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Getting StartedIntroduction

Introduction

BeingAliveTerrain (BAT) is a Grasshopper plugin for Rhino 8 that helps landscape architects and civil engineers sculpt, analyze, and communicate terrain intent. It pairs fast editing tools with clear analysis feedback, so design iterations stay grounded in real earthworks impacts.

Who it is for

  • Landscape architects shaping site grading and landforms
  • Civil engineers evaluating cut and fill balance
  • Computational design teams building terrain-driven workflows

What you can do

  • Edit surfaces with point-, curve-, and area-based tools
  • Compare cut and fill volumes with immediate feedback
  • Visualize terrain gradients with consistent color maps

Typical workflow

  1. Import or generate a base terrain surface in Grasshopper.
  2. Apply BAT editing tools to sculpt or correct the surface.
  3. Run analysis tools to quantify volumes and validate grading.
  4. Export results back to Rhino or downstream documentation.

BeingAliveTerrain is developed by the Chair of Being Alive  at ETH Zurich. See Credits for contributors and related projects.

Ready to install? Continue with the installation guide.

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Installation