A Comparative Study of Different Grasshopper Plugins for Topology Optimization in Architectural Design

Abstract

Topology optimization (TO) is one of the structural optimization methods used to find the best suitable material distribution, resulting in the most efficient structure. Although it is widely used in other engineering fields, its application in the architectural field is still relatively limited. In recent years, however, various computational design methodologies have acquired prominence in the architectural community. The predominant use of digital design tools during the architectural design process necessitates conducting more research on these tools. Furthermore, as new tools for applying each algorithm and method emerge, the efficiency of these tools must be evaluated. This study aims to explore and compare three available tools for implementing TO. A box is used as a case study to conduct a comparative study between the three grasshopper plugins for topology optimization: Millipede, tOpos, and Ameba. From an architectural standpoint, the potential and efficiency of the three plugins are discussed.

Keywords

• Topology Optimization
• Grasshopper plugins
• Architectural design

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