Crisis averted....I think

Well, I finally, sort-of completed the project. The final presentation document has been finished - to the best I could make it without getting really late. So, assuming that it can manage a pass, I've averted a crises of having to take the summer course or repeat next year. The presentation is next Monday, so we will see. I won't feel totally better until the presentation is over...well even when the marks are back, but if the presentation goes OK, than so will I.

Putting the plan to action

Plans, plans, plans. All this planning, because I had to 'integrate' the waveform more with the building structure for a more coherent concept realisation. Well, I hope it is worth it. Judging by the speed of the plans coming together, i won't have the sections and perspectives and the rest of the model until about another week away. Of course, I don't have that kind of time. There will simply have to be a phenomenal leap in productivity tomorrow. At times like these perfectionism is a burden.

Site model done

Yes the site model has been done. I had some luck with that score on several accounts: I had already booked for 12-1pm but i knew that wasn't going to be enough.... I was right. But fortunately, a friend lent me some of her time because she didn't need an hour (1-2pm) and another friend had already kindly offered me from 2-3pm. So I had from 12-3pm!! awesome. Then at 3-4pm another mate didn't need all the time so I managed to get a while in at the end of that slot, during which time a fire broke out in one of the laser cutters and melted the window somewhat... luckily it was still working! And one last roll of the dice came up with the technicians allowing us to go over time...significantly (it was supposed to close at 4pm). So, I somehow managed to get all the sections done. If I had stuck to the original plan (518 sections/slices) then I definitely would have never finished. I'll be getting another picture to show the result later. Meanwhile, wonder at the number of sections that were printed from the Sketchup model....

laser lunacy

The time has come to make freehand files for laser cutting. The original notions was to have a site model done 'quickly' and then to work on cutting pieces for the roof to fit together, and if time, make the building form by laser cutting also.... Well, hasn't quite worked that way. Taking slices every 320mm (real scale) results in 518 slices and therefore outlines to draw in freehand. This is simple too many (being called a lunatic and i'd have to agree after a rough estimate of taking about 17hrs of laser cutting time). So I've cut down the site model's extent, from 518 to 297, and then I'll do every second slice, making it 148 slices. this is more reasonable but even this drastic reduction will still take several hours of laser cutting time - and somehow I've got to make the model of the building too! - may be able to do that by hand but it is hard to say at the moment.

Crankin'

Got the main form done. Not all the surfaces have been edited/cut etc, because I know what's what, so I might revisit the model for some corrections to improve the outlines used for the 3d perspectives. Now I can start cranking out the plan & sections...yes, crankin -everything relies on the ability to crank.

still wading through shards...

Yup, this is still going - I'm hoping things will speed up after i finally get the right arrangement. The way I've edited/integrated the waveform has changed how I can model it - probably more difficultly. I will likely have to split the roof into numerous sections that fit into and between the buildings at different locations. This will require a lot of prep work for the laser cutting (i.e. labelling, grouping etc..) in addition to drawing up the freehand files. I'm about 2/3 through this integration stage, immediately after which I will cut all the plans and section outlines and scale them in AutoCAD.

stuck in a rut of polygons

Well, here it is at the 11th hour, so to speak. I still have to clean up the integration of the waveform interference with the building and rooms, making sure there is still enough room. Also, must make adequate routes for circulation for each floor and between each floor. Then I can use the section plane and print off some outlines(plans & sections), then sketch over in pencil, and return to autoCAD to bust out some clean drawings...