Organic Architecture with Generative art
A course by Chantal Matar, Architectural and Generative Designer
Joined December 2021
Learn about organic architecture and embrace a unique perspective on building design that merges with the environment.
Joined December 2021
‘I am constantly inspired by nature, geological formations, patterns, repetition and natural aesthetics.’
Introduce nature and biology to your architectural forms with the architect and generative designer, Chantal Matar. She has developed a unique and distinct style that stems from her passion for art, and her experience with avant-garde studios such as Zaha Hadid Architects. She recreates shapes in nature in her product and building designs using generative art techniques. Exploring the powerful software Houdini and its trail system, which are vectors that follow an organic path as they form, Chantal gives her pieces an important spatial dimension.
In this online course, learn with her how to develop organic architectural shapes using a procedural workflow and focusing on mineral formations. Set up an environment for your project, identify the structural base, and then put together a whole building.
What will you learn in this online course?
20 lessons & 17 downloads
What's included in this course?
First, get acquainted with your teacher, Chantal Matar, and her journey throughout the world of generative design and architecture. Learn about her influences, from nature and biomimicry to music.
Start with an overview of organic architecture, find inspiration and sketch out your idea. Once you’re ready, create the terrain and add your preferred effects.
Next, do the main grid, set up it, and apply your volume trails. Using basic coding, develop these into repetition patterns and solid horizontal slabs.
After that, regroup your system and take a dive into point displacement and more complex programming, so you can create the vertical elements.
Lastly, merge the different systems and convert the outcome into a tangible representation. Chantal also shows you how to export and render your final piece.
By the end of the course, you will have the skills to design fluid and organic projects from an architectural perspective.
- 100% positive reviews (24)
- 2,174 students
- 20 lessons (2h 22m)
- 17 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Use Houdini’s trail system to design a futuristic object, including the site, the base, and the building itself.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone curious about computational design at a beginner and intermediate level
Requirements and materials
Houdini
Reviews
Chantal Matar
A course by Chantal Matar
Chantal Matar is a multidisciplinary architectural designer working at the intersection of mixed media and architecture. She has worked in various international studios, including Zaha Hadid Architects. It was there that she developed the skills that would later shape her design style. As a generative artist, she has collaborated with Tsyphur Zaltan to create a mediated ambient album with her own motion design. She has exhibited across Europe, in Berlin, Paris, and Venice.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
The Research Process
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What Is Organic Architecture?
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Drawing Inspiration from Nature
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Sketching: Conceptualizing the Idea
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U3
Houdini’s Terrain Tools
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Building Terrain with Height Fields
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Understanding Grid Parameters and Applying Noise
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U4
The Grid and Volume Trail
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Setting up the Grid
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Setting up the Volume Trail
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Applying the Volume Trail
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U5
Creating Horizontal Slabs
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Basic Coding: The Attribute Wrangle Node
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Generating Repeating Patterns
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Converting the Abstract Trails to Solid Forms
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U6
Making the Vertical Elements
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Regrouping the Vector Trails
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Point Displacement and Complex Coding
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Developing Repetition for the Vertical Elements
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U7
The Last Steps: Exporting and Rendering
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Merging the Nodes
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Converting the Outcome Into a Solid Representation
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Exporting the Project Into Different Platforms
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Rendering In KeyShot
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FP
Final project
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Organic Architecture with Generative Art
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
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Meet expert teachers
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Certificates
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FAQs
This course is designed for intermediate users who have some experience with digital tools like Houdini or Grasshopper. Complete beginners may find the pace challenging, but those with basic familiarity will benefit greatly.
You will need access to Houdini and Rhino, along with plugins like Grasshopper. Knowledge of basic coding concepts is helpful. A computer capable of running 3D modeling software is required.
You will learn how to use generative and parametric design principles to create organic architectural forms, simulate physical phenomena, and merge classical and digital methods in architectural workflows.
Yes, the course covers techniques for generating natural forms such as stalactites, rock formations, and landscapes using procedural modeling and physical simulation in Houdini.
The course teaches how to analyze and extract design principles from natural systems, applying biomimicry concepts and geological patterns to create innovative architectural forms.
Yes, you will learn how to integrate coding, including VEX scripting, and AI-driven simulation techniques within Houdini to generate complex digital forms and behaviors.
The course balances artistic exploration with technical skills, teaching both creative sketching and advanced procedural modeling to produce unique, nature-inspired architectural designs.
The course was very well explained and simple despite appearances. It provides a good overview of using the Houdini software without being too complex. We are achieving encouraging results. Thank you, Chantal.
resultados bellos con métodos simples!!!
Amazing course
muy bueno , interesante
-Es un buen curso para conocer diferentes formas de representar arquitectura aun mas creativo, pero si le hace falta adentrarse o explicar mas cosas.