OVERVIEW
The following App was designed in relation to NEBULAE: ORBITAL SPACE HABITAT – STUDIO PROJECT where the original modules present a different variation. The application presents the user with the option of designing their own modules. The modules change their façade shape, selecting the number of openings and external panels. The App was designed so that the user finds an easy-to-use interface with parameters imported from Grasshopper. These parameters are introduced in the form of sliders, offering dynamic operability. Finally, this application is designed for three types of users. Experimental User: use of the app for fun. User Code: clone of the script for personal use. Design User: Download the Model for personal use.
CONTEXT
As mentioned, the app is based on the Studio Project – Nebulae using its 3D octahedron base model as the main geometry. The project is based on two types of structures for interior and exterior constraints for the inflatable facade. For this App, the main structure is now an exo-skeleton for solar panel placement.
GEOMETRY – GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION
The grasshopper definition uses native components and is divided into two sections. First the module design and aggregation and then the panelling system implementation. The modules aggregate depending on the number of inhabitants. The initial module is for 6 inhabitants and it grows its size to contain up to 48 people. Then, the panels are instantiated as an exoskeleton. The definition allows the user to place the panels in the selected module, offset the structure from the main facade and chose the desired pattern.
USER
The App can be used by anyone, presenting a simple interface. It can be used only for visualisations and exploring geometry changes. Also, the code can be downloaded by anyone who wants to see how the definition works. Also, the model can be downloaded to Rhino for any design user who wants to change its geometry.
WORKFLOW
The workflow starts by cloning the rhino.compute repository from Github. Then, prepare the Java script to host the grasshopper definition. Prepare the App as a website using HTML. Finally deploying the App in Heroku for testing.
APP DESIGN
The app presents four sections within its main container. The first section is the module scaling which contains a single slider. The next section is the module design, where the user changes the number of windows and the desired size openings. The third section allows the user to instantiate the panels, select their offset from the module, and also the pattern design.
WORKING APP
APP LINK – HERE
CREDITS
NEBULAE: ORBITAL SPACE HABITAT – INTEGRATIVE MODELING is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed at Masters in Advanced Computation and Design (MaCAD) in 2020/2021 by student: Pablo Jaramillo and Faculty: David Andrés León, Hesham Shawqy.