+++
title = "Lampshades"
description = "An exploration of the depths of rhino/grasshopper"
date = 2022-12-04
authors = ["Aron Petau"]

[taxonomies]
tags = [
  "3d printing",
  "grasshopper",
  "lamp",
  "lampshade",
  "parametric",
  "private",
  "rhino",
  "studio d+c",
  "university of the arts berlin"
]

[extra]
show_copyright = true
show_shares = true
banner =  "lampshade4.png"
+++

## Lampshades

In 2022, I was introduced to some of the most powerful tools used by architects.
One of them was Rhino, a professional 3D modeling software widely used in architectural design.
Initially, I struggled with it - its interface felt dated and unintuitive, reminiscent of 1980s software design.
However, it has a robust plugin ecosystem, and one plugin in particular changed everything: Grasshopper, a visual programming language for creating parametric models.
Grasshopper is remarkably powerful, functioning as a full-fledged programming environment, while remaining intuitive and accessible. Its node-based workflow is similar to modern systems now appearing in Unreal Engine and Blender.
The only downside is that Grasshopper isn't standalone - it requires Rhino for both running and executing many modeling operations.

The combination of Rhino and Grasshopper transformed my perspective, and I began to appreciate the sophisticated modeling process.
I developed a parametric lampshade design that I'm particularly proud of - one that can be instantly modified to create endless variations.

3D printing the designs proved straightforward - using white filament in vase mode produced these elegant results:

{% gallery() %}
[
  {
    "file": "lampshade1.png",
    "alt": "Parametric Rhino/Grasshopper lampshade 1",
    "title": "A parametric lampshade made with Rhino and Grasshopper"
  },
  {
    "file": "lampshade2.png",
    "alt": "Parametric Rhino/Grasshopper lampshade 2",
    "title": "A parametric lampshade made with Rhino and Grasshopper"
  },
  {
    "file": "lampshade3.png",
    "alt": "Parametric Rhino/Grasshopper lampshade 3",
    "title": "A parametric lampshade made with Rhino and Grasshopper"
  },
  {
    "file": "lampshade4.png",
    "alt": "Parametric Rhino/Grasshopper lampshade 4",
    "title": "A parametric lampshade made with Rhino and Grasshopper"
  },
  {
    "file": "lampshade5.jpeg",
    "alt": "Parametric Rhino/Grasshopper lampshade 5",
    "title": "A parametric lampshade made with Rhino and Grasshopper"
  },
  {
    "file": "gh_lampshade_flow.png",
    "alt": "Grasshopper graph generating a parametric lampshade",
    "title": "The Grasshopper flow for the lampshade"
  },
  {
    "file": "grasshopper_lampshade_flow.png",
    "alt": "Another view of the Grasshopper script",
    "title": "The Grasshopper flow for the lampshade"
  },
  {
    "file": "result_rhino.png",
    "alt": "Rendered lampshade inside Rhino 3D",
    "title": "The resulting lampshade in Rhino"
  }
]
{% end %}