ABSTRACT
Houminn Studio in this project explored methods for creating molded geometries without the expense of one-off manufactured molds. Instead they explored a method for forming plastic over tensioned wires, in an assembly which can be quickly modified to create a variety of different compositions. A variety of tools exist for estimating the geometry that gravity will create across a surface or curve. The simplest of these is the catenary tool in the plug-in Grasshopper for Rhinoceros 3D. The simplest way, however, to visualize the system used in this instance is using the catenary tool in Grasshopper. In this case the locations of each cell located between wires, can be approximated by creating a catenary curve which moves between the two midpoints of two sides of the given cell. Lofting between these edges and the catenary will create an approximation of the surface between each cell. The longer the catenary curve is, the deeper the vault shape.
