Voussoir Grasshopper Plugin

Voussoir is a Grasshopper plugin for Rhinoceros 3D that enables the generation of stereotomic vault geometries from user-defined inputs. Developed as a tool for digital exploration of stone vault construction, it combines parametric modeling with geometric logic inspired by traditional masonry techniques.

The plugin is conceived with a modular architecture, allowing future integration of additional stereotomic approaches and ensuring that all components can seamlessly interact. Stay tuned for upcoming developments.

Preferred Installation: Open Rhino’s PackageManager, search for “voussoir” and install.

Features

Generate voussoir-based vault systems from curves or surfaces.
Control key geometric parameters, such as springer lines and intrados curvature.
Automatically subdivide vault surfaces into voussoirs with customizable dimensions.
Export vault elements as BREPs for further analysis, fabrication, or visualization.
Designed to integrate seamlessly within parametric workflows in Rhino and Grasshopper.

Use Cases

Historical reconstruction and digital archaeology.
Architectural design inspired by stereotomy and stone vaulting.
Educational applications in architectural geometry and design computation.

Technical Information

Compatible with Rhino 8 and Grasshopper.
Outputs clean and organized data trees for downstream use.
Requires no external dependencies.

Disclaimer: This plugin is intended solely for geometric design exploration. It does not perform structural analysis or validation, and results should not be used for engineering assessment.

Base Surface

Barrel Vault Base Surface

Nickname: BVSrf
Creates the base surface for the creation of a barrel vault

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Input Lines	L	set(s) of 2 non intersecting lines	Curve	—
Vault Height	H	Arc’s height.	Float	2.00
Arc Profile	A	Right-click to select type of curve. 0: Parabola, 1: Arc, 2: Catenary. Or input one of the above integers	Integer	2

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Vault Surface	S	The lofted base surface between the two arcs.	Surface
Springer Lines	L	The two horizontal lines (remaining sides).	Line
Vault Arcs	A	The two generated arcs.	Curve

Groin Vault Base Surface

Nickname: GVSrf
Creates the base surface for the creation of a Groin vault

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Input Lines 1	L1	set(s) of 2 non intersecting lines	Curve	—
Input Lines 2	L2	set(s) of 2 non intersecting lines	Curve	—
Vault Height	H	Arc’s height.	Float	2.00
Arc Profile	A	Right-click to select type of curve. 0: Parabola, 1: Arc, 2: Catenary. Or input one of the above integers	Integer	2

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Vault Surface	S	The lofted base surface between the two arcs.	Surface
Springer Lines	L	The two horizontal lines (remaining sides).	Line
Vault Arcs	A	The two generated arcs.	Curve

Division

Barrel Vault Division – Grid

Nickname: BVDivG
Divides a vault defined by two arcs into spanwise and lengthwise voussoirs.

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Vault Surface	S	The vault surface created by lofting both arcs	Surface	—
U Divisions	U	Number of voussoir divisions along the U direction (Springer Lines direction)	Integer	12
V Divisions	V	Number of voussoir divisions along the V direction (Profile direction)	Integer	8

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Intrados Planes	Pi	Intrados planar vault panels (tree matching input branches).	Plane
Division planes	Pd	Planes of each Voussoir Contact Surface (tree matching input branches).	Plane
Boundaries	B	Voussoir Boundaries (Indexes of Division Planes).	String
Transversal planes	Pu	Division Planes with constant U-value.	Plane
Longitudinal planes	Pv	Division Planes with constant V-value.	Plane

Groin Vault Division – Grid

Nickname: BVDivG
Divides a vault defined by two arcs into spanwise and lengthwise voussoirs.

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Vault Surface	S	The vault surface created by lofting both arcs	Surface	—
U Divisions 1	U1	Number of voussoir divisions along the U direction (Springer Lines direction)	Integer	12
U Divisions 2	U2	Number of voussoir divisions along the U direction (Springer Lines direction)	Integer	12
V Divisions	V	Number of voussoir divisions along the V direction (Profile direction)	Integer	8

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Intrados Planes	Pi	Intrados planar vault panels (tree matching input branches).	Plane
Division planes	Pd	Planes of each Voussoir Contact Surface (tree matching input branches).	Plane
Boundaries	B	Voussoir Boundaries (Indexes of Division Planes).	String
Transversal planes	Pu	Division Planes with constant U-value.	Plane
Longitudinal planes	Pv	Division Planes with constant V-value.	Plane

Geometry

Create Voussoirs

Nickname: BVouss
Creates Voussoirs defined by division planes

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Intrados Planes	Pi	Intrados planar vault panels	Plane	—
Division planes	Pd	Planes of each Voussoir Contact Surface	Plane	—
Boundaries	B	Voussoir Boundaries (Indexes of Division Planes for each voussoir).	String	—
Thickness	T	User defined Voussoir Thickness	Float	0.25

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Voussoirs	V	Voussoir Blocks	Brep
Extrados	E	Extrados Surfaces	Surface
Intrados	I	Intrados Surfaces	Surface
Contact Faces	Fc	Voussoir contact surfaces	Surface

Springers

Springer – Triangle

Nickname: SprTri
Create a simple triangular Springer

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Vault Surface	S	The vault surface created by lofting both arcs	Surface	—
Springer Line	L	List of base lines to create vault springers	Curve	—
Voussoirs	V	Voussoirs to analyse	Brep	—
U Planes	Pu	Division Planes with constant U-value.	Plane	—

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Springers	S	Finished Springers	Brep
Voussoirs	V	Non transformed voussoirs	Brep

Springer – Trapezoid

Nickname: SprT
Create a simple trapezoid Springer

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Vault Surface	S	The vault surface created by lofting both arcs	Surface	—
Springer Line	L	List of base lines to create vault springers	Curve	—
Voussoirs	V	Voussoirs to analyse	Brep	—
U Planes	Pu	Division Planes with constant U-value.	Plane	—

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Springers	S	Finished Springers	Brep
Voussoirs	V	Non transformed voussoirs	Brep

Springer – Wall

Nickname: SprW
Creates a Springer based on the voussoirs closest to the springer line

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Vault Surface	S	The vault surface created by lofting both arcs	Surface	—
Springer Line	L	List of base lines to create vault springers	Curve	—
Voussoirs	V	Voussoirs to analyse	Brep	—
U Planes	Pu	Division Planes with constant U-value.	Plane	—
Springer Width	W	Distance perpendicular to springer line	Float	0.25

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Springers	S	Finished Springers	Brep
Voussoirs	V	Non transformed voussoirs	Brep
Top Wall Line	L	Lines to build walls on the springers

Wootils

Arc by Height

Nickname: ArcH
Create an upward arc between two points and a given height (max radius constrained by point distance)

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Start	A	Start point of the arc.	Point	—
End	B	End point of the arc.	Point	—
Height	H	Height of the arc.	Float	2.00

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Arc	A	Arc curve	Curve

Catenary by Height

Nickname: CatH
Create an upward catenary between two points and a given height

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Start	A	Start point of the catenary.	Point	—
End	B	End point of the catenary.	Point	—
Height	H	Rise (height) of the catenary.	Float	2.00

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Catenary	C	Catenary curve	Curve

Parabola by Height

Nickname: ParH
Create an upward parabola between two points and a given height

Input Name	ID	Description	Type	Default Values
Start	A	Start point of the parabola.	Point	—
End	B	End point of the parabola.	Point	—
Height	H	Height of the parabola.	Float	2.00

Output Name	ID	Description	Type
Parabola	P	Parabola curve	Curve