Tag Archives: parametric design

This futuristic car was almost entirely designed by computer algorithms

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Using a technique called parametric design or generative design, automotive designer Ayoub Ahmad created the HV-001 by defining a set of conditions and allowing 3D algorithms to create an organic-looking automobile to fulfill those conditions. If the design looks almost like a skeleton, that’s no coincidence because natural evolution works the same way too – it designs skeletons based on a certain set of conditions. Humans have strong heels and tailbones for standing and sitting, birds have lightweight skeletons for flying, and goats have strong skulls for occasionally headbutting.

The car’s chassis itself becomes its body, with an exoskeletal framework that’s so organic and beautiful, it would be a shame to hide it under a fascia. The HV-001’s unique exterior tries to achieve strength and aerodynamism with as little material as possible, resulting in open spaces where material isn’t necessary, and connective pillars in places that take on gravitational stress, physical loads, or mechanical pressure. As far as surfaces go, the HV-001 opts for an almost mesh-like surface that has its own dimples or negative spaces to remove unnecessary material and reduce the car’s weight, making it more energy-efficient.

Designer: Ayoub Ahmad

The car’s uniquely skeletal design isn’t unlike the Formula 1 perfume bottles Ross Lovegrove designed in 2019 (he used parametric design too). With such intricately complicated forms, it’s almost axiomatic to rely on 3D printing to build out your creations. The car’s design definitely hints at being 3D printed, with the number of undercuts, contours, and complex surfaces all across its exoskeleton. The unique organic design isn’t just limited to the car’s chassis – its wheels have organic 3D printed rims, and the car’s cockpit (even its steering wheel) echoes the same organic generative design language. I wasn’t kidding when I said the HV-001 was almost entirely designed by algorithms!

The three most common parameters that define such designs are A. Strength, B. Minimal material/weight, and C. Aerodynamics to limit drag and boost efficiency. Simply looking at the car’s contours help you understand what path the air would take as the car cuts through it. The vehicle has a defined contour running along the sides, and an abundance of air intakes and outlets to keep the vehicle cool even when it hits maximum speeds. Fins on the back help cut and channel air too, and the lack of a traditional exhaust system is enough to make an educated guess that the HV-001 is powered by an electric or hydrogen-powered drivetrain. The car is conceptual, however, and is most likely just a form exercise by designer Ayoub Ahmad, a Dubai-based automotive designer.

The post This futuristic car was almost entirely designed by computer algorithms first appeared on Yanko Design.

This parametric 3D printed sneaker is made entirely out of one single flexible material

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Like Crocs, but infinitely cooler…

The Parametriks Print 001 sneaker makes clever use of design and material sciences to create a sneaker that’s comfortable, stylish, and easy to manufacture. Sort of like how crocks just use one material that’s injection-molded into the shape of a shoe, the Print 001 relies on 3D printing to fabricate its design… which was arrived at by using parametric algorithms.

Parametric Design involves the use of computational parameters that help guide the design process. In a lot of ways, it’s a collaborative design effort between human and computer, as the human sets the parameters and the computer comes up with a form that most efficiently fulfills those parameters. In the case of this shoe, Nathan Smith (also known by his Instagram moniker Parametriks) used a custom algorithm on Grasshopper to create a form that enveloped a foot perfectly while utilizing less material yet offering the same amount of flexibility.

The shoe/sneaker uses a rather intriguing triangular mesh matrix that warps right around the wearer’s foot, fitting it perfectly thanks to the shoe’s bespoke design. Made from TPU, the shoe is about as flexible as a pair of Crocs, while looking infinitely cooler and offering a level of breathability and flexibility that’s unmatched. Sure, the holes on the shoe’s sole open you up to pebbles, thorns, and water, but then again, this piece of footwear is purely experimental as it hopes to explore what a parametric piece of footwear can look like. I’d say I’m pretty happy with the visual results!

Together, 3D printing and parametric design could essentially revolutionize the footwear industry. 3D printing is increasingly being used by companies like Adidas to design forms that can’t be made through traditional manufacturing methods. Parametric design, on the other hand, involves using the wearer’s foot shape and size as a parametric input, so the computer knows what to wrap its material around. This allows footwear to be incredibly personal and unique to the wearer, making them just as, if not more comfortable than regular mass-manufactured shoes.

You can check out more of Nathan’s work on his Instagram.

Designer: Nathan Smith

The post This parametric 3D printed sneaker is made entirely out of one single flexible material first appeared on Yanko Design.

These 3D-Printed lamps were designed using algorithms that copy coral growth patterns

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John Mauriello, the designer behind the Coral Lighting Collection, has a very beautiful way of describing his creation. You’re not looking at a lamp, or a coral… you’re looking at a moment frozen in time. These lamps are the work of complex algorithms simulating natural growth, but they’re also just as equally the moment that John decided to press pause on the simulation.

Say hello to Timor, Sargasso, and Celebes, three members of John’s Coral Lighting Collection. Inspired by different styles of corals, the lamps come with varying aesthetics that reflect the visual characteristics of each coral-type. The way John went about creating these unique lights was to first develop the computational design algorithms that mimic growth patterns found in nature. “The lighting collection is my way of paying tribute to the beauty of the ocean. As a veteran surfer, I’ve experienced the power and beauty of the ocean while enjoying each wave as its own unique moment in time. One of many magical living structures in our great oceans is coral. With a diverse range of color, shape, and scale, coral is an entire ecosystem of thriving life. My lighting celebrates this life”, says Mauriello.

Designed to look just as pretty even when switched off, the lamps are part installation, part lighting design. As pretty as any ornate vase, each lamp comes with a stable design that allows it to stand on its base without tipping over. Printed in a white cloudy material (almost resembling ceramic), the lamps come with LED lights built-in, which shine through the lamp’s uneven cross-section to create brighter and duller regions based on the form. It’s captivating to look at when switched off… but switch it on and it looks hauntingly beautiful! In an effort to reduce waste and curb carbon emissions, all lamps are 3D printed in the USA, using processes that allow for recycling of any waste material in the manufacturing process. The lamps will be up for presale soon, you can head down to John Mauriello’s website to leave your email and get notified when the collection goes on sale.

Designer: John Mauriello

Parametric ceramics that ditch the potter’s wheel for algorithms

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I’d make some wise remark about spinning wheels versus spinning hard-disks, but it would probably require a fair bit of explanation. Parametric design is a term often used in industrial design and architecture to describe computer-aided design where algorithms become a part of the design process, and is a relatively new concept to ceramics and pottery (although to be true, it is gaining popularity). Jimmy Jian and Jack Liu’s use of parametric modeling in ceramics results in some stunning pieces that combine the natural appeal of glazed pottery with the sharp edges brought about by the parametric design process. Created as a series of homeware, Jian and Liu’s Parametric Ceramics are tradition and modernity brought together. The slip-casted ceramic pieces come with beautifully edgy textures that one would never get off a potter’s wheel. These textures are, however, softened slightly with a thick coat of glazed hues that make each ceramic piece vibrant and absolutely inviting!

Designers: Jimmy Jian & Jack Liu.

Parametrically designed ‘Generico Chair’ takes on your weight with half the volume

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Designed using generative algorithms, the Generico Chair by Marco Hemmerling and Ulrich Nether fall under the domain of computational or parametric design, i.e., the use of computational algorithms in the design process. The generative design process allows the software to add its expertise by achieving a design that fulfills certain parameters. In this case, the chair retains its strength and also comes with a flexible backrest, but with a volume that’s drastically cut down, and that uses less material, thanks to its voronoi-esque design.

The Generico Chair not only cuts down on volume, but it also maintains a certain level of ergonomic design so the chair is comfortable to sit on. The chair is then 3D printed, given that the generative design comes with its share of manufacturing constraints. It, however, retains a beautiful, skeletal charm that’s brought about by the unique combination of creativity and the software-aided form design.

Designers: Marco Hemmerling and Ulrich Nether.

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