RhinoVAULT Beta released!

The BLOCK Research Group is pleased to announce the pre-release of rhinoVAULT Beta V0.2! The current version is now freely available for download. The Rhinoceros® Plug-In emerged from current research on structural form finding based on the Thrust-Network-Approach to intuitively create and explore compression-only structures.

”The resistant virtues of the structure that we seek depend on their form; it is through their form that they are stable, not because of an awkward accumulation of material. There is nothing more noble and elegant from an intellectual viewpoint than this: to resist through form.” - Eladio Dieste, 1996

Matthias Rippmann
Lorenz Lachauer
Philippe Block

RhinoVAULT - Shell Design for Rhino

RhinoVAULT is a plug-in for Rhino, being developed at the BLOCK Research Group by Matthias Rippmann, myself and Philippe Block, that allows for the intuitive design of compression-only shapes, offering a maximum control of the geometry. This software is written particularly for shaping unreinforced masonry vaults, but can also be used for designing efficient freeform shells. Based on the Thrust Network Approach (TNA), which uses a force network as discretization of the shape, it is possible to internally redistribute forces within the network using force diagrams.




A first application of the tool is a prototype of a freeform Catalan thin-tile vault erected at the ETH Campus, Zurich, Switzerland. It was planned and build by Lara Davis, and designed by Matthias Rippmann.

Pictures (c) by BLOCK Research Group

Advances in Free-Form Masonry

This model of a free-form compression-only vault has been build using rapid prototyping. It stands just by gravity and friction. It is part of a research project of the BLOCK Research Group at the ETH Zurich. Two publications describe details about the structural models and the design process.


Form and force diagrams in plane, the force distribution in the network, and the form of the network in 3d.
The form-finding process is based on TNA, a method developed by Philippe Block.




Pictures and movie (c) by BLOCK Research Group

Parametric Vault

Based on TNA, I implemented together with Philippe Block a grasshopper definition for the generation of structural freeform vaults. The image shows a structural surface with an non-uniform force distribution. This work is part of a resarch project done at the ETH Zurich.


This model of a compression-only vault has been build using rapid prototyping. It stands just by gravity and friction.


Implementation-wise the matrix computation routines from rhino SDK have been used inside grasshopper vb.net nodes. Download the grasshopper definition here. A tutorial video shows the use of the definition.

Thrust Network Analysis

Thrust Network Analysis, a new method for generating compression-only vaulted surfaces and networks was developed by Philippe Block as part of his PhD. Using projective geometry, duality theory and linear optimization, it provides a graphical and intuitive method, adopting the same advantages of techniques such as graphic statics, but offering a viable extension to fully three-dimensional problems.


Form and force diagram, and the resulting compression only network.


Parametric explorations of the indeterminacy of compression-only networks by the modification of the force diagram.



TNA has been used for the structural design of the Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Centre by Architect Peter Rich.