Course Content
12 Lessons
This workshop teaches participants how to create interactive, real-time parametric design systems using Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine.
1 course5.0
Parametric design has evolved. It’s no longer about dragging vertices in Maya and calling it fluid. Curves and forms are meaningless without a clear logic behind them. This workshop is about building that logic and developing the most important skill in this field: understanding how to think computationally to drive geometry with purpose.
Throughout the workshop, you'll explore how to connect Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine in a structured workflow. You'll model in Maya, rationalize and control geometry in Grasshopper, and use Unreal Engine's Blueprint system to create real-time, data-responsive interactions. From custom UI elements to live parametric controls, the focus is not just on visuals, but on interaction, behavior, and control.
This workshop will teach you how to build an automated workflow to transfer geometry and transformation data from Grasshopper into Unreal, making your design logic fully interactive.
This workshop is designed to shift the way you think and design. Whether you want to sharpen your technical skills or rethink your approach to geometry, you'll get the tools and mindset to move beyond aesthetics into real-time control. Learning how to use and control Unreal Engine as a design tool, not just a visualization platform, will give you a distinct advantage in a field that is rapidly evolving.
Model base geometry in Maya with a conscious and forward-thinking approach
Rationalize and panelize geometry using Grasshopper
Manage and use data across platforms, including automating its transfer from Grasshopper and reading it inside Unreal Engine
Build interactive control systems using Blueprints in Unreal Engine
Create UI elements to manipulate geometry during runtime
Build a custom tool to showcase your project in real time
Develop logic-based design systems that remain adaptable
How to think computationally across modeling, optimization, and interaction
This workshop uses a pavilion as a case study to explore how to transition from complex geometry toward a rational, controllable design system. The focus is not just on structure, but on developing a computational mindset that informs every stage of the design process, from modeling to logic and interaction across platforms.
In this workshop, students will work in Maya to develop the initial form, then use Grasshopper to rationalize and panelize the geometry. Unreal Engine will be used to build real-time interactive systems utilizing Blueprints and UI elements. As part of the process, students will learn how to create automated workflows that transfer geometry and transformation data from Grasshopper to Unreal Engine.
Due to this mindset and workflow, many elements of the system will remain open to future modifications. Whether it’s switching to a different geometry or adjusting behavior, students will learn how to set up designs that stay flexible and adaptable over time.
Rather than focusing on a fixed final product, the workshop prioritizes building and controlling systems. The aim is to help students think through design processes with clarity and intention, using tools that can adapt to different challenges.
This workshop follows a structured, cross-platform workflow using Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine. Participants will begin by creating the base geometry in Maya, with a focus on modeling smartly, understanding what will happen in the next steps, and how those decisions will affect panelization, transformation, and interaction later in the process.
This geometry is then brought into Grasshopper, where it will be rationalized, panelized, and prepared for real-time control. Students will learn how to structure data and parameters that can be transferred forward.
Once the design is structured in Grasshopper, students will learn how to automate the transfer of geometry and transformation data into Unreal Engine.
Within Unreal, the focus shifts toward building interactive control systems using Blueprints and custom user interface (UI) elements. Students will learn how to link parameters to geometry, build responsive sliders and toggles, and control various design elements in real-time.
Each student will work individually, developing their own interactive model. The workshop encourages testing and iteration, helping students understand how to design not just a form, but a working system that can evolve.
What you should already know or have ready before you start, experience, tools, and any baseline skills the instructors expect. Scan the list below so nothing catches you off guard.
Course Content
Computational designer and architect at Zaha Hadid Architects, with a strong focus on rationalization, computational design, and real time workflows. He previously worked at LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) and studied under the mentorship of Patrik Schumacher at the Architectural Association’s Design Research Laboratory (DRL).
His work bridges modeling, data structuring, and interaction, developing custom tools across Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine to bring logic-driven geometry into real-time environments. His approach emphasizes clarity, control, and flexibility—designing systems that are adaptable rather than fixed. Guillermo has also taught at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, where he shared his approach to cross-platform workflows and computational thinking.
Outstanding logic transfer, Maya to Grasshopper to Unreal Engine, so many great opportunities.
hi there I have enrolled this course and trying to watch the recordings. However, the recordings cannot seem to start palying, gratful if you can fix the problem thanks!
Amer Faraon
Hey, thanks for your review! To watch the recordings, please log in to your PAACADEMY account, click the green "Watch Now" button on the right side of the workshop page, then use the Course Content tab on the right to navigate through the different sections. Let us know if you need any help!
The course content is quite limited. I expected more advanced building designs with complex surface rationalization in Grasshopper. Unfortunately, it doesn't justify the cost.
Amer Faraon
Thank you for your feedback. Please note that the workshop has not taken place yet. The course covers topics such as rationalization, cross-platform workflows, and real-time interaction. We encourage you to review the course description and experience the workshop firsthand before drawing conclusions. Please don't hesitate to reach out for workshop recommendations that align with your interests.