Paracloud GEM : now also on Mac OSX

Paracloud GEM (http://paraclouding.com/GEM) is a generative modeling system, which can be used to generate patterns on other mesh-based geometry. It can be used standalone or in collaboration with other software (e.g. SketchUp, Rhino, Maya, Cinema4D).

You can freely download the trial, but to use it fully, you need a license. You can buy a temporary one-month license or a full license (commercial and academic pricing is available).

At first, it can be puzzling to get started, as many of the icons in the interface are not self explanatory. But there is a tutorial which should get you going in about an hour or two, which is reasonably fast.

Try the online documentation.

Remember that Grasshopper and Generative Components, which are the most popular generative modeling approaches for parametric architecture, are both Windows-only solutions, although there is a slight chance that Grasshopper will eventually be ported over. This way, Paracloud has the OSX market for this kind of design almost exclusively for itself. Other solutions for Mac? AutoCAD with scripting (not visual), Rhino OSX with scripting (not visual), Houdini (visual programming), ArchiCAD GDL Objects (pure code).

Example

edit: I made a quick loft model in Cinema4D, exported as OBJ and loaded it into GEM. This was offset and populated with an X-cross.

GEM design from a Cinema4D mesh