Shape Computation Lab

Using an Existing Rule

Tzu-Chieh Kurt Hong

02/10/2019

This video showcases the usage of shape rules in the Shape Machine to make a fractal design. The rules are represented in the classical shape grammar format with the two sides of the production system, LHS and RHS, the arrow (->) in-between and the two registration marks on either side of the middle arrow (->) to fix the spatial relation between them. The series of the vignettes in the video illustrate the repeated application of a ready-made rule with its LHS showing a Root-2 isosceles triangle and its RHS the same Root-2 isosceles triangle with an additional line connecting the leading vertex of the isosceles triangle with the midpoint of its opposite edge. Note that this design action can be described in a number of ways, for example, if an isometric or a similar instance of a Root-2 isosceles triangle shown in the LHS is found in a design, this shape could be substituted by the same isometric or similar instance respectively of the two smaller Root-2 isosceles triangles depicted in the RHS respectively. The series of vignettes showcases the parallel application of the rule in a design comprised of 4 triangles to produce a series of fractal-like designs comprised by 4 +8=12 triangles, 4+8+16=28 triangles, 4+8+16+32=60 triangles and 4+8+16+32+64=124 triangles respectively. The last part of the video showcases how the individual phases of the production of the design can be retrieved and presented automatically by the Shape Machine at any time during the computation.

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