Project Progress

After week 7 studio class, our team had a discussion with our tutors Jeremy and Graham. We showed them our design from archicad and found that our design didnt quite depict what the architect Boullee had designed in his drawings. A few details needed work and editing:

• the sphere was much to small and so the impact of the building was dimished because of the smaller sized dome.


• the main layered tier was much to high, offputting the elegant nature of the design, it looked as there was a huge wall constrasting that of the sphere roof


• the platforms above each tier didnt have that overhanging lip that gave the building that layered affect


• the splayed ramps spotlighting the main entrance were too far apart and needed to be closer as when one views the building from a distance, it looks as if the splayed ramps are in line with the shpere itself. Portraying an illusion of a shpere acutally sitting on top of a pedestle as iilustrated by the diagram below.

Fig 1.) The sphere illusion

A new design was created to answer some of the noticable design flaws. Instead of going back into archicad and trying to remodel the building. We decided to use the existing model to try develop a brand new model in 3dsmax. Becuase we had the main structural skeleton and dimensions figured out already. Using the archicad model as a referenence, a 3dsmax version of the design was relatively easy to recreate.

We were able to redefine the model completely and develop a design quite similar to what Boullee had drawn. The construction in 3dsmax involved some techniques that we found much easier than in archicad. The program allowed us to carefully split up each component and model them exactly to what shape and contours we desire. During the archicad process, some shapes were quite hard to do and the program really struggled to run because of the sheer size. It would quite often crash abrutly and stall if we wanted to save.
The 3dsmax process was a real breakthrough improvement and we were able to quickly move on without any major delays. At the end stages of modelling we even were able to add some textures in max that we had researched for our building earlier.

Fig 2.) Modelling the simple circular tiers and platforms

Fig 3.) Introducing the full sphere at a size compatible with the original design



Fig 4.) Working out the splayed ramps





Fig 5.) Cutting a circular entrance doorway

Fig 6.) Adding the entrance wall

Fig 7.) Cutting the outer doorway

Fig 8.) 'Booleaning' the required holes in the roof

Fig 9.) Adding textures to the model

Fig 10.) Mulitple views of the building

Fig 11.) First attempt of a render

Fig 12.) Render 2

Fig 13.) Internal render shot