Scripted Vases | Experiments in Computational Design and Rapid-Manufacturing

These Scripted Flower Vases were completed by Steve with Jon Kontuly in 2006, as their final project for a computational design class taught by Chris Lasch of Aranda\Lasch at Stevens Institute. The goal of the project was to design a series of vases that demonstrated the algorithm used to generate the vases, didactically through their form. This was as much an editorial process, as a generative one: identifying the elements that best represent the algorithm, while still maintaining the form and function of a flower vase.

Each vase used an algorithmic technique that was covered in the class, beginning with a single dimensional array and proceeding through multi-dimensional arrays and then into recursion.

The 1D Vase used a one-dimensional array to store points distributed around the stem of a single flower, oriented horizontally. Modifications to the frequency and amplitude of a Sine function tilted the vase and created two points of contact with a horizontal surface. C-shaped sections were swept along these curves, meeting at the start, middle and end to hold the flower in place and create a reservoir for the stem, stabilizing the vase. The effect is a single flower threaded through that is both cradled and exposed by the vase.

Photo by Natalie Gruppuso.

The 2D Vase started with a bouquet of flowers in a more conventional arrangement as the point of departure. This algorithm used a two-dimensional array of points that were controlled by polar distribution around the bouquet. Using Sine and Exponential functions to control the distribution of the points allowed the density of the points to change with the height: the points were dense at the bottom and dispersed near the top. Curves were laced through the points and piped, with the diameter of the pipe controlled by a function of the height. This made the vase dense and solid at the bottom for stability and water-tightness and open and filigree at the top. Making small changes to the frequency of the Sine function and the curve lacing function produced radically different configurations based on the same underlying point distribution.

The 3D Vase started with the same bouquet and point distribution as the 2D Vase, but added an additional set of points, contained with a three-dimensional array that were offset from the original points. These offset points were used to create surfaces, that were then thickened to create solids. Using the same Sine and Exponential functions as the 2D Vase, the density and amount of offset would change with the height.

Photo by Natalie Gruppuso.

The Recursive Vase was based on a recursive function, a function that calls itself a predefined number of times, which are frequently used to generate fractals. In this case the function was based on a cracking algorithm that divides a base polygon into smaller triangles and then divides those triangles even further, continuing until the limit was reached. Starting with any planar polygon, the algorithm found the centroid and then created a pyramid from the sides of the base polygon and an point offset from the centroid. A random number of triangular faces from this pyramid were selected and cracked further, creating additional tetrahedrons. The number of levels and degree of randomness could be set prior to running the algorithm.

Subtle changes in the original arrangement of flowers or minor adjustments to the underlying functions could produce almost limitless variation within each vase series. Using rapid-manufacturing processes, such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), a unique vase could be generated on demand and manufactured within hours.

Photo by Natalie Gruppuso.

Photo by Natalie Gruppuso.