Michael Hansmeyer: Building unimaginable shapes

Inspired by cell division, Michael Hansmeyer writes algorithms that design outrageously fascinating shapes and forms with millions of facets. No person could draft them by hand, but they're buildable -- and they could revolutionize the way we think of architectural form.
Michael Hansmeyer is an architect and programmer who explores the use of algorithms and computation to generate architectural form. Full bio: http://www.ted.com/speakers/michael_h...
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• Category

  Science & Technology

[Stunstyle]

my brain hurts a little

[cesarvivas]

this is how nature builds things. this man and his subject were chosen to speak at TED. maybe you should give him more credit?

Fractals. Benoit Mandelbroit... Check out this other TED vid on youtube

watch?annotation_id=annotation­_893003&feature=iv&src_vid=dsM­CVMVTdn0&v=ay8OMOsf6AQ

[brucenatelee]

Do this again until you find the form of DNA. Then use the same amount of strands from the dna form until it looks like humans. Then give it AI and watch the world burn.

...oooor you could give it 3 strands of dna and see humans evolve!

[furyberserk]

Now use Archimedean solids!

[CeruleanFilms]

So these are basically fractal patterns?

[bzsgzs]

Douchey + downvote = unimaginative. Gotcha.

Please do explain "WAY more", I'm interested in hearing.

It's irrelevant because you're attacking the commenter instead of the comment/argument itself. Achievements and failure from my own creative endeavor won't make my argument more or less valid, or invalid.

Btw, I should apologize for my antagonistic tone in my previous comment. Although that was a reflection of your condescension, i could have replied in a more loving manner.

[avedic]

Your "cool so what?" comment just came off as super douchey, ya know? That's probably why it was downvoted by so many people.

What I meant was...if you think people are just blown away by complex cool shapes...then you're totally missing the point altogether. I could explain it to you, but it would take more than a youtube comment. There's WAY more to this stuff than what you are talking about.

As for it not mattering what you do. How does that NOT matter? It matters very much...

[bzsgzs]

Just how was it "clearly" that i'm not a very imaginative person?

Basically i intended to express a skeptical attitude towards the value of these complex and unique looking shapes. I think people are just overwhelmed by their complexity and over praising. They're really cool, with lots of exciting potential, but design is more than just generating cool shapes with algorithm.

It doesn't matter "what will you do". That's irrelevant.

[CommanderCoward]

I don't necessarily agree with him. I think when nature is used in architecture, it should come from the mind of man. Yes, the square, rectangle, and circle are ours but computer renderings are very different from the human mind.

[avedic]

clearly you're not a very imaginative person. seems like you need a good 6 grams of psilocybin mushrooms. please do this soon...humanity needs your mind. don't waste it on banal "so what" comments. are you courageous enough to try? or to scared to step into what you do not understand? what will you do?

[bzsgzs]

cool. so what

[Erafune]

inb4 this gets built in Minecraft

;))