Final Project: Algorithms and Scripting for Parametric Design

ARCH 655: Project 1

Somaye Seddighikhavidak

28 October 2019

The Image of the Physical Model[1]

Project: Main Station Stuttgart: Stuttgart 21

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

Built: Under Construction

International Competition 1997, 1^st Prize

GFA: 185000 m²

Architects: Peter Pistorius, Christoph Ingenhoven & Hinrich Schumacher[2]

Location of Project[3]

“The railway station “Stuttgart 21” is the core project in an overall effort to modernize the connection between Munich and Paris. The present terminus station in Stuttgart will be replaced by a 450 m long and 80 m wide underground through station designed by Ingenhoven Architects of Düsseldorf."[4]

Section Showing the Division Line for the Chalices[5]

The Image of the Physical Model[6]

Project one, ARCH 655, will recreate and remodel the Main Stuttgart Station with Rhinoceros 6.0 and Grasshopper parametric tools and definition, such as Kangaroo 0.99 and 2.00. The project consists of three main parts: the columns, the semi-dome roofs, and the station box. Columns are called “chalices”.[7] The project was more challenging in the part of the chalice since it was constantly varying shell thickness. The structural design for solving this problem is compared to using bars in the bents in reality. ‘The complicated geometry of the chalice-shaped pillars is reflected in the reinforcement, which comprises approximately 11,000 different, partly three-dimensionally bent rebars.’[8] The answer to this problem was achieved directly in Rhinoceros through scripting, the data could be exported indirectly from Rhino into Grasshopper by means of text instructions.

Image of the Rebar’s Cage[9]

Columns:

3D-model of the Main Rebars’ Cage Produced by Rhinoceros

The structure of pillars was divided into two areas which could be better modeled. Rebars in the lower level in chalices were modeled architecturally using Rhino by 9 control points. Then they are produced in Grasshopper by “Nurb Curves.” Each rebar was considered as a curve to create a lofted surface. To distribute the chalices in determined points, they were joined into a single mesh. Then, the upper level was produced by a sweep surface with two rail curves.

3D-models of a Chalice Produced by Grasshopper

This process was developed first for one column and then extended to the whole station.

3D-model of Chalices Produced by Grasshopper

The Semi-dome Roofs (Lighting Cones)

3D-model of the Semi-dome Roofs Produced by Grasshopper

This part is created by circles in Grasshopper centered at determined points in Rhino. Then it is rotated to create the opening of the roof. A lofted surface is created between the rotated circle and the horizontal one and they are merged with each other as one component. This process also implemented to the top of all columns. 

One of the cones is baked after using Kangaroo 0.99 components to show more forces hidden in the curve.  In this project, the interior edges are used to show the upper and the lower edges of the mesh to be considered as the anchor points for Kangaroo.

 3D-model of the Baked Semi-dome Roof Produced by Grasshopper

The Station Box

This box is the result of a solid difference in two Brep sets. The first Brep set is a fillet rectangular box and the second Brep set is cylindrical surfaces. Fillet edges needed deconstructed edges produced by the deconstruction of the first Brep.

Analyzing the curved surfaces in terms of geometry using color-mapping

ARCH 655_Project 1:Parametric Modeling and Physically-based Form Finding

Endnotes

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[1] Chris Sleight, “Site Report: Stuttgart 21,” KHL, 2014, accessed October 27, 2019, https://www.khl.com/site-report-stuttgart-21/103780.article

[2] Holcim Awards: Sustainable Construction, 48-57, http://src.lafargeholcimfoundation.org/flip/A05/HolcimAwards0506/html/index.html:

[3] R. Bechmann, A. Schmid, T. Noack, W. Sobek: Uncharted Waters for Engineers and Contractors Alike: Stuttgart’s New Main Station and Its Complex Geometry

[4] Lucio Blandini, Albert Schuster, and Werner Sobek: “The Railway Station “Stuttgart 21”: Structural Modelling and Fabrication of Double Curved Concrete Surfaces” Computational Design Modeling Proceedings of the Design Modeling Symposium, Berlin 2011: 217

[5] Ibid, 220.

[6] Ibid, 220.

[7] Ibid, 219.

[8] Ed. Zublin AG, Birgit Kummel, “ZUBIN realizing for Deutsche Bahn a reinforced concrete roof that is a work of art,” Zublin, 2019, 3.

[9] Sulzle Stahlpartner,  “Stuttgart 21- Central Station,” accessed October 27, 2019, https://suelzle-stahlpartner.de/en/about-us/references/stuttgart-21