How to create this double curved structure?

[suz]

Hi team,

 

 

Why can't I loft these two surfaces together?

How can I create this shape but solid as per ref images?

 

Also side question, 

how do you set short cuts?

when i go to other views I have to manually choose orthogonal mode every time in the new vwks.

 

 

Thank you.

Suz

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

You cannot LOFT surfaces together, only curves.  I corrected my reply when I looked at your drawing again.  It appears that the two shapes are different.  

 

Also, you shape is different from the pictures.  They appear to be a spiral of sorts.

 

Can you clarify a bit more?

Edited June 14, 2024 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[Jeff Prince]

12 hours ago, suz said:

Hi team,

 

 

Why can't I loft these two surfaces together?

How can I create this shape but solid as per ref images?

 

Also side question, 

how do you set short cuts?

when i go to other views I have to manually choose orthogonal mode every time in the new vwks.

 

 

Thank you.

Suz

 

 

You can't loft two surfaces together because lofts are defined by curves, not surfaces.  Other softwares provide tool to bridge or patch two Nurbs surfaces, but you can do it manually in Vectorworks with one additional step, extracting the curves to use to do another loft.

 

Based on the geometry in your VWX image, you can use the Extract Tool to grab the top curves of your sloped surfaces.  Be sure to compose the curves for the tops. Then, you can loft those two curves together, repeat for each side needed.  This will give you the "cap" surface you want.  Note in the video below that I'm extracting the curves from both surfaces at the same time an ungrouping the resulting group to then use Combine to join the Nurbs curves on each of the sloping surfaces.  Vectorworks is smart enough to allow you to do both sides at the same time, saving some effort.  Some software doesn't allow this.  The example in the video and your VWX is not the same as the structure in the photographs, but the process is the same.

 

 

 

To build the surfaces in your photographs, it's probably easiest with the following pieces:

1. flat center surface - a circle (trimmed into an arc where the transition to the tapered part is) convert to NURBS

2. tapered and curved wall/floor - 3D helix to develop the edge curve for the tapered bit.  Trace the helix with a NURBS curve

3. Loft the two NURBS you created to make the desired surfaces or EAP.

 

For those interested in the structure in the photograph, it's the Helsinki Biennial Pavilion 

https://www.archdaily.com/962336/helsinki-biennial-pavilion-verstas-architects

 

https://samirzarrouk.com/home/bienneial-pavilion-helsinki

 

In regards to your shortcut/views question.  You can change the way the behavior with Vectorworks Preferences -> 3D.  Alternatively, if you switch to top/plan or another of your saved views with orthographic projection active, you will then operate in that projection until you change it.  Views save their projection type, which is kinda important.

 

 

 

 

[Tobias Kern]

@Jeff Prince

Great video with great music!

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

This is an interesting shape.  One I have not encountered, kudo's to Suz.  

 

I wondered if VW could make the surface shape "only" in one loft.  This is approximate.  It is hard to get the exact information on the shape.  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2024 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[Jeff Prince]

On 6/15/2024 at 3:34 AM, Tobias Kern said:

@Jeff Prince

Great video with great music!

Thanks, I should have kept recording just to finish the song 🙂

 

[Jeff Prince]

Had a few minutes to play around with the concept on this one today.