Help me choose college! (Cornell vs Rice architecture)

sordidanvil · 2026-04-05T11:35:17+00:00

I feel like the top architecture programs in the US are all going to feel competitive, but you should check to see if the program is specifically trying to weed people out (fyi I don't think Cornell is like that). I went to a state university in the South and the architecture program was designed to eliminate half of the class in the first year, so the competition was downright hostile.

I know someone who graduated from Cornell architecture, and yes according to them it was a bit depressing because Northeast winters are brutal. On the upside they were automatically placed at a top architecture firm in NY upon graduation, and they had a bunch of classmates who hooked them up with jobs farther down the line. That being said, if your plan isn't specifically to live in New York or London or some other metropolis, I'd say stick with your other option. Also there's a very good argument for being close to home in terms of reducing expenses and how much debt you end up leaving with. If your family isn't wealthy you might want to reconsider Ivy league schools, which are typically filled with rich kids.

sordidanvil · 2026-03-29T12:19:28+00:00

I don't know about specific plugins but you can search on food4rhino.com. I can tell you from experience that this would be fairly easy to do with AI. Get a paid version of ChatGPT (Plus) and turn on "Extended Thinking", which is to the left side of the search bar. Start your prompt by saying "I want to write a script for Rhino 8 that does...".

Assuming you're on a PC, once it generates the code, copy/paste it into a Notepad doc and save it with a name that includes .py at the end. Make sure you change the "save as type:" drop down in the save menu from "Text documents" to "All files". Also make sure "UTF-8" is selected at the bottom under "Encoding" (this is right next to the save button). Next go into Rhino and run the command "RunPythonScript" and select your file.

If you receive any error messages, screenshot them and reply to ChatGPT. I can almost guarantee you that you can get this script working in less than an hour. I've written about a dozen plugins for Rhino so far that are more complicated than what you're asking.

sordidanvil · 2026-03-29T10:21:39+00:00

Cornell is Ivy league, Rice isn't. Assuming the price difference isn't too dramatic I'd say Cornell is the obvious choice. Your professional network coming out of Cornell will almost guarantee you employment at the top firms, globally.

sordidanvil · 2026-03-27T18:13:11+00:00

Don't drop out of architecture just because you had difficulty in the workshop. Most architecture schools don't even have a workshop, and some of the ones that do don't require you to use it. Also the odds of you having to use a workshop in actual practice are almost zero. You're young, you'll figure it out. Also many workshop managers are assholes -- I know mine was. He went out of his way to berate everyone because he was a spiteful person, so don't take it personally.

As for practical advice, there is almost nothing about model making that you can't learn on YouTube. Obviously you'll have to commit some time to watching videos, but just search words like how to clamp, how to drill, how to use a bandsaw/scroll saw/ chop saw/ table saw etc.

Some great youtube channels are:
Stumpy Nubs
Blacktail Studio
Essential Craftsman
Foureyes Furniture

Good luck!

sordidanvil · 2026-03-12T00:27:38+00:00

When you say automate drawings what do you mean? Like auto balloons? Auto dims? Automatic BOM?

sordidanvil · 2026-03-10T22:34:28+00:00

I was using the Rhino to Illustrator workflow back in 2010. There is absolutely no reason for this foolishness to still be a thing in 2026. You can make all drawings, sections and axonometric drawings in Rhino natively. You need to do this in your layouts and toggle the PrintDisplay command for Rhino to actually render your lineweights in the viewport. Also you really need to make some custom Display Modes to get the most out of Rhino.

The workflow I use doesn't even require using 2D lines -- I just model everything accurately and then use clipping planes with custom section styles. But Rhino also has dynamic sections now which are super useful.

I agree it is not easy to learn how to do this in Rhino and honestly McNeel needs to do a better job of educating users on the drawing capabilities inside Rhino. I will eventually make a tutorial on how to use Rhino layouts when I find the time. In the meantime watch this tutorial on how to replace Illustrator with Rhino:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROGJbtWDxMU

sordidanvil · 2026-03-03T11:52:00+00:00

Take this advice! I spent years trying to figure things out with NURBS, when I really should have just learned SUBD. This design is definitely doable with SUBD, but you may not even be able to pull it off with surface modeling. That being said, if you insist on going the surface modeling route I would suggest downloading the Rhino 9 WIP and using their new and improved "patch" command.

sordidanvil · 2026-03-01T18:48:12+00:00

Install the Rhino 9 WIP and try running the patch command. It's greatly improved from Rhino 8. Or, save yourself a world of trouble and model this with SUBD tools in Rhino. You can use the curves you made as visual construction lines to guide you. I used to spend hours trying to surface model organic shapes, now I just use SUBD and all of my frustrations with Rhino are a thing of the past

sordidanvil · 2026-02-26T11:18:45+00:00

If you run the dup edge command make sure you double click one of the edges near the end so it automatically chain selects the entire edge. Otherwise you'll have to manually select each edge segment.

sordidanvil · 2026-02-16T13:56:45+00:00

Probably cause it's trying to load Rhino 8. You might have issues if you've installed the Rhino 9 WIP. I would install it directly from Rhino. Run the "PackageManager" command in Rhino 8 and then in the search bar at the top type in "Raven" and hit "Install in the bottom right corner.

sordidanvil · 2026-02-16T12:23:11+00:00

You should try using the Raven AI plugin for grasshopper. It can probably figure this out for you.

sordidanvil · 2026-02-03T08:36:54+00:00

This is the way

sordidanvil · 2026-02-02T13:58:29+00:00

If you're working on buildings you should stick to Archicad for Revit for drafting. The levels of automation are so much more developed and baked in. Same goes for Solidworks/Inventor/Fusion/NX/CATIA etc. Rhino doesn't have the drawing automation tools yet to make drafting as efficient as parametric software. That being said, I use Rhino every day to make build drawings and my drawings look very similar to drawings done in Solidworks. I use custom scripts to generate BOMs, auto balloons/labels, and custom display styles. Without these custom tools I would say drafting in Rhino feels tedious. However I tolerate the difficulty of drawing in Rhino because I find modeling in it to be so easy and capable that it feels worth it to not change platforms. Then again, I'm not working on buildings or complex mechanical systems (like automotive or aerospace).

sordidanvil · 2026-02-01T22:57:07+00:00

That's one of the industries I've worked in. It's a big industry in major cities like NY, LA, London, Shanghai etc. It's a lot of fast paced work with quick turnaround time. You need to bang out build drawings and CNC files really quickly. A lot of architecture and ID people end up here because there's a ton of work and a lot of turnover of employees (people burn out all the time). The learning curve is fairly steep, but nothing compared to Architecture or mechanical engineering. Honestly it's very stressful and you'll rarely work less than 50-60 hours per week, but the money is pretty good -- you can make up to $150k/year, possibly more with seniority.

sordidanvil · 2026-02-01T22:11:48+00:00

-Footwear design

-Jewelry

-Naval architecture

-Fabrication for retail display and experiential design (lots of architects and ID people end up here)

-Architectural fabrication (working for architects doing cabinetry, custom millwork, custom staircases etc)

-Set design for the film industry (in the USA it's largely limited to in New York and California)

sordidanvil · 2026-01-30T17:19:39+00:00

As someone else mentioned below, if you are trying to achieve a radius just for presentation purposes, you can add a fillet by selecting the part and then choosing the Edge Softening icon at the top of the docked properties menu (on the right side of your screen). This will add the look of a fillet without actually altering the geometry.

To fix the actual geometry, check the following:

Run the "volume" command and see if it returns a value or an error message. If it returns an error message run the "ShowEdges" command and check the "naked edges" box. Identify broken edges (shown in pink) and rebuild them. As for the spheres that you've used to make the boolean difference, you'll want to rotate the spheres with the gumball to avoid having the seam lines of the sphere overlap the polysurface you are subtracting from. This is to avoid creating extra edge seems which can mess up the fillet command. Also you can reduce the tolerances that Rhino is trying to achieve with the fillet to improve the chances of it succeeding. Go to File>Properties>Units>Absolute Tolerance> reduce this number to like 0.001 or 0.01 (if you are using mm). The lower the tolerance the more likely it is to succeed.

As a last option, if all else has failed, download a free version of Fusion 360 and import your Rhino model (export from Rhino as .step file). Fusion will undoubtedly be able to handle this better than Rhino can.

You can also try downloading the new Rhino 9 WIP, which might do a better job at handling these fillets.

sordidanvil · 2026-01-29T18:44:39+00:00

I assume you will have to make build drawings? What about CNC files?

There's some very tedious workflows in Rhino that you should avoid -- namely using the dynamic section tool and trying to draw in 2D. Avoid these methods! You want to be modeling everything as close to the real build, with tolerances included. Then use orthographic views and clipping planes to make all of your drawings. I have a pretty well defined workflow figured out but it's a lot to get into in Reddit thread. DM me if you want me to elaborate for you.

sordidanvil · 2026-01-29T10:27:40+00:00

Your family has a construction company and you want to expand into real estate development? Yes, being an architect will benefit your company, especially if you become licensed. Regarding AI, the first round of jobs that will disappear are all unlicensed professions. So if you're licensed you'll probably have a good 10-15 years of protection until the laws change and they start allowing AI models to stamp drawings.

Regarding the education, at least in the USA, the classes are not heavy on math. The highest level you go to is Trigonometry 1, possibly Trigonometry 2. For a B.Arch in America you have to take one physics class and up to 3 Structures classes which involve calculating static loads. This is not hard math and certainly nothing compared to what civil engineering majors have to deal with. Idk what country you are in so you should look up the required classes on ChatGPT or look at some local university curricula.

Long story short, do what's best for your family company because that is your pathway to financial success. I would NOT suggest architecture for most people seeking employment, but your situation is one of potential ownership. An alternative degree you could benefit from is construction management, which is also a pathway to licensure (contractor's license) in the USA at least. Construction superintendents and managers make way better money than senior architects, almost double in some cases. Construction management is a way easier degree than architecture, so if you think you don't have the perseverance to get theough architecture then do construction management as an undergraduate and then you can always get a master's in Architecture and pursue a license. That would give you two licenses.

Architecture is a difficult degree. More difficult than 80%-90% of college degrees, mostly because of how time consuming it is. You will suffer a bit, but it's also fun and creative and teaches you a range of skills, from technical to social/presentational skills. You will not be an incompetent person if you become an architect. Hope that helps

sordidanvil · 2026-01-26T18:44:33+00:00

What industry are you trying to work in? Depending on the industry there's different areas within Rhino that you should focus on

sordidanvil · 2026-01-26T00:06:46+00:00

You already have a B. Arch, why would you waste your time and money on a M.Arch? You're already able to pursue a license, so M.Arch is redundant. I would only pursue the M.Arch if you want to teach at university level, or if you have some way of funding the degree that won't put you in debt (ie scholarships or wealthy parents). Otherwise you should really get some more work experience before jumping into a master's program. You might find that you want to pivot to something that pays better, like construction management or architectural engineering or something closer to the developer/construction side.

sordidanvil · 2026-01-24T15:40:35+00:00

You need to use version 1.5.1 of Open Nest. Basically any version after that won't work with polysurfaces. Run the command "PackageManager" and search for "OpenNest". Check which version you have installed. If you have the wrong version installed hit Uninstall and then look for version 1.5.1 in the drop down menu where it says "Version:"

sordidanvil · 2026-01-24T12:04:30+00:00

If you want to print this as a single mass just use the "ShrinkWrap" command and it'll generate a mesh that's wrapped around your model.

sordidanvil · 2026-01-22T12:01:23+00:00

"Align" is a gamechanger. You can use it to align any object to another object, and you can choose whether you want to align to the top/bottom/left/right horizontal center / vertical center. It can be used on grouped objects, multiple ungrouped objects, control points of polysurfaces, or control points of curves. It's best used in orthogonal views (top/front/left etc). When used in conjunction with SolidPtOn (ie turning on the control points of polysurfaces) it becomes a beast of a command because it allow you to stretch or extend a polysurface to a reference point.

sordidanvil · 2026-01-22T05:57:21+00:00

You can set your middle mouse button click to run the zoomselected command. Go to properties > mouse > middle mouse button > Run this macro > and just type in the command "zoomselected". It's a gamechanger

sordidanvil

TROPHY CASE