CompuServe Messages

>>But what about the use of study models and massing models. Even if >>these are not ever shown to the client, arent these used to help prove >>designs, and help the architect study his/her design? In this case, I'd pretty much come down on the side of virtual — especially with either the new video cards that allow real-time manipulation of a shaded model, or w/ the new quick preview features of r4. Again, even though architects, et al are SUPPOSED to be able to visualize 3d from 2d, there are often times where 2 or more elements are coming together in a way that's not only hard to visualize, it's hard to draw to convey info to others (ie where certain items may only be apparent from certain angles). We had a situation where an exposed steel truss came in to a gypbd wall and pilaster that had a little ledge for lighting where this exact situation occured. At the time, we didn't have 3DS — just ACAD and Alias' Upfront (which they have apparently abandoned, at least for us PC/Windows users — they came out w/ 2.0 for the Mac recently). It was just almost impossible to see where certain conditions were occuring in 2d settings. In such a situation, who wants to clear off their desk (not a possiblity in my case, I'm afraid <g>) and get out some foam core, balsa and chip-board to spend an hour cutting and gluing little pieces? Especially with relatively simple (primative) forms, the thing could be put together (in ACAD or 3DS, etc) in a few minutes, and freely examined. Then there's shadows. At school, we had a room called the Heliodon, a circular space with an adjustable table in the center and a domed ceiling set w/ flood lights at various positions. Using a control panel and the table, you could set up lighting conditions for different locations around the world for various seasons and times of year. How many offices have this? (How about those little sun-angle calculator wheels, eh?) But, with a computer, it's easy! And you don't have to set there and draw little lines on your model with different color pens so you can remember where the shadows fell. Physical models are cool. I don't dispute this, and I agree there's something humans connect to with a model — but from a standpoint of how versitile is the result for the time spent (ie greatest bang/buck), I'd say it's virtual all the way. After all, when the client has the phys model, what do YOU have? Dave