Getting Started with Alexandria
Alexandria is designed to allow novice Grasshopper users the ability to quickly and easily create
patterns, geometries, and arrays. Users can then use the various tools to modify the elements they have
created parametrically. On this page, those just getting started with Alexandria can learn the basic
inputs and outputs required to begin their design process.
Every creative and design process is fluid. This list is organized in a way that explains the process of
using the plugin in terms of chronological steps a user may take, but it is not ordered
numerically. Alexandria is designed to be flexible and to avoid having a user follow a pre-determined
algorithm for their creations.
With that in mind, this is a general end-user framework, not the Ten Commandments of Alexandria
(although perhaps that would have been a cooler name). The only rule is to design beautiful things,
whatever they may be.
This is not an exhaustive list of components and features in Alexandria.
The Builder Library
The Builder Library houses components which allow users to create a variety of parametric designs at various scales using different geometries and inputs to modify them quickly and easily.
Base Inputs and Constructing a Base
Base Inputs
Rectangle: A 1x1 rectangle
Polygon: A 1x1 polygon
Origin Point: Point located at (0,0,0)
Attractor Point: Pre-defined point located on XY-Plane
Attractor Curve: Pre-defined curve located on XY-Plane
Constructing a Base
Construct Point: Define a point using X- and Y-axes vector
This can be
used later to create user-defined attractor or origin point
Construct Geometry Array: Construct a geometry array
This is defined by
a base geometry, the X and Y scale of the base geometry, and the extent of
the array in the X- and Y-axes
2-Dimensional Attractors
Scaled Curve Attractor
Attractors, in a broad sense, allow users to manipulate geometries based on distance from another given geometry or geometries
In this case, an array of rectangles is scaled based on the distance of their areas from a given curve
The closer a given geometry in the array is to the curve, the smaller its scale
3-Dimensional Attractors
Curve Attracted Wave
Similar to the scaled curve attractor, this 3-D attractor takes a user-defined curve and uses the distance from that curve to move a collection points in the Z-axis
The moved points are then converted into curves and surfaces using the Curve Attracted Topography component
The Pattern Library
The Pattern Library houses all of Alexandria's 2- and 3-dimensional pattern geometries. They can be modified easily and later applied to the Builder Library components.
Patterns
2-Dimensional Patterns
2-D patterns are pre-built geometries within the Pattern Library
These patterns can be manipulated using scales and other numeric slider inputs based on their shapes
3-Dimensional Patterns
3-D patterns are also pre-built geometries within the Pattern Library
They can similarly be manipulated by numeric sliders based on their shapes
Joining The Libraries
The Builder Library and Pattern Library can be merged to create more complex attracted (and further modified) patterns.
Arrayed Patterns
2-Dimensional Arrayed Patterns
In this example, a pattern component (defined within the Pattern Library) is attached to a rectangular geometry array found in the Builder Library
Graphic coming soon.
Attracted Patterns
2-Dimensional Curve Attracted Patterns
In this example, a pattern component (defined within the Pattern Library) is attached to a rectangular geometry array found in the Builder Library
Graphic coming soon.
Utilities and Advanced Features
A more in-depth guide to using the Utilities and other advanced user features is under development.