Course Content
10 Lessons
Catalog
Catalog
Course detail
Parametric Pavilion Design: From Concept to Fabrication is a 2-day course on PAACADEMY that teaches design-to-fabrication workflows in Grasshopper and Rhinoceros 3D for pavilion-scale structures. Using a bottom-up approach where form emerges from material systems and fabrication constraints, participants develop a complete pavilion proposal from initial concept through parametric modeling to fabrication-ready geometry and AI-assisted rendering with ComfyUI and Flux. Basic Rhino familiarity is recommended.
1 course5.0
This workshop provides insight into practical design-to-fabrication workflows in Rhino and Grasshopper for the development of small-scale architectural structures. The course is grounded in a bottom-up design approach, in which design emerges from the material system, fabrication methods, and their inherent limitations, rather than treating fabrication as something to be addressed after the design is complete.
During the sessions, we will move from initial design concepts to fabrication-ready outputs and architectural visualisations. Rhino and Grasshopper will be used in parallel for 3D modelling, parametric and algorithmic design, and the preparation of geometry for fabrication and assembly.
The course will conclude with a session on AI-assisted rendering using ComfyUI (a free, open-source, node-based interface for generative AI) and Flux AI models.
Understand bottom-up design where form emerges from materials and fabrication constraints
Develop small-scale structures using design-to-fabrication workflows in Rhino and Grasshopper
Explore form generation and structural organisation through pavilion studies
Use Rhino for 3D modelling and Grasshopper for parametric design
This workshop will be centred on pavilion-scale structures, as they offer enough complexity to address form, materiality, fabrication, and assembly within a manageable two-day format. Although the main examples are pavilions, the same methods can also be applied to canopies, installations, lightweight enclosures, and interior interventions.
A series of studies will be used to demonstrate different approaches to developing a project through material systems and methods of making.
Rather than following one fixed design path, these examples will show how the process can shift in response to material behaviour, production constraints, assembly logic, and the type of system being developed.
This workshop will also address different ways of organising geometry, components, and part-to-whole relationships as the design evolves.
By the end of the workshop, each participant will develop an individual pavilion-scale proposal, taking it from an initial design concept to a complete, fabrication-aware design supported by rendered images.
The course will be taught as a step-by-step demonstration of a complete workflow. Participants will follow the development of a project from an initial design idea, through the definition of its overall geometry and design direction, to parametric control, technical refinement, and visual output.
Sessions will combine live demonstrations, structured walkthroughs, and individual project development. The material will be taught as one continuous process, moving from early design studies and geometric development to fabrication preparation and rendering.
Participants will first follow the demonstrated examples and workflows, then apply the methods introduced during the course to develop their own proposal.
Day 1
Day 2
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.
No reviews yet. Be the first!
