Daniel Locatelli.

Hi,I'm Daniel LocatelliPhD Candidate, ETH Zurich

I am a doctoral researcher at Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich, working on computational design-to-fabrication for timber plate building systems and exploring how AI can support the design process. My background spans plugins, web applications, and computational design for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC).

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My Service Offerings

Plugin Development

Bespoke tools to automate tasks, integrate specialized analyses, or extend a software capability. Expert in C# for Rhino/Grasshopper, Revit and AutoCAD.

Web Applications

Web-based solutions for project management, collaborative tools, financial simulators and 3D visualization. Focused in React, Astro and PostgreSQL.

Computational Design

Applying advanced computational design strategies to streamline and enhance AEC processes, improving efficiency in design, analysis, and documentation.

Data Visualization

Creating dashboards to better understand, interpret, and act upon complex project data. From web-native dashboards to enterprise Power BI frameworks.

Digital Fabrication

Creating Grasshopper scripts to automatically extract manufacturing data from complex, parametric 3D designs for digital fabrication.

Architect + Programmer

With a background in architecture and a Master of Science from the ITECH program at the University of Stuttgart, coupled with ten years' experience that encompassed computational design at German engineering offices, I possess a deep understanding of AEC challenges.

I don't just write code; I design and build software solutions that are tailored to the needs of architects, engineers, and construction professionals because I understand your world.

Portfolio Highlights

Screenshot of BuildSystems Funding Calculator

BuildSystems Funding Calculator

BuildSystems GmbH

Web application with user-friendly forms and interactive charts for simulating funding scenarios for housing through the national German bank KfW.

Tech: TypeScript, Angular, ng2-charts, Supabase, PostgreSQL, HTML, CSS.

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Screenshot of BuildSystems Plugin for Grasshopper/Rhino3D

BuildSystems Plugin for Grasshopper/Rhino3D

BuildSystems GmbH

Grasshopper plugin that enables designers to perform critical feasibility and sustainability analyses directly within their design environment, promoting informed decision-making.

Tech: C#, RhinoCommon, Grasshopper API, JSON.

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Common Sky installation by Studio Other Spaces: a geodesic glass and mirror canopy above the atrium of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum

Data Extraction for Digital Fabrication

ArtEngineering GmbH

Support on the digital fabrication of Common Sky using Grasshopper and Sandbox Topology. Focused on geometry processing and automation of fabrication workflows.

Tech: Scripting in Grasshopper/Rhino3D.

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Recommendations

Mr. Locatelli has always performed the tasks assigned to him to our complete satisfaction, meeting and, in many respects, exceeding our expectations.

Martin Bittmann

BuildSystems GmbH

Mr. Locatelli's professional conduct was exemplary. He consistently displayed a combination of technical brilliance, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skill. His ability to integrate seamlessly into team dynamics while maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence made him an invaluable team member.

Herwig Bretis

ArtEngineering GmbH

Map of Knowledge

I’m constantly learning the latest tools to ensure I’m building the right system for each task.

CAD & BIM
AutoCAD logo
AutoCAD
(opens in new tab)Autodesk's standard 2D/3D drafting tool. I build AutoCAD plugins (C#/.NET) that automate repetitive drawing work.Civil 3D logo
Civil 3D
(opens in new tab)AutoCAD with parametric tools for infrastructure design. I build Civil 3D plugins that automate terrain modelling and drawing production.Revit logo
Revit
(opens in new tab)Autodesk's BIM authoring tool. Certified Professional since 2014; I build Revit add-ins (C#/.NET) for modelling automation and data exchange, like the DOKwood importer.
Computational Design
Dynamo logo
Dynamo
(opens in new tab)Visual scripting for Revit. I use it for batch edits, parameter mapping and model checks that would be tedious by hand.Grasshopper logo
Grasshopper
(opens in new tab)Visual programming for Rhino, my main design environment since 2015. I build form-finding workflows, fabrication data and C# plugins, and teach it.
Add-ons
Kangaroo logo
Kangaroo
(opens in new tab)Physics engine for Grasshopper. I use it for form finding of membranes and meshes, as in Canyon and Radom Raisting.Galapagos logo
Galapagos
(opens in new tab)Evolutionary solver built into Grasshopper. I use it for optimisation, like the collision-free placement of suspended spheres in Parada Coca-Cola and bobbin-lace patterns.Weaverbird logo
Weaverbird
(opens in new tab)Mesh subdivision and smoothing for Grasshopper. I use it for organic geometry, as in Models by Nature and my biomimicry research.Ladybug Tools logo
Ladybug Tools
(opens in new tab)Environmental analysis (sun, radiation, daylight) for Grasshopper. I use it for early design studies and in teaching.Culebra logo
Culebra
(opens in new tab)Multi-agent behaviours for Grasshopper. I used it for the Life Lamp, where emotions drive the lamp's growth.Karamba3D logo
Karamba3D
(opens in new tab)Parametric structural analysis for Grasshopper. I use it for quick bending and buckling checks, as in Building Across Scales.
Programming
Languages
Python logo
Python
(opens in new tab)My scripting and research language. Grasshopper components, COMPAS at ETH, a Cadwork plugin for DOKwood and data pipelines.C# logo
C#
(opens in new tab)My language for AEC plugins. The BuildSystems Grasshopper plugin, the DOKwood Revit add-in and the data models behind them.
Web development
HTML logo
HTML
(opens in new tab)The structure of every site I ship. Written semantically so pages stay accessible and readable by agents, as on this website.CSS logo
CSS
(opens in new tab)Tailwind for most layouts, handwritten CSS where it matters. Typography, print styles and the animations of this website.TypeScript logo
TypeScript
(opens in new tab)My daily language for the web. This site, the BuildSystems website and the Funding Calculator.
Frameworks
Flask logo
Flask
(opens in new tab)Lightweight Python web framework. I use it for small APIs and prototypes that expose research or Grasshopper logic over HTTP.TanStack Start logo
TanStack
(opens in new tab)Full-stack React framework (Start, Query, Router). I use it for apps that need type-safe data loading.Astro logo
Astro
(opens in new tab)Content-first web framework. This portfolio and the BuildSystems website, with Notion as CMS.React logo
React
(opens in new tab)UI library for interactive interfaces. The AI chat on this site and the web apps I build for clients.
Databases
MongoDB logo
NoSQL
(opens in new tab)Document database. I use it for prototypes and tools with flexible, nested data.SQLite logo
SQLite
(opens in new tab)Embedded SQL database. I use it for local tools, tests and small research datasets.PostgreSQL logo
PostgreSQL
(opens in new tab)My main relational database. Supabase behind the Funding Calculator and the vector store of this site's AI chat.

Ready to elevate your AEC projects?

Let's discuss how my expertise can transform your challenges into innovative software solutions.

Send an Email

contact@daniellocatelli.com