Complex Shape Modelling by Tessellation. Advanced Geometry Control for Variably Curved Surfaces

Abstract

Tessellation is a flexible modelling method for computational designers that allows to articulate and detail complex topological surfaces by repeating components along target surfaces. This technique provides a discretization strategy compatible with many digital-fabrication processes. Well-known geometrical issues limit such an approach on surfaces characterized by highly variable curvature, which can output errors such as self-intersections and undesired deformations. This research shows geometrical methods to manage such problems and implement them in an open-source tool. In particular, automatic and manual procedures for manipulating normal vector fields are utilized and applied to the modelling of complex shape case studies.