Final Poster

Renders of Iterations

Medium Level density lofting and piping

Medium level piping, low level lofting

Medium Level piping

High Level density piping and lofting

High Level piping with Medium Level lofting

High level piping

High Level piping and lofting

Medium level piping and low level lofting

Medium level piping

Exploded Model

Low level connections

Low level connections

Low level piping

Sub surface texture increases density

Grasshopper Document

Originally I had the lofting and piping occuring from the same point within the double diagram. To gain the best effect of the concept of deterioration I needed to use and manipulate the flowgraph for both aspects, toggling sliders to different levels on each surface. By copying the flowgraph in two locations, it is easier to manipulate the two surfaces separately to gain a better effect.

Poster Text

Osteoporosis is the medical term used when there is excessive loss of protein and mineral content, in particular calcium, in the bone. The term literally means “porous bones”. The bone mass becomes decreased as the structure breaks down and then the bone becomes extremely fragile. Bone constantly renews itself in a two stage process. In the reabsorption stage, cells called osteoclasts break down and remove the old bone. In the formation stage, cells called osteoblasts build new bone. Until a human’s mid 30s more bone is produced than removed, when it reaches its maximum mass and strength. Thereafter the skeleton slowly declines. Osteoporosis is the acceleration of this decline either by increased aging process or due to disease or prolonged use of certain medications. The main picture represents normal bone depicted as a more dense structure. Osteoporosis involves the slow breakdown of structure which I have divided into 4 stages. In the first stage I have used high level density, radii and a larger number of points with increased connections. In the second and third stages these levels are reduced down to finally the fourth stage which constitutes the final deterioration and breakdown of the structure. In each stage I have depicted three iterations. The first iteration i The model represents the basic bone structure using piping between random points to create the basic framework. I have then applied lofting through the same points, the lofting represents the protein and mineral content of the bone structure. In each stage I have depicted three iterations. The first iteration is a combination of piping and lofting at the maximum levels for each stage. In the second iteration the lofting is reduced by reducing the number of proximity points to find and the radius of that search, thereby reducing the number of points on which to connect in the series. The final iteration in each stage is the remaining piping representing the core structure of the bone. In the fourth stage the levels are reduced to a minimum and the points of connection are distanced causing the breakdown of the structure representing full blown osteoporosis. The more simplified the form becomes the more refined, beautiful and delicate it appears yet there is something underlying that makes it repulsive as this beauty causes immense pain and suffering to its carrier. I find this dichotomy intriguing, that one can find beauty in pain.

Week 4 - Models

Having had enormous difficulty trying to create the sort of model I wished to interpret bone structure and the effects of osteoporosis, I came up with this model. I began with piping but when I put in lofting it gave me a closer impression of the form I was looking for. My iterations largely consist of the node adjustments which allow the model to reduce in form reflecting the effect of osteoporosis on bones. I also have some iterations of different surface types ie lofting, piping and sum surface. Combining two of these styles produces interesting effects.

Model In Rhinocerous using Grasshopper Plugin Grasshopper Document

INTERESTING COMBINATIONS OF SURFACE STYLE:

Loft and Pipe Loft and Pipe Pipe and Sum Surface Pipe and Loft Pipe and Loft

MINIMAL STRUCTURE REFLECTING MAXIMUM OSTEOPOROSIS:

Minimum Value Iteration Minimum Value Iteration Minimum Value Iteration Minimum Value Iteration

MID RANGE VALUE ITERATIONS

Mid Range Iteration

Mid Range Iteration Mid Range Iteration Mid Range Iteration Mid Range Iteration

DIFFERENT SURFACE TYPES: Sum Surface Model

Loft Model Pipe Model

SINGLE MODEL SHOWING MINIMAL, MID RANGE AND MAXIMUM OSTEOPOROSIS:

Minimum Values Mid Range Values Maximum Values

THE NUMBER OF POINTS TO SPLIT AT PROVIDES GREATER/LESSER COMPLEXITY OF STRUCTURE:

Splitting Points Index 70 Splitting Points Index 50 Splitting Points Index 30

REDUCING RADIUS TO SEARCH FOR POINTS TO JOIN REDUCES THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STRUCTURE:

Proximity - Optimum Maximum Search Radius 35

Proximity - Optimum Maximum Search Radius 25 Proximity - Optimum Maximum Search Radius 15 FINDING MAX NO OF CLOSEST POINTS INCREASES/DECREASES COMPLEXITY OF STRUCTURE:

Proximity - Maximum Number Of Closest Points To Find 6 Proximity - Maximum Number Of Closest Points To Find 4 Proximity - Maximum Number Of Closest Points To Find 3 NUMBER OF VALUES IN SERIES GIVES INCREASED NUMBER OF JOINTS:

Number Of Values In Series 20 Number Of Values In Series 15 Number of Values In Series 10

JITTER SHUFFLE REFLECTS A CRUSHING OF THE STRUCTURE:

Jitter Shuffle Value 1.0

Jitter Shuffle Value 0.6 Jitter Shuffle Value 0.2