curves as input but instead operates in relation to the found topography. It moves the existing terrain by a specific distance.

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s ur fa ce g r i d gen erat i on

1. In grasshopper, create a 200m x 200m rectangle on XY-Plane to approximate the flat ground of the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.

2. Divide Surface into a desired U Count and V Count. In this case, the surface is divided 49 times, creating a 50 x 50 grid points. The flat rectangular surface is now represented as a grid of 2500 points. *note that you can use the ASC or XYZ import function to bring in site topography, instead of generating a flat grid.

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p at h ge n e rati on

3. Create a spiral curve on the XY plane in Rhino.

Spiral>Flat 4. Set this curve to a “curve� component in grasshopper. We will be using this shortly.

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5. Bring up “import points” (under docofosser>I/O) to tranlate the surface grid generated in step 2 to docofosser distance field.

6. Bring up “fill on path” (docofosser>operations relative), so that we can plug in the disatance field , and the curve we generated in step 3 + 4. * experiment with different components under operations absolute and operations relative to find the right tool for your design. https://github.com/dbt-ethz/docofossor/blob/master/DOCUMENTATION.md

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7. Bring up “grid mesh” (docofosser>geometry) to translate the distance field (df) output to a mesh.

8. Connect a “panel” to the volume (vol) output to display the volume of fill added to terrain. * In case of “cut” operation, this will be the volume displaced.

9. Use “smooth mesh” component to reduce jagged edges of the mesh. Adjust the strength and iterations sliders until you achieve the appropriate level of smoothness for your design.

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s l o p e ve c to rs

10. Bring up “grid points” component (docofosser>geometry), connect distance field output (df) from step 6.

11. Bring up “slope vectors” component (docofosser>analysis), connect distance field output (df) from step 6.

12. Using “unit vector” component (native to gh), unitize the vectors.

13. Using “vector amplitude” component (native to gh), adjust the display length of the vectors.

14. Bring up “vector diplay ex” component (native to gh) to display the vectors on grasshopper screen.

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conto u r

15. Bring up “contour� component (native to gh), connect the output mesh from step 9 to shape input.

16. Specify the contour distance, connect to distance input.

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wate r l eve l

17. Create “XY Plane” (native to gh).

18. “Move” (native to gh) this plane up in “Unit Z” (native to gh) to approximate the water level.

19. Bring up “mesh | plane” component (native to gh), connect mesh output from step 9 and connect plane output from step 18.

20. Bring up “surface split” component (native to gh), connect the initial flat rectangular surface from step 1, and curve output from step 19.

21. Using the “list item” component (native to gh), select the appropriate surface to represent the water surface as it intersects with the newly formed topography.

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m o d e l p rev i ew

model preview with slope vectors + water level

model preview with contours + water level

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