The process started by taking an object, a lamp, and then altering down it into its simplest geometry. This breakdown gives a clear understanding of the maker’s designing process and the decisions underwent to get the actual form. In this case, the lamp was divided into three categories, base, support and shade. These were further subdivided into basic shapes. The finest part of any geometry is the points. These were fed into the grasshopper through certain commands and operations.

The next step was to identify the parameters (constants and variables) and constraints which will help to provide the required generative iterations. These were different for all the three divisions, but only the profile followed the language throughout the form and hence became the base of our iteration. Other constants were the positioning of the center of each shape that was aligned at the z-axis, the shade had to be offset inside for it to rest on the base and the support had to be located at the midpoint of every edge of the base geometry. The constraints were to make sure the structure was able to stand, by not exceeding the shade height from twice of the support, and perform the function that it was originally intended to do; light. Hence, housing the bulb and other components became the restriction around which the form had to develop.

The variables that could be experimented on were:

• Base

• Bottom radius

• Top radius

• Number of sides

• Height

• Width

• Length

• Width

• Height

• Base

• Bottom radius

• Top radius

• Height

Apart from all the geometries from menus and drawing them explicitly by clicking anything without thinking of the mathematical aspects of the design, generative algorithms require a certain set of data and math to ensure the inputs of algorithm and generate multiple objects. In grasshopper, nothing is drawn physically, everything is coded in terms of functions, sets and equations. One can use the simple math functions in the algorithms, in a combination of number and objects, generate infinite geometrical combinations.

After the experiment, the result allowed us to deconstruct a final object and learn about the designer’s approach towards achieving the form. Though, the code was very user friendly, it did not allow the algorithm to take over the operation. Hence, in the next experiment conducted, an attempt was made to overcome the same.