Finessing the Model

The panels were finally finished and work could now be done on the window recesses which would finalise the form of the building. This was easily done by making edge loops that cut straight down the model as well as the circumference of the building. Care was taken to make these cuts in the mesh by using the images to accurately draw out the faces which could then be extruded to form the recesses. Drawing out the faces was time consuming but when it was time make the concave rectangles that formed the windows it was a simple case of selecting all faces then extruding. I was very pleased with the result as the cube now looked more like a building.

A little modeling was done on the upper part of the roof as vents were made as well as doors to add realism to the model based on the drawings we had. It could be difficult sometimes to make the vents accurate as some of the images had been slightly blurred. We worked around this problem as it was not essential to the core of the building as well as the brief. It was important however, to make sure the model was to scale and that the geometry was in good shape. Any faces within the model that would not be seen were got rid of to reduce render time.

Both my brother and I were very happy with the more detailed model and we could now build up the surrounding area using basic geometry to give the building scale and see how it related to existing buildings in the immediate vicinity. We also added street lamps and people to enhance the the models scale. 

Once we were happy with the exterior we focused our attention on the textures that needed application onto the building. We realised we could get a realistic effect using basic blins and lamberts if the building was lit properly. If there was more time in which to do the project we would have created the textures ourselves and applied bump maps to them to give an ultra realistic feel to the building. However, this was not the objective of the assignment as we needed to create a representation of the building. The building would be judged on its scale and accuracy not its textures.It would be nIce to at some point add custom textures and displacement maps to really enhance the realism of the piece. Render time must be taken into consideration.

The images show the development of the building and its surrounding as well as the addition of basic lamberts using maya software.

Adding the detail

Once the bare structure had been modeled we concentrated on building up the exterior details in the form of window frames and paneling. Most of this was a simple copy and paste procedure, however once the paneling was created we needed to fine tune it to fit the buildings exterior structure. 

In some cases we found that certain areas of the building were offset slightly. This problem confused us for quite a while and it was due to the fact that the image planes we used to reference the model were only just out of sink with each other. We eventually solved the issue by resizing the images so they were exactly the right height and width. Although this set back modeling time, we were quick to solve the problem when we located the error. This could have been prevented early on as I was to quick to get to the modeling stage than spend the time aligning the images exactly. 

We moved swiftly to create the other facades on both the east and south of the model. Progress at this point was good as all that was left was the window slots and the roof. We later found that we created some geometry that did not fit with the drawings. We noticed that we had extruded a face on the model that did not correlate with the plan drawings. We originally thought this would be a simple process of moving the vertices in question. How wrong we were.

For some reason I could not delete the faces of the face in question and tried various tools and procedures to rectify the problem. I tried merging vertex points and edges as well as extruding edges to make new geometry. At first it seemed that the problem was unsolvable. At great deliberation I began the horrible and tedious task of deleting whole sections of the building to create new geometry. This was a desperate move, however I thought it was the only way to rectify the problem. I eventually managed to create the faces needed for the panels to sit neatly within the framework of the building. It took quite a long time to solve the issue and I tried many solutions. Im sure there was a better way to solve the issue but I honestly don't know what happened. It was only by trial and error that I persevered and rectified the problem.

Anyway here are some screenshots that show the development of the exterior panels that form the interesting color scheme of the building.

The Modeling Begins

Using the images given to me by Husband and Carpenter Chris and I began to model the basic structure of the building using simple cubes and polygonal shapes. We just wanted to create the essence of the building. Creating details like window frames and panel work didn't enter the modeling phase at this stage as we wanted to focus our attention to the dimensions of the build and its framework. The building's width and height were the most crucial aspects to get right at this early stage in the project. If the building was created in a way that didn't represent the images early on this could cause major problems further on in the build. 

Progress was slow at this stage but this was due to miss reading the images as our architectural knowledge was poor. We found it difficult to read each elevation and there were discrepancies in the model. At one stage we had to completely rebuild the model because it did not resemble the drawings in any way. We found that we included too many faces for a building that is largely a basic cube in shape and we were making it more complicated than it actually was. However, we overcame this issue by asking our mother to help us in understanding the drawings and how the lower levels of the hotel related to the levels above it.

Here is an early screenshot of the building in its early stages of the blockout process. You will notice that minimal detail has been added at this time. 

Project Schedule

This is the project schedule for the project. It highlight the key areas which will require the most of our time. The project is quite ambitious, so careful planning is essential for good workflow and an outcome that will be adequate for broadcast.

The Drawings

Once I had acquired the necessary drawings to construct the exterior of the proposed building I began to scale the images suitable for maya. These would then be used as image planes to project the drawings to form a cube around the model. These image planes would be used to accurately construct the model to a specific scale. All elevations were needed to form the basic structure and accurately convey the height of the building itself. We also some plan drawings so we could construct the foundations of the building and produce a model with the right dimensions.

One of the hardest things during the building's development was reading the drawings produced by the architectural company. In order for the building to be accurate we needed the drawings to be a particular and they needed to be clear enough to read in maya. Chris and I had no experience in reading architectural, detailed drawings, so reading them to begin with was difficult and often resulted in a model that in no way resembled the drawings. However, with a little guidance and trial and error we managed to construct the basic shape of the building using the images given to us by Husband and Carpenter.

Research

Before we started the modeling phase I wanted to find some reference regarding fly throughs and camera moves that show off a buildings features.

I found one example that would help us in producing a theatrical piece that shows the buildings exterior. The video itself is on Vimeo. Here is a link to it http://vimeo.com/2098317. The video itself features the proposed Shard building in london. The piece itself features a full scale model of London which would be far to ambitious for my brother and I to achieve at this stage.  However, the way the camera moves throughout the scene is both artistic and informative. This is something my brother and I want to achieve by the end. The project should also improve our modeling, lighting and texturing skills. 

I do like the way the environment around the structure changes, for instance the change in light levels ue to the time of day. This is very theatrical but at the same time informative. The change in the time of day reflects what the building may look like in different conditions. This is something we will have to consider when working on the project.

The primary strategy for this project is to convey the building itself, how it relates to other buildings around it as well as the buildings interior. When developing the project for broadcast we need to consider lighting as well as the composition of the shots to get the best out of the building while informing the client of its dimensions.

Here are a few 3d examples created by icreate3d.com. This company was founded in 2003, it is an established Architectural Visualisation company working with the property sector throughout the UK and the rest of the world. They concentrate solely on architectural modeling and provide quality, accurate and reliable computer generated images and animations.

Here are a few examples of their work. Looking at these images I will try to create the same effect using textures and good lighting to replicate a realistic environment which would be of benefit to potential buyers.

These images will be hugely beneficial when it comes to modeling the exterior and interior of the building at Clapham Junction. The lighting and texturing within the scenes will help us decide how we want the interior to look like and how light will bounce around the rooms.

Although the drawings for the building have already been made available to us, this will give us the chance to get straight into modeling the exterior structure. The hard part will be texturing and lighting the scene to best depict the building and its features. I feel that this project is very ambitious but at the same time will provide us with the knowledge and skill to produce realistic and accurate architecture and interiors that will make us more employable in the industry we wish to participate in.

Architectural visualisation  using 3d packages such as Maya can exploit its render options and modelling tools to quickly and easily create realistic and accurate images of proposed buildings. This gives clients an image to work with where the client can observe first hand what the building will look like. The latest digital technology allows for quick and detailed architectural designs to be produced quickly and efficiently. Architectural rendering allows the client to understand the layout and environment of the proposed design. 3D modeling enables both the architects/ designers and the clients to envision the design more clearly. 3d packages also allow designers to quickly change features within the architectural design to best suite the client and planning applications if the need arises. 

Aims

For this project my brother and I want to build a convincing model in maya of Woburn that could be shown to potential clients in the future. The aim is to texture the building using basic lamberts and blins that would convey the colour scheme of the building's exterior and interiors. The aim is to build a realistic as well as a scale model that should give a sense of space and form. We would also like to add lighting as this would help the clients in developing some sort of light system for the building and how the light would interact with the space as well as the tones of the interior.

Once the model is built and textured we will then focus our attention on producing some sort of fly through the building and its exterior. Although we have considered using slow camera moves that give an artistic and theatrical atmosphere to the project.