ARCH 655 PARAMETRIC MODELING DESIGN PROJECT1

Main Station Stuttgart

Location: 

Stuttgart, Germany

Built:

International competition 1997, 1st prize

Execution 2009 - 2021

GFA 185,000 m²

Project Background

This building is a new underground central train station which allows for the integration of Stuttgart into the growing network of high-speed rail traffic in Europe.

http://www.world-architects.com/en/projects/16836_Main_Station_Stuttgart

 

The structure and the “lighting cones“ connect the platform level with the square and park above. Varied and broad views along with the elegance of the supporting structure give the station its unmistakable identity. The form of the modular shell supports is based on the reversed-suspension model.(http://www.world-architects.com/en/projects/16836_Main_Station_Stuttgart)

 http://openbuildings.com/buildings/main-station-stuttgart-profile-4830/

Parametric Modeling -- Rhino & Grasshopper

Step 1 Using Kangaroo to create the basic structures

I used three kangaroos to build the dome and the two layers of the supporting structures. Actually, three kangaroos are too much for one modeling since it could increase the computer calculation burdens. These processes could be combined into data tree branches, but the process would be difficult to understand, this time I just used three kangaroos to build the model. Instead, the result meshes need to be simplified before doing the next step.

I directly degenerated the mesh faces in Rhino after baked the results. Simplifying the meshes in Grasshopper is possible, but it requires plug-in or #C script.

Step 2 Using Mesh Difference command to trim the structure

I inputted two meshes to do the mesh difference.

Step 3 Filling the holes on the structure (Step 3 & Step 4 in modeling)

First, I needed to find the edges on the meshes.

For filling the holes between the dome and supporting structures, I used data management by shifting and reversing the data stream, and got the surface. 

For filling the holes between the two layers on the supporting structures, I directly used the curve to create the surface.

Step 4 Creating the glass structure (Step 5 in modeling)

I used the curve on the edge to create the surface and moved it downward a little bit to get the glass surface.

Then, I used the projection to build the beams.

One light cone is finished.

Step 5 Arraying the light cone

I arrayed the light cones and built the ground surface as well as the railway platform.

Here are several perspectives of the model.