Organic tree/support, how would I achieve creating such a structural support? URGENT!

Please see the attached file The_Qatar_National_Convention_Center

So how would I go about creating such a structural support? I am just completely unsure where to even start? I would think maybe a lot of merging, meshes, booleans and etc. I can understand getting the form somewhat by creating cylinders but how would you get it rounded etc?

Thanks in advance!

If you have access to the Rhino 7 WIP, this will be a great use for the new _MultiPipe command.

The Qatar National Convention Centre (remember to include references) was generated using topology optimisation. See for instance this publication. I believe there are several plugins available for this in Rhino/Grasshopper (maybe do a search here and on Food4Rhino).

Edit: Daniel made a list of plugins here:

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Here are some articles on this project, done in Rhino:

Done today I would have taken the scan off the clay model. Then Rhino 7 Quadremesh > SubD. Then Paneling from there. Paneling had a lot to do with value engineering on that project, single curved vs doubly curved panels had to be in the right ratio to meet budget.



The project was done with SmartForm which is available on Food4Rhino

SmartForm is a suite of tools that allow you to rapidly model, analyse and optimise complex freeform shapes found in modern architecture. It has the following components:

  • SmartForm: to optimise a complex form in real time
  • SmartFormAnalyser: to rapidly analyse a form and panelisation scheme for a variety of parameters like planarity, distortion, etc.
  • SmartClustering: an innovative tool that reduces the amount of unique panels and nodes within a given form.

Hi Scott,

Thanks for your response!

I am currently on the Rhino 6 Evaluation trial, I am waiting for Rhino 7 to be released and then I will pay for it. But this insight has been great, I will play around with Rhino and get this figured out. Any other tips?

Hi Anders,

You’re right, my apologies!

I will have a look at the plugins. Currently SmartForm looks ideal. But will look at a few others.

Although this seems like exactly what I need, I do not have access to Rhino 7 :frowning: , I am on Rhino 6 evaluation and will be purchasing Rhino 7 when released.

The original project was done before without subD objects, so if is possible to do all this in rhino 6. To go from a scan to the 3d shape, I series of profile sections were made, rebuilt then lofted.

I’m pretty sure SmartForm doesn’t come with a topology optimisation routine. But perhaps it can be implemented to panelise and cluster the mesh output from a topology optimisation process. But I guess that’s also the question, are you looking to actually topology optimise something, or just model this exact structure, or something that “looks” like it.