# Blueprints in Motion: From Maya to Unreal Engine > 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: underst… ## At a glance - Format: On-demand course - Price: €85.00 (list €100.00) - Difficulty: Intermediate - Duration: 8 Hours - Schedule: Jun 21-22, 2025 - Instructors: Guillermo Rage - Categories: Architectural Design, 3D Modeling, Virtual reality - Software: Grasshopper 3D, Rhinoceros 3D, Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya, Weaverbird, LunchBox, Pufferfish - Students: 28 - Rating: 5.0 / 5 - Canonical: https://paacademy.com/course/blueprints-in-motion-from-maya-to-unreal-engine - Enroll: https://paacademy.com/course/blueprints-in-motion-from-maya-to-unreal-engine --- ## About this course Blueprints in Motion: From Maya to Unreal Engine is a workshop on PAACADEMY that teaches a structured cross-platform computational design workflow connecting Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine. Led by a designer from Zaha Hadid Architects, participants model geometry in Maya, rationalize and panelize it in Grasshopper, automate data transfer into Unreal Engine, and build real-time interactive control systems using Blueprints and custom UI elements. The focus is computational thinking and design logic, not just visualization. ## What you'll learn - 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 ## Methodology 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. ## Requirements - Familiarity with the basic interfaces of Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine is recommended to facilitate smooth participation in the workshop. ## Curriculum ### Session 1 - Intro + PAACADEMY Updates (05:45) - Procedural Organic Form Creation (56:38) - Precision Modeling in Maya (18:49) - Realistic 3D Rendering Surfaces (57:39) - Data-Driven Design Practices (39:05) - Part 6 (53:33) - Part 6 (53:33) - Dynamic Visual Effects (53:33) ### Session 2 - Computational Workflow Refinement (44:42) - Precision Geometry Correction (53:23) - Mesh refinement for Unreal Engine (56:24) - Advanced Mesh Modelling (56:56) - Optimizing Panel Rotation Logic (41:18) - Interactive UI Elements (50:55) ## FAQ ### What are Unreal Engine Blueprints and how are they used in architectural design workflows? Unreal Engine Blueprints is a visual scripting system that allows designers to build logic, interactions, and data-driven behaviors without writing code in a traditional programming language. In architectural and parametric design workflows, Blueprints are used to create real-time interactive controls such as sliders, toggles, and UI panels that manipulate geometry, materials, and spatial configurations during runtime. This workshop uses Blueprints to link parameters transferred from Grasshopper into Unreal Engine, making the design system fully interactive and controllable in real time. ### What does the Blueprints in Motion workshop at PAACADEMY cover? The workshop follows a structured cross-platform workflow using a pavilion as the design case study. Session 1 covers form creation and precision modeling in Maya with a forward-thinking approach that anticipates the next stages, followed by geometry rationalization, panelization, and data preparation in Grasshopper using Weaverbird, LunchBox, and Pufferfish. Session 2 covers automated data transfer from Grasshopper into Unreal Engine, building interactive control systems using Blueprints, creating custom UI elements with real-time sliders and toggles, and producing a working interactive design tool. ### What prior experience do I need for the Blueprints in Motion workshop? Participants should have basic familiarity with the interfaces of Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine before the workshop begins, as the sessions do not cover software installation or introductory navigation. The workshop is not designed for complete beginners in these tools but focuses on connecting them into a coherent cross-platform workflow rather than teaching any single software from scratch. Prior experience in architectural modeling or parametric design will help participants engage with the computational logic emphasis throughout. ### What will I have at the end of the Blueprints in Motion workshop? Participants will leave with a working interactive design system built across Maya, Grasshopper, and Unreal Engine: a rationalized pavilion geometry developed in Maya, panelized and structured in Grasshopper with automated data export, and connected to a real-time Blueprint system in Unreal Engine with custom UI controls for live manipulation. The system is built to remain adaptable, so participants can switch geometry, adjust behavior, and extend the logic to future projects independently.