Shape to Fabrication
Robert McNeel & Associates
University of Westminster
April 26–27
Shape to Fabrication is a biennial gathering of industry specialists, architects, artists, and fabricators in the architecture, engineering, and construction fields. Coordinated by Robert McNeel & Associates, the unusually independent developer of Rhinoceros (a.k.a. Rhino), the event’s main focus is the software and its various applications. Like many such gatherings, the conference had to be postponed a few years, making the 2023 edition the first Shape to Fabrication since 2018. The latest event—the largest by far—was a mixed bag of magical tech demos and real-world case studies that illustrated both the predictable and unpredictable uses of the Rhino ecosystem.
Held on April 26 and 27 at the University of Westminster in London, the conference offered its 300-some attendees presentations and workshops, many of which revolved around innovative uses of Rhino, related plug-ins such as Grasshopper, and workflows that streamline communication between Rhino and other industry-standard programs like Autodesk Revit. The audience also received a preview of new features coming in Rhino 8 and Grasshopper 2.0, both of which have unannounced release dates.
