Grasshopper 3D Explained

Grasshopper
Developer:	Robert McNeel and associates
Designer:	David Rutten
Latest Release Version:	1.0
Operating System:	Windows 2000 and later, MacOS
Genre:	Visual Programming
License:	Proprietary
Paradigm:	visual programming
File Ext:	.gh (binary), .ghx (ascii), .gha (plugins)

Grasshopper is a visual programming language and environment that runs within the Rhinoceros 3D computer-aided design (CAD) application. The program was created by David Rutten at Robert McNeel & Associates.^[1] Programs are created by dragging components onto a canvas. The outputs of these components are then connected to the inputs of subsequent components.

Overview

Grasshopper is primarily used to build generative algorithms, such as for generative art.^{[2] [3]} Many of Grasshopper's components create 3D geometry.^[4] Programs may also contain other types of algorithms including numeric, textual,^[5] audio-visual^[6] and haptic applications.

Advanced uses of Grasshopper include parametric modelling for structural engineering,^[7] parametric modelling for architecture and fabrication,^[8] lighting performance analysis for eco-friendly architecture^[9] and building energy consumption.^[9]

The first version of Grasshopper, then called Explicit History, was released in September 2007.^{[10] [11]} Grasshopper has become part of the standard Rhino toolset in Rhino 6.0 and later.

AEC Magazine stated that Grasshopper is "Popular among students and professionals, McNeel Associate’s Rhino modelling tool is endemic in the architectural design world. The new Grasshopper environment provides an intuitive way to explore designs without having to learn to script."^[12] Research supporting this claim has come from product design^[13] and architecture.^[14]

See also

• Architectural engineering
• Comparison of CAD software
• Design computing
• Parametric design
• Generative design
• Responsive computer-aided design
• Visual programming language

Further reading

• K Lagios, J Niemasz and C F Reinhart, "Animated Building Performance Simulation (ABPS) - Linking Rhinoceros/Grasshopper with Radiance/Daysim", Accepted for Publication in the Proceedings of SimBuild 2010, New York City, August 2010 (full article).
• J Niemasz, J Sargent, C F Reinhart, "Solar Zoning and Energy in Detached Residential Dwellings", Proceedings of SimAUD 2011, Boston, April 2011
• Arturo Tedeschi, Architettura Parametrica - Introduzione a Grasshopper, II edizione, Le Penseur, Brienza 2010,
• Arturo Tedeschi, Parametric Architecture with Grasshopper, Le Penseur, Brienza 2011,
• Arturo Tedeschi, AAD Algorithms-Aided Design, Parametric Strategies using Grasshopper, Le Penseur, Brienza 2014,
• Pedro Molina-Siles, Parametric Environment. The Handbook of grasshopper. Nodes & Exercises , Universitat Politècnica de València, 2016.
• Diego Cuevas, Advanced 3D Printing with Grasshopper: Clay and FDM (2020).

Notes and References

1. News: Tedeschi . Arturo . Intervista a David Rutten . MixExperience Tools1 . Naples, Italy . 28–29 . it, en . MixExperience . January 2011 . February 8, 2011.
2. Web site: Loomis . Mark . About Generative Design platforms by Mark Loomis . Designplaygrounds . December 23, 2010 . Blog . February 9, 2011 . March 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230306073522/http://designplaygrounds.com/deviants/about-generative-design-platforms-by-mark-loomis/ . dead .
3. Web site: Loomis . Mark . Rhino Grasshopper VS Generative Components . Designplaygrounds . January 10, 2011 . Blog . February 9, 2011 . March 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230306073522/http://designplaygrounds.com/deviants/rhino-grasshopper-vs-generative-components/ . dead .
4. Book: A sample of grasshopper generated forms . Akos . Gil . Parsons . Ronnie . StudioMode Beta . Blog.
5. A list of functions to link to datastreams containing numbers and text information Web site: Fraguada . Luis . LaN co-director .
6. Kudless . Andrew . Biodynamic Structures Workshop . Biodigital Architecture Master . photos . AA San Francisco Visiting School . July 2011 . California College of the Arts, San Francisco . February 9, 2011 . January 24, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110124144546/http://sanfrancisco.aaschool.ac.uk/ . dead .
7. Book: Georgiou, Odysseas . Performance Based Interactive Analysis (Computational Design Modeling: Proceedings of the Design Modeling Symposium Berlin 2011) . Springer Science & Business Media . October 12, 2011 . 978-3642234354.
8. Book: Tedeschi, Arturo . Parametric Architecture with Grasshopper: Primer . Le Penseur . 2011 . 978-8895315102.
9. Book: Willis, Dan . Energy Accounts: Architectural Representations of Energy, Climate, and the Future . Routledge . June 23, 2016 . 978-1317428787.
10. Web site: GH's Origin? – Grasshopper . August 20, 2019.
11. Web site: David . Rutten . Back home . I Eat Bugs for Breakfast . November 10, 2013 . May 22, 2020.
12. Web site: Martyn . Day . Rhino Grasshopper . June 2, 2009 . AEC Magazine . February 7, 2011.
13. Novak . James . Loy . Jennifer . February 9, 2017 . Recoding Product Design Education: Visual Coding for Human Machine Interfaces . KnE Engineering . 2 . 2 . 227 . 10.18502/keg.v2i2.620 . 2518-6841 . 10536/DRO/DU:30120570 . free.
14. Celani . Gabriela . Vaz . Carlos Eduardo Verzola . 2012 . CAD Scripting and Visual Programming Languages for Implementing Computational Design Concepts: A Comparison from a Pedagogical Point of View . International Journal of Architectural Computing . en . 10 . 1 . 121–137 . 10.1260/1478-0771.10.1.121 . 62593155 . 1478-0771.