Spa's Atlantic Retreat

[spa]

Cubby: Thanks! It's always nice to fill gaps and in my experience, we can always use more mid-rise offices.
Caliban: Thanks.
Superhands: No problem about the suggestions, it's what a threads for! I did take you up on the chimnies, they're now lighter so they stand out a little more. Good suggestion. As for the seams on the roof, I actually like them as is. When I made the texture, I started off with more defined lines, but I found they overpowered the texture. I'm happy with them so they're staying as is.
TiFlo: Interesting about your student at Infrastructure Canada. She's no doubt correct. It's only now that projects that received stimulus money are really getting underway so I don't know what good the whole spending spree did other than to put the country deep into red ink. My sense is that a good number of the stimulus projects, at least when it comes to federal buildings, were projects that were going to happen anyway. In the hyper-partisan world of minority government, it's politics all the time.


Just a small update on a few small changes to the Amherst GOCB. There is now a version for both left and right corners, I tweaked the chimney texture so that they stand out a little more, shrunk the bricks and fixed a few minor details on the lot. Below is the final version.




As I mentioned the other day, my next project will be another beauty from Saint John, NB. Just up the street from the Customs Building, sits the second federal government office building in Saint John, the Postal Station A and Annex (POA).



Around the turn of the century, the post office was undergoing an industrial revolution in mail sorting which meant large central facilities were needed. Postal Station A was built in 1915 and was one of several new post offices built across the country during the era. The beaux-arts structure is noteworthy for its classical style, exaggerated height and location. Most beaux-arts buildings were built with the idea that you would view them from afar, but the POA, however, was built mid-block on a narrow street which means its tough to really view the whole building. It's kind of like the original architecture took an off the shelf kind of design and dropped it into the middle of Saint John without considering the local context.

After the Second World War, the Canadian federal government, like governments in most of the Western world, entered a period of rapid expansion. Growing federal requirements meant that the demand for government office space in Saint John increased. To meet the increasing demand and to redevelop Uptown, an addition was added onto the back of the Postal Station on Canterbury Street in 1952.



In sharp contrast to the Postal Station, the Annex is an early modernist classic with clear ties to the Bauhaus school. Whereas the Postal Station side is built from stone and includes ornate detailing, the Annex side is made up of brick, glass and steel, and boasts crisp lines without ornamentation. Below is a bing picture of the area so you can see how the two separate wings fit together to form one building.



Anyway, this is my next project. I'll see how it goes, but I might include stand alone versions of both the Annex and Postal Station sides in addition to a model of the whole complex for variety.... we'll see if I'm sick of it by then.

[Gringamuyloca]

best part of your teases is when they grow in my city! 

[metasmurf]

I really like the brick building. Looks very very similar to an old, now closed school near where I live. Keep them generic buildings coming, they're greatly appreciated 

[mightygoose]

the brick building reminds me of the county court in my town...

linkie

[Jack_wilds]

Hey SPA dude...

The Amherst GOCB -so much better  thanks for fixing it round... between commenting on bat progress here or there I prefer here as the textures, colors and lotting seem to appear better here -but I think its just how my PC is  ...

I could speak a few about the stimulus too... but what good would it do  ... I didn't qualify for any of it nor did it have a direct or immediate or visible effects here in the fox valley 

Trust life is good in the maritime

Jack 

[Utvaw]

Fantastic work so far, these are some really great buildings.  I'd like to throw my vote in for the annex and main building being separate, I for one would get more use out of them that way.  I hope you will be keeping the Canada sign on the building as well and have it light up all sexy like.

I'd also like to take the time to ask if these are all going to be CO buildings or are you going to make any of them city halls or anything of that sort?

[magee_b]

Hey Spa,

I was in the freddy building with the Feds for a brief stint. Thanks again for continuing to put out some great quality BATs. Being in Toronto, they give me a little taste of home.

I was thinking the SJ City Market would make a great addition once you complete your Federal Buildings series. Would probably have to cheat a bit and remove the slope though.

Best Wishes!

[io_bg]

Great work with the brick building, Spa. The more smaller buildings we have, the better
Just a small suggestion... what about a concrete version of it? Something like this maybe?

[spa]

Long time since my last update from the looks of things. Overdue replies first.

Gringa: There will be more this year
Metasmurf & Mightygoose: That's the beauty of 1970s modernism, it could be anywhere in the world.
Jack: I forget what I did to fix it, it's been so long. Thanks
Utvaw: When I get around to finishing the POA, I'll include all 3 versions for a 3 in 1 deal. I actually haven't been keeping the Canada signs on any of my GOCBs. Been trying to keep things generic for Sim City. I know when other people create buildings, I prefer that national symbols be left off so I have been doing the same.
Magee: I actually don't have pictures of the Saint John market. I somehow missed it on my last trip there. Next time I'm in Saint John I'll bring my camera and make sure to snap a few pictures. I think the first Maritime market I make will actually be the new Seaport market here in Halifax. Some really, really contemporary architecture.
Io_bg: Thanks. After the GOCBs I'll either do a set of Maritime mansions or another batch of Main Street buildings. I'll consider doing a concrete version, but usually with these larger buildings, by the time I get to the end of texturing I'm just ready to move onto my next project.


Well I'm very overdue in replying here. About two months! Sim City just got lost in the holiday rush. I really didn't do much batting over the last while. The computer time I had went into Galactic Civilizations 2 Twilight of Arnor. Had to fight the Drengin until it was out of my system. In the last two weeks though, I started tinkering with Sim City again. I didn't have the stomach for picking up a large project like the POA for easing back in so I started with something small, a new building, the Shelburne Government of Canada Building.

The Shelburne GOCB is a federal office building located in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Shelburne is a small town of less than 10,000 people on Nova Scotia's South Shore that when it was first founded after the American Revolution, was briefly Nova Scotia's largest settlement. That highpoint wasn't sustainable though and Shelburne eventually lost out to Halifax and Yarmouth. The Shelburne GOCB was constructed in 1964 and provides space for Canada Post and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. It's a modernist building, which is usually not my thing, but the Shelburne GOCB has some style to it that's somehow appealing to me. Anyway, time for some shots from the finished product.


For a small building there were a lot of little details to make. The front facade has lots of geometry! I'm pretty pleased with the end product. I did make two versions, one with the front wheelchair ramp and one without. The version without the ramp is a little more compact and fits on a 3x3 lot while the version with the ramp takes up more space and needed a 3x4 lot. I made the extra compact version so that the Shelburne GOCB can look at home, in Sim City, in a larger more urban setting than, say, small town Shelburne. So with the Shelburne GOCB finished, I'll either resume working on the POA or start the final GOCB in the set, Halifax's Dominion Public Building and my own daily workspace. One nightshot of the Shelburne GOCB for the road.

[Jack_wilds]

...its been so long that I thought you fell in to the sound  glad you are well and trust that the Christmas holidays treated you with an abundance of fun and family...

I like the Shelburne GOCB as it's delightfully generic and also typical of similar government structures here in WI.  The only thing I'd add  is a mail delivery truck to the rear dock... otherwise the lot, props and overlook is good...

from the shivering Northwoods

Jack of the snows

[spa]

Jack: haha no sounds around here. We have harbours, bays, a couple of straits, an inlet or two, but no sounds. Sounds are pretty much all out on the West Coast. I can't think of any bodies of water on the East Coast that are called sounds. The funniest is in Newfoundland though, where what you would call a sound out west is known as a tickle! Figure that one out! Glad you like the Shelburne GOCB. Afraid I won't be adding a mail truck this time though.


Just a small update today. I went back and modified the Shelburne GOCB based on feedback over at Simtropolis. The white panels are now a little more white, I darkened the nearly invisible metal window frames so that they're now a little bit more visible and the night lighting has gone from a warm inviting glow to a harsher white which is more in line with what you would get in an office environment. Anyway, it's now final unless anyone spots something really significant.

[spa]

I have something different today, progress shots rather than completed drafts. My new project is probably the finest federal building in Atlantic Canada, the Dominion Public Buiding in Downtown Halifax.

In the picture, you can see some of my other bat projects, the Bank of Nova Scotia to the left and just behind the tower in the pixalated distance on the Dartmouth side of the harbour, Marine House. The Public Building is a rarity in Atlantic Canada, a large Art Deco "skyscrapper." The Public Building was constructed in the 1930s as Depression era stimulus project to be the main federal building in Halifax. The Post Office occupied the ground floor and to this day, the Public Building is also known as the Old Post Office Building. For 30 years, until the bank towers were built in the 1960s, the Public Building was Halifax's tallest building which is why it's also sometimes referred to as "Halifax's original skyscrapper." The Public Building is graced with giant stone seahorses, dolphins and other marine themed decorations. The lobby has remained intact with marble and brass post office wickets. One of the rare features on the inside is a marble dedication to Edward the 7th, rare because Edward was on king for so little time that few federal buildings were finished during his reign. The Public Building was added onto in the 1960s (side addition) and a major retrofit in 1993 added a glass atrium to make the 4th through 7th floor more usable for modern office space. In recent years, the building's tower was taken apart and restored. Unfortunately, modern fire regulations have meant that all the tower space, everything above the 7th floor, is unusuable and it's essentially purely decorative. The building provides space for Public Works and Government Services Canada.

So that's the Dominion Building, below is what I have so far.

I actually have a request for help, I'm having a lot of trouble getting the tower cap on. It's a very complex shape in that it rises up and bends inward towards the centre. It's not round and the pieces don't exactly link up, they have squarish edges. Any experienced batters have any suggestions as to how you would tackle making this shape? Keep in mind I'm working in gmax. Below's an additional close-up of the tower's cap.

Any help would be appreciated. I have sunk my whole morning into trying to get it come together without success.

[Jack_wilds]

Hey SPA

Hows life with you in the maritime... did the big storm shack things up around there 

I hope that you'll get the needed tech help your looking for as its an ambitious project, the progress promises a successful one... will it have that stone textures  I like the entry so far... I'll wait for further progress for any nit-picking 

good hearing from you...

Jack

[spa]

Jack: We had a few storms blow through lately including bits of the big one that created so much media fuss. It dumped about 40cms on Halifax which meant a bit of shovelling. A few days later though we had a slush storm move in (snow changing to rain halfway) which helped cut the drifts back down to a managable size. Been a messy winter, but at least it hasn't been too cold. I would rather snowstorms every week than double digit negatives!


So I'm still working on the Dominion Public Building. I got some help from over on Simtropolis and the BSC private board to fix my dome problem. I ended up using a lathe, a marker box and then moving points around. Time consuming, but it turned out alright.

It's still not quite an exact copy of the real thing, but it's close. I might still tinker with it to square up the edges. This one has been a challenging model. Do you know what the only thing harder then making that irregular dome shape is, making stone seahorse heads!

I don't do well with shapes that defy standard geometry! Lucky for me, they're small so my messy modelling and shortcuts won't be visible in the end As usual, my model is a touch larger than it should be so I'm going to have to scale the whole thing down by maybe 5% when I'm done modelling. Anyway, I'm going to keep picking at this one. I'm just about ready to start the side addition.

[marsh]

The statue looks like some mutant flying spaghetti monster. 

But anyways great work on these buildings.

,marsh

[Jack_wilds]

SPA,

Glad all is well and I agree about snow better than bitter cold... as its bitter cold here for nearly two weeks... night before last reached -15 with the wind -it sucked... I went out on walk about for chores and errands yesterday and it was bitter teeth chattering time of it -then I lost my coffee mug  which really mad for a cold walk... the Packer Party at Lambeau Field was a very cold -10 and wind... so it was over 40,000 teeth chattering cheese heads celebrating...

... as for the front door entry,  the dome fix looks right and good too... your making good progress 

its cold here

Jack 

[Ramona Brie]

Not to be too wanting, but when will the existing GOCB buildings be released? They'd be REALLY useful for a lot of regional government applications.

[spa]

Marsh: Indeed! Definitely a spaghetti monster. Organic shapes without straight edges are really tough, at least for me. The good part is, even though the statue is poorly made, it really doesn't show and actually doesn't look bad from the forgiving distance of SC4's zooms.
Jack: Thanks. The cold is over now though... at least on Nova Scotia's Atlantic Coast. The temperature shot up to plus 8 on the weekend and now there is no snow left. I was up in Northern Nova Scotia on business early last week and it's surprisingly a very different situation up there. In Amherst, it was tough to see around some of the street corners because the drifts were piled up so high. Quite a staggering difference for just a 2.5 hour drive away.
Tracker: They'll be ready when they're ready In all seriousness, I'm anticipating a release around May. The last batch of my buildings haven't even begun the internal scrutineering process yet. Don't worry though, they're coming.

Just a quick update today with some progress shots. I have been steadily picking away at the Dominion Public Building and the end of the modelling is coming into sight. Below is where things sit.




Still plenty to do, especially up at the roof level. The penthouse needs windows, a door and a ladder, the two giant hvacs and their associated ducting need to go on and the side walls of the tower need windows and a service door. Back at street level, I still need to add the front steps, wheelchair ramp and foundation. There is one issue I'm mulling over, what artistic license to take regarding the loading bay? The block that the real Dominion Public Building is located on slopes down towards Halifax Harbour. Between Lower Water Street and Bedford Row, the real Public Building actually gains a whole storey in elevation.

These types of elevation changes really don't translate well to SC4, so I have to decide whether to omit the loading bay entirely (already doing that with the basement windows on the Lower Water Street side) or add it as an underground feature like the parking garage on my earlier Amherst GOCB. I'm leaning on putting it in as a below grade feature and seeing how it looks.

[Jack_wilds]

Great to hear from ya SPA, the progress is really progressing   
It looking good  and promising all over

[spa]

Jack: Thanks. It's progressing, but quite slowly. Hence my late reply!!!


Well 2 months between posts. Time sure flies! Sim City has been taking a bit of a back seat lately. It's the first Spring in my own home and my yard has become a big project. The previous owners took great care of the place inside, but they kind of gave up on the garden and as a result the flower beds are in an advanced state of neglect and there is gout weed, the most vile plant known to human kind, everywhere. It's practically a full-time job to fight it... or at least a full-time job in my leisure hours. I have still found some hours here and there to pick away at the Dominion Building, but it'll probably be slow going for the summer months. Below is where things are now.




About the parking garage section. Each of those cars came from a free website, archive3d. I downloaded each and then tweaked the models since most of them were very polygon intensive for Sim City's limited needs. The 10 cars are a Ford Fiesta, BMW M5, Fiat Uno, GMC Sierra, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Mercedes Vito, Ssang Yong Rexton, Toyota Mark 5 and a Volvo S40. Tweaking and texturing each vehicle ended up taking several hours so the 10 of them represent several weeks worth of Sim City time. There are one or two of them that still need a little bit of work (interior sides so the parking lot lines don't show through), but they're basically done. At least I'll be able to reuse them in the future. The modelling is now basically done (will need to bat some ground to hide the underground pieces, but that's minor) and I'm finally ready to move onto texturing.