What software will I use throughout this workshop?

You will work primarily with SideFX Houdini for geometry processing and algorithmic pattern design, along with Karma Renderer for visualization.

What specific footwear and product design applications will be covered in the lessons?

You will learn to create performance-driven procedural patterns for footwear components such as outsoles, midsoles, and sidewalls, as well as general industrial design applications.

How will performance data be used to drive the design process in Houdini?

You will learn to integrate performance data directly into Houdini as inputs to dynamically adapt and vary pattern density and form across a product's surface.

What geometry processing and coding techniques will be taught for mesh preparation?

You will learn best practices for importing CAD geometry, preparing mesh topology, and using visual and textual VEX programming in Houdini to generate dynamic pattern tools.

What practical outcomes will I achieve for prototyping and product presentation by the end of the course?

You will complete a full end-to-end workflow, learning to export processed geometry for additive prototyping as well as setting up procedural textures, lighting, cameras, and animations.

Procedurally Performant Patterns in Houdini

Name: Procedurally Performant Patterns
Price: 102.00 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5.00 (4 reviews)

David Burpee

Verified Account

1 course5.0

About Procedurally Performant Patterns

A dynamic and flexible approach leveraging Procedural Design of performance-driven patterns in SideFX Houdini for Footwear and Industrial Design Applications.

This workshop will establish a complete workflow from processing and importing CAD geometry, Algorithmic pattern design, rendering, animation, and export for Additive prototyping using SideFX Houdini.

What you will learn

Contexts, operators, and attributes within Houdini
Interoperability between CAD and Mesh workflows
Concepts for Algorithmic Design
Processing and exporting geometry for Additive Prototyping
Procedural material creation
Rendering in Houdini / Karma

Methodology

The workshop will provide an introduction to concepts within Houdini, such as the various contexts, operator types, attributes, and textual programming. We will cover a few common methodologies for interoperability between CAD and Mesh geometry workflows, including best practices for importing CAD geometry and preparing Mesh topology for downstream design processes.

This workshop will explore methods to integrate and combine multiple algorithms used in the design and creation of dynamic patterns used for outsole design, midsole or sidewall design in footwear, and other industrial design applications. We will include both visual and textual programming methodologies for advanced pattern creation.

This workshop will integrate performance data as an input to drive differentiation within pattern design, allowing patterns to adapt to various performance conditions. We will go beyond geometry creation, providing insight into leveraging the interconnected environment of Houdini to create procedural textures for product visualization and animation purposes. We will cover a basic rendering setup within Houdini utilizing the Karma rendering engine and some basic lighting, camera, and animation setups.

Finally, the workshop will provide an introduction to outputting geometry from Houdini for Additive prototyping. Ultimately, this workshop will take participants through a singular workflow covering multiple aspects of computational design in products and footwear, from design to visualization and beyond, highlighting Houdini's combinatory power within these domains.

Course Content

13 Lessons

Screenshots

Software & tools

SideFX Houdini

Karma Renderer

Highlights

Student projects

Dynamic Patterned Footwear

@mzdesign9

Procedurally Performant Patterns

Project

Dynamic Patterned Footwear

May 5, 2025

About this work

A Voronoi pattern wraps the surface of the shoe like an organic skin, evoking the clustered suction cups of an octopus.

SideFX Houdini Rhinoceros 3D

Marzio Assisi Procedurally Performant Patterns

View project

Instructors

David Burpee

1 Course5.0

David is a multidisciplinary Computational Design Leader from the PNW working across a broad spectrum of disciplines including Footwear, Apparel, Consumer Goods, Automotive, Medical, and Architectural Industries. He has delivered Advanced Computational Design, strategy, and training for companies such as Nike, FILA, PUMA, General Motors, EQLZ, Harry’s Razors, and more. He has over a decade of experience with a variety of products and projects in the market as evidence to the efficacy and broad applicability of his approach, methodology, creativity, and design thinking capabilities. He has built a variety of tools, workflows, and processes, used both internally and externally, for several of these companies.

Originally an Architectural Designer, David holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Southern California. He worked in the highrise and supertall domains with projects in Jakarta, the Philippines, China, as well as domestically in Los Angeles and greater Seattle areas. He leveraged Computational Design broadly in the Architectural industry on projects ranging from 1000+ foot tall towers, both built and speculative work for competitions, small installations, key architectural features, and many others.

David has a personal interest in biomimicry, generative and emergent systems, and bio-algorithmic design. He seeks to leverage advanced Computational Design to drive innovation in pursuit of realizing high-performance, creative, and sustainable solutions to the profound ecological and social challenges of our time. David is currently an independent Computational Designer and guest lecturer at the University of Washington MArch program.

Procedurally Performant Patterns FAQ

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Reviews

Purchase or enroll in this course to leave a review.

5.0avg4 Reviews

4 Comments

Guest OidXRW

Very well organized and very useful! Thank you. I learned a lot!

Apr 19, 2026

Marzio Assisi

Super helpful! Thank you!

May 5, 2025

Rares Manolache

Amazing workshop! Learned a lot!

Mar 25, 2025

Guest tlxCKc

David shares a lot of knowledge, techniques, and covers a ton of ground in Houdini.

Mar 24, 2025