11368 Introduction to Parametric Modelling
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10271 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10272 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10322 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10423 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10004 Bachelor of Design Architecture OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10325 Bachelor of Design Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09079 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours)
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
The advent of user friendly, graphic-based coding tools like Grasshopper 3D have expanded the opportunity for architects at all skill levels to learn and apply parametric modelling without the need to learn text based coding languages. In the past decade, Grasshopper 3D, and the environment it created (vis-à-vis open source and free plugins), have strengthened and supported architectural approaches to design problems, allowing for the integration of analytic and generative approaches within the design process, equipping designers with quicker access to data driven analysis and a wider range of morphological variation in their design output.
Offices worldwide have adopted these tools and so they have become integral to the technical literacy of computational designers. Most offices have established research groups and departments dedicated to the application of these tools, which has proliferated in their application on projects of all scales. Most importantly, these tools are parameter based, i.e., the relationship of one parameter to the other and the impact of this relationship on the form that is being generated. This is the basic principle of parametric modelling, which is most clearly observed through graphic based coding. As such, this elective teaches the use of Grasshopper 3D from beginner to intermediate level (depending on the pace of the class, some advanced material may also be taught) and the various ways in which the tool can be applied in the design process. Various plugins are taught, and students are encouraged to propose plugins they are interested in as well!
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Gain expertise in Parametric Modelling using Grasshopper 3D. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Demonstrate understanding in the foundations of parametric modelling, with a focus on data sets and tree structures. |
| 3. | Demonstrate ability to utilise advanced digital tools and various scales, examining their application on global and local architectural scales, and resolving the design challenges associated with both these scales. |
| 4. | Demonstrate ability to visualise parameter based outputs through various mediums, including animations |
| 5. | Demonstrate ability to use 3rd party plugins for Grasshopper 3D |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Establish and develop an informed and ethical position towards social, technical and environmental issues and practices (A.1)
- Recognise and appreciate local and global cultural diversities and values (A.2)
- Creatively use architectural media, technologies and materials (I.2)
- Understand and challenge disciplinary conventions through an engagement with emergent forms of architectural practice, technologies and modes of production (P.1)
- Define, develop and apply an appropriate design method in the execution of an architectural project (R.2)
- Independently analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives (R.3)
Teaching and learning strategies
Forms of subject delivery and learning activities are determined in negotiation with the academic supervisor. This may include inquiry-based studio lectures and related discussion, problem identification and analysis, experiential immersion and practice-oriented sessions. The nature of the learning activities will be determined by the subject context with a view to establishing authentic and relatable links to industry practice or research. Active learning activities will test understanding using higher order skills inherent in analysis, peer and tutor critique, empathetic discussion and artefact output. Students should be aware of the expectations for preparatory work and how this links to activities undertaken in scheduled meetings. Online resources for this subject are located on UTS Online.
Students will have several opportunities to receive feedback during the subject. The feedback provided will vary in form, purpose and in its degree of formality:
Formative feedback will be provided during the learning process, typically provided verbally by the subject's teaching staff. It will address the content of work and a student's approach to learning, both in general and more specific ‘assessment orientated’ terms. It is designed to help students improve their performance in time for the submission of an assessment item. For this to occur students need to respond constructively to the feedback provided. This involves critically reflecting on advice given and in response altering the approach taken to a given assessment. Formative feedback may also, on occasion, be provided by other students. It is delivered informally, either in conversation during a tutorial or in the course of discussion at the scale of the whole class. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during meetings or studio sessions.
Summative feedback is provided in written form with all assessed work. It is published along with indicative grades online at UTS REVIEW. Summative feedback focuses on assessment outcomes. It is used to indicate --how successfully a student has performed in terms of specific assessment criteria.
Content (topics)
The subject content will be arranged in consultation with the supervising academic. Each application of study should be required to outline the core learning objectives of the project, the topics and themes to be studied, provide a timetable for the semester’s work and the types of assessment suitable for the projects. Students will be required to attend at least two group meetings where they will present their findings to others enrolled in the special project subjects.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Assessment Task 1A/B: Multiple choice quizzes 1 and 2
| Intent: | General Information: Students will demonstrate their understanding of parametric design tools, as well as their grasp for the application of these tools, at varying degrees of complexity and scale. Students will demonstrate that they have a strong understanding of the foundations of the use of these tools, as such, students must refrain from using the tools by means of copying other examples, and instead, understand the underlying principles for how these tools function. Students will demonstrate their knowledge through four assessment tasks. The first three tasks (1 A/B/C) are multiple choice quizzes that test the student on the knowledge gained in previous classes. The fourth assessment task is a take home exercise in which students must produce an animation created by grasshopper. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1 and 2 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.1 and A.2 | ||||||||||||
| Type: | Quiz/test | ||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Test the student’s expertise and knowledge on various grasshopper methods, techniques, and skills. Students will be examined on their knowledge on various methods associated with parametric modelling in grasshopper. The exam will be held in class time and will be multiple choice. | ||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Assessment Task 1C: Multiple choice quiz 3
| Intent: | General Information: Students will demonstrate their understanding of parametric design tools, as well as their grasp for the application of these tools, at varying degrees of complexity and scale. Students will demonstrate that they have a strong understanding of the foundations of the use of these tools, as such, students must refrain from using the tools by means of copying other examples, and instead, understand the underlying principles for how these tools function. Students will demonstrate their knowledge through four assessment tasks. The first three tasks (1 A/B/C) are multiple choice quizzes that test the student on the knowledge gained in previous classes. The fourth assessment task is a take home exercise in which students must produce an animation created by grasshopper. | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): I.2 and P.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Quiz/test | ||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 25% | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Test the student’s expertise and knowledge on various grasshopper methods, techniques, and skills. Students will be examined on their knowledge on various methods associated with parametric modelling in grasshopper. The exam will be held in class time and will be multiple choice. | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Assessment Task 2: Grasshopper Animation
| Intent: | General Information: Students will demonstrate their understanding of parametric design tools, as well as their grasp for the application of these tools, at varying degrees of complexity and scale. Students will demonstrate that they have a strong understanding of the foundations of the use of these tools, as such, students must refrain from using the tools by means of copying other examples, and instead, understand the underlying principles for how these tools function. Students will demonstrate their knowledge through four assessment tasks. The first three tasks (1 A/B/C) are multiple choice quizzes that test the student on the knowledge gained in previous classes. The fourth assessment task is a take home exercise in which students must produce an animation created by grasshopper. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): I.2, P.1, R.2 and R.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Exercises | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 25% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria: | Test the student’s expertise and knowledge on various grasshopper methods, techniques, and skills, all of which are demonstrated through the development of an animation created in Grasshopper 3D. Students are required to create an animation in Grasshopper using the various skills learnt in class. The animation can be of one of the inclass exercises learnt in the semester, or (and this is preffered) an animation of their design studio project. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.