Brutalist Architecture Observation Deck (CLOSED) (CLOSED)

This past week I been makin' this observation deck in a brutalist architectural style - my favorite 'cause it be really simple to model.

I hope to release it as a Daz freebie by Valentine's Day. But I'll probably run into snags that will delay it.

Here is two of the deck models connected by a bridge. I made them so ya can connect as many as ya want in a row thusly.



In the above picture, the distant one has the optional elevator. Let's turn the whole assembly around in the below picture so ya can see that elevator better.



The elevator is rigged. A single slider control makes it go between levels. The slider begins by shutting the doors, then putting the car at the other level, then opening the doors at the other level.



In the above picture, the elevator car is at the ground level. The arrow buttons are not rigged. So no use trying to show a character pushing one of them buttons in. Too bad. I'm sooo malevolent for not rigging the buttons, I know.



In the above picture, the elevator car is up at the deck level. When you don't load the elevator, there will be a hole in the floor where the elevator would otherwise be. The hole can be filled in with normal floor boards by means of a materials preset.



While it is possible to stack them up as shown in the above picture, this will screw up the details in the floor and ceiling around the elevator. I did not design them for this sort of stacking. And the tilt and taper of the elevator would make such a design super complicated to retrofit in to the floors and ceilings. Other option would be to replace the elevator with one that had no tilt or taper. But then, the peculiar style would be compromised. Oh well.

Oh, and here's a view through the bridge.

The distant deck has the hole in the floor where the elevator would have been all filled up with that materials preset for that.
And when you connect a bridge, I have some materials presets to hide the window panels that would otherwise block off the bridge.

No restoorms!

But I have ideas of how to make one as an add-on for later.

This is really cool!

Interesting architecture on these models.  To me they have a very 60s/70s Thunderbirds vibe to them!

Wel I learnt something new today.  I got curious after my previous post and wondered if "Brutalist Architecture" was actually a thing, or whether it was just a witty name you gave it.  Typed it in to search and was blown away to find it's actually a legitimate form of Architecture.  The styles are amazing and I feel totally dumb for not knowing about it, especially as it originated in the United Kingdom - lol

I've always been a fan of Gothic architecture due to the imposing presence of it and the effort that goes into it.  Brutalist is just as imposing though, but in a way that is 'beautifully ugly' if that makes sense.  It even has an air of mood and dread about it, and a raw, scary look to it.

Love it, you've triggered a new fascination for me to read about.  I love how it's so ugly it's beautiful, and hell, even the name "Brutalist Architecture" sounds big, scary and imposing!

Ok and here's a series of pictures featuring the deck, and expressing my absurdist humor sensibilities - in case you missed in in the RendeHub gallery.













Ok then. Happy Valentine's Day to these two.

The observation deck looks really good in the renders!

Well, I did it! I released it on Valentine's Day.

https://www.renderhub.com/lukon/observation-deck-tetrapoint-base-v1

And here's a picture where I try to make the observation deck look more homey and inviting by putting furniture inside of it:

I could see it doubling as a conference center, especially with scenic surroundings. Gotta get over there and try it out!

Just installed this,  and I really like it! Nice work on this, and the Readme is helpful as well.  I loaded the whole building, but I like the modular options. The elevator makes a great stand-alone prop element . Thanks for sharing this!  I know a ton of work and time went into this.

Bathroom! Ya. I'm working on a bathroom for it. This goes in the back, right corner.



And I'm makin' a mirrored version for the back, left corner. But here's more pictures of the right version:







Also I am makin' porch lights for the bottom end of the elevator. Pictures of that to come soon.

This will be a cool addition! 

Porch lights!

"Dovie, go down to the main door porch and strike a pose. Be sure to stand tip-toe for no apparent reason."

"Sure, boss."



If ya got a base pad, but no elevator shaft on which to bolt the porch lights, then ya can use the spacial pillar with a bench I made, shown below:



Now zoom in on Dovie.



The porch lights on pillars offer enough fun on their own. Even without the deck, you can put a bunch of them on the small base, with a big base under it all, and get pictures like these below:

The light set-up looks really good!  It complements the design of the building and makes a nice stand-alone prop.

I think I completed this batch of add-on props today, including this new variant of the pillar that hold the porch lights when no elevator shaft is present. This new variant goes all the way up to the roof because, well, those slabs of concrete comprising the floor and the roof look a bit un-supported in the middle. Makes me nervous.



I struggled with the optical illusion that the pillar appeared out of alignment where those thickness changes go on. It is a consequence of the triangular cross section shape. I actually made the pillar deliberately out of alignment to compensate against the illusion. It did help, but the illusion still persists in lesser degree from other angles. Weird.

The full height pillar also gave me an opportunity to get a small closet in there.



So ya, now comes the grind of packaging the add-on items for release. More days of work.

No, wait... I stopped the packaging of these items so I could add yet another item.

I decided to make a sink for the bathroom. Here it is:



That faucet was interesting enough to warrant a separate release of it so folks can easily use it elsewhere. Check it out: https://www.renderhub.com/lukon/faucet-angle-bird-v1

In my proposed release of add-on's for the deck, I want to include some informational pictures that apply to all the items in the package already released. So here are some of them pictures:

Here's another informational picture, the point of which applies to all items in the original release, but uses an item I have not yet released as the example.

Another one that applies to items in the original release:

Even before 3Dsaga commented the idea of a light platform stand-alone prop, I had that already in the works. Here is the specific promo image for that prop:

In my use of the model so far, I have felt the need to reduce the window reflections, especially for interior renders. So I will add some presets to do that in this up-coming add-on's release. And here is my informational picture for that:

The five posts you just made today are an education even outside of the product.  I had no idea you could use use presets to do that 'subset' stuff, I never thought that they would talk to each other.

I really like the depth of thought you gave to the end users in your presets/sliders.  Not everyone goes that far, that's very appreciated.

2 more observation deck complementing items I hope to release as separate freebies soon:

1. Bench, Equilateral Triangular

Inspired by the benches over in San Francisco's De Young museum, and by the shape of the observation deck itself. As an aside, I want to mention that I have been feeling the vibe of the De Young's observation tower throughout my making of the observation deck model, whenever I do an interior render.

2. Binoculars, Pole Mounted, Stellarator

This is a model by "Stellarator" over on BlendSwap. I will adapt it for use in Daz Studio, including rigging the moving parts. To my knowledge, I am permitted to publish my Daz adaptation as a freebie so long as I credit Stellarator for the original model. The CC-BY license. No problem. I credit the model-maker even when I publish their CC-0 models.

https://blendswap.com/blend/20424

I think these two items will really bring home the "observation deck" vibe for the observation deck.



Like, it seems plausible the observation deck could be a hit with birders who want a view up at the canopy level.

I have seen some really nice exhibits in the De Young museum, and I enjoy the building itself.  It's cool that it influenced your concept for the observation deck.

Hey 3DSaga: Nice to encounter another De Young fan here. Ya. My mom used to take me to shows over there, hoping they'd inspire me to make visual art as well. Here's a picture I made shortly after she took me to see a David Hockney show there, a picture I call "Women at the Hockney Show":

That's so cool to have the De Young inspire you to pursue your own art!

Und now the bench is ready:

https://www.renderhub.com/lukon/bench-equilateral-triangular-v1

Yay! And now the pole mounted binoculars are ready too:

https://www.renderhub.com/lukon/binoculars-pole-mounted-stellarator-v1