C#, Grasshopper
Physarum is a slime mold that forms efficient networks balancing robustness and shortest path without any centralized intelligence. This is executed through many local interactions: the organism spreads randomly, senses chemical signals, and reinforces paths where more nutrients flow. In my algorithmic implementation, this translates to an agent-based simulation model. Each agent senses its surroundings by sampling a numerical field, adjusts its direction toward stronger signals and deposits a trail as it moves. Over many iterations, trails accumulate into branching and merging network structures. Each agent’s path is recorded as a polyline, normalized to the simulation’s bounding box, and then remapped to the target surface domain to conform the generative structure to a 3D facade geometry.
References:
- https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/980579/characteristics-of-pattern-formation-and-evolution-in-approximations-of-physarum-transport-networks
- https://github.com/fogleman/physarum
- https://www.sagejenson.com/36points/
I build upon previous work in physarum simulation by contributing a 3D implementation in Grasshopper. Rather than producing a representation of the organism, this generates an adaptable structure, connecting the gap between research and designer.