MayaVault—a Mesh Modelling Environment for Discrete Funicular Structures

Abstract

The didactic and fabrication related value of a geometric form-finding method such as Thrust Network Analysis(TNA) has already been established through RhinoVault. However, it also serves as the origin of our proposition that the objectives of the TNA method are better served within a Mesh Modelling Environment (MME). The main contributions of the paper are:1.Incorporating geometric stiffness based form finding methods within an MME.2.Articulating the nature and specifying from a designer’s standpoint the requirements of an interactive exploratory MME that methods like TNA explicitly intend to support and3.Exemplification of the downstream, usually fabrication related, benefits of combining TNA with an MME. The paper also describes the current status of the authors’ efforts in the development of a custom software add-in to the MME of Autodesk® Maya to demonstrate the said benefits.