Euclidean cup

Euclidean geometry is the mathematical system based on the work of Greek mathematician, Euclid, and his universal axioms.  The goal of this project was to create a cup entirely made of Euclidean geometries, including antiprisms, platonic solids, and Archimedean solids.  These 3D shapes are unique in that they can be dissected into 2D nets and re-folded, like origami, to create 3D forms.  Performing Boolean functions on these shapes - combining them, subtracting them, and otherwise manipulating them - can create intricate and visually interesting physical forms.

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My cup, Pierce, was an exercise in curve approximation.  Consisting of just 194 polygons, Pierce mimics the curve of a bullet cutting through air and the splash of water disturbed by a fallen droplet.  The cup consists of stacked antiprisms tapered to a point; the saucer results from a triangular cut through a geodesic dome. From afar, Pierce transforms from 194 polygons to just two powerful, colliding shapes, deforming and adapting at their interface.

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During this project, I learned to CAD in Rhino, working with base solids, meshes, and maps to achieve non-conventional forms.  This experience was quite a contrast to working in SolidWorks, the software with which I normally model.  However, the experience demonstrated that I could adapt to different constraints and model effectively in a variety of software packages.