176: Campfire Series - ‘The Rhinocerous Story’, with Scott Davidson
A conversation with Scott Davidson.
In this special Campfire Series episode, Scott Davidson joins the podcast to tell us the incredible origin story of Rhino. What began as a simple AutoCAD plugin in the early 90s evolved into something much bigger through an unexpected series of events. Scott shares the surprising story behind how Rhino got its name, its journey from industrial design to architecture, and how an accidental "leak" helped shape the software's destiny. We also discuss how some of architecture's biggest names, including Frank Gehry, discovered and adopted Rhino early on, leading to its widespread use in complex geometric design and digital fabrication today.
Episode links:
Connect with the Guest
Related TRXL Episodes
- TRXL 026: ‘File Formats Are Terrible’, with Scott Davidson
- TRXL 136: ‘Rhino.Inside.TRXL’, with Japhy Walton
Books and Philosophies
- William Mitchell’s City of Bits
- MIT Press Link
- Amazon Link
- Explores how digital technology transforms cities, design, and architectural practice, relevant to Rhino's influence in parametric and digital design.
Rhino Links
- Rhino 3D and Computational Design
- Official Rhino 3D Website
- Learn more about Rhino’s role in parametric and freeform modeling, particularly in architecture, industrial design, and digital fabrication.
- Grasshopper for Rhino
- Grasshopper Official Website
- Learn more about Grasshopper, the visual programming tool that has transformed computational design across industries.
- Rhino Inside
- Rhino Inside Revit Official Website
- Explore how Rhino integrates directly within Revit, enabling seamless parametric modeling inside BIM workflows.
- Paneling Tools for Rhino
- Paneling Tools Guide
- Understand how paneling tools in Rhino are used for complex architectural facades and digital fabrication.
- Rhino for Mac
- Rhino Forum
- Food4Rhino
- A comprehensive list of all Grasshopper Plugins available
- 25 Year Anniversary of Rhino
Visualization & Design Tools
- Sagrada Familia Digital Reconstruction
- Completing the Sagrada Família
- Learn how Rhino was used to digitally reconstruct and fabricate the remaining structures of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece.
- Parametric Design in Architecture
- Grasshopper and Parametric Design
- A high-level explanation of how parametric design tools, including Grasshopper, have revolutionized architecture.
Events and Networks
- ACADIA (Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture)
- ACADIA Conference Official Website
- Focuses on research and development in computational design, often featuring Rhino-based projects.
- Digital Futures Conference
- Advancing Computational Building Design
- AEC Tech Conference and Hackathon
Additional Recommended Reading
- Taming the Rhinoceros: A brief history of a ubiquitous tool by Galo Canizares
- Dominik Zausinger’s Personal Tribute to Rhino
- Evan’s post on LinkedIn calling for love letters for Rhino
About Scott Davidson:
Scott Davidson is a seasoned professional in the field of 3D modeling and computational design, serving as the Business Development Manager at Robert McNeel & Associates since 1992. Based in Lynnwood, Washington, Davidson has been instrumental in promoting and expanding the adoption of Rhino 3D and its associated tools like Grasshopper and Rhino.Inside.Revit. His expertise lies in bridging technology with design workflows, enabling architects, engineers, and designers to leverage Rhino's capabilities for complex geometry and interoperability.
Davidson has also contributed to educational initiatives, such as workshops on Rhino.Inside.Revit at industry events like AECTech, where he has guided professionals in integrating Rhino with other platforms for enhanced design processes. With over three decades of experience at McNeel, Davidson has played a key role in shaping the company's trajectory and fostering innovation in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry. He is a graduate of the Architecture program at the University of Oregon and is highly regarded for his deep knowledge of computational design tools and their applications.
