Adam Heisserer

Computational design, data, and architecture.

Audience View Tool - Pecha Kucha at Confluence Park

This is a Grasshopper tool for determining the field of view in unconventional performance spaces. For example, Confluence Park is a new pavilion at the confluence of the San Antonio River and San Pedro Creek. Designed by Lake Flato Architects and MATSYS Design, the main pavilion is composed of over 20 huge tilt-up concrete petals that funnel water into an underground basin. After the park's grand opening in March, it will host a Pecha Kucha talk under the pavilion. We will need to seat 500 guests in a space with rather unusual sight lines and acoustics.

Construction workers stand beneath the curved concrete petals of Confluence Park’s pavilion in San Antonio.
Photo by Sunnie Diaz
Aerial view of Confluence Park’s geometric pavilion in San Antonio, showing its unique petal structure and surrounding pathways.
Photo by San Antonio River Foundation
Isovist analysis of Confluence Park’s pavilion showing sight lines for audience seating under its concrete petals.

Step 1: Take a section through the pavilion at seated or standing height.

Isovist analysis of Confluence Park’s pavilion showing sight lines for audience seating under its concrete petals.

Step 2: Draw the location of a screen or podium.

Isovist analysis showing audience sight lines from a podium location at Confluence Park.

Step 3: The isovist component, with a test point placed directly in front of the middle of the screen or podium, determines all possible lines of sight.

Isovist analysis showing audience sight lines from a podium at Confluence Park, with 60-degree viewing angles.

Step 4: The angle of incidence on the screen is limited to 60 degrees in either direction.

Isovist analysis of Confluence Park showing audience sight lines with 60-degree viewing angles from multiple podiums.

Step 5: All isovist points are connected with a polyline to determine the available area.

Step 6: Add multiple screens or podiums to see the final result.

Step 7: Calculate available area with views to either screen.

Grasshopper script connecting isovist points to calculate audience viewing areas for multiple podiums at Confluence Park.