Shape Computation Lab

Implementing a Regular Ice-Ray

Heather Ligler

02/20/2019

This video shows an exact digital reproduction in Shape Machine of the first study of George Stiny's 1976 ice-ray grammar. The conventions of that analog grammar including the specification of the initial labeled shape and the labeled rules are exactly the same with the ones used in this digital grammar. In this vignette, an initial 4x5 grid is labeled to study patterns with alternating reflections as shown on the right side of the screen. On the left side of the screen, the rule template is shown in red for the construction of shape rules in the software. The left-hand-side of the rule is already given as one of the labeled cells of the overall grid design. The designer constructs a design for the cell by first copying the underlying structure from the left to the right side of the template, using the registration marks to ensure a correct location. Then, a new design is drawn on top while deleting and decomposing the reference geometry. The rule is then applied to all of the cells globally to generate a design.

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