![[OLD FALL 2017] 15-104 • Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice](https://courses.ideate.cmu.edu/15-104/f2017/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/stop-banner.png)
Danilton: The Brutal Deluxe is a computational art project that was created by visual artist, Daniel Brown. The project is basically a rendered image that was first based on some photographs that were manipulated with an algorithmic program that the author created himself. There is not much information on the specifics of this program that he made, but considering the known fact that he did not 3D model each building components, one can assume that he could have used a plug-in similar to Grasshopper.
To generate the parasitic, massive buildings, Brown first plugged in random numbers to the program that produces the masses through fractal mathematics. He then searches for a particular area or geometries that he finds interesting within the randomly generated field, or 3D graph and adds to that particular shape. He basically gets the general from through algorithms and make the shapes even more complex and interesting by applying images of apartments from the 1970s and having the computer to generate infinite patterns, thereby creating a giant, maze-like cityscape that looks both retro and futuristic to a certain extent.
Brown has always been exploring with mathematical space before and after Danilton (2016), trying to create unlimited, boundless environments without constraints of physical building and modeling each component. The particular project and his other works clearly reflect his desire to use computational design as a means to discover and explore areas that were perhaps intangible. It is interesting how computer programs made something like creating a hyper-realistic image with tremendous amount of detail more plausible for artists.
More information on the project and other computational art by Daniel Brown can be found on his website:
Daniel Brown
More images are available here:
Daniel Brown Flickr