A blog dedicated towards architectural refinement of buildings and environments in which we live, work, and play. Chiefly this is brought about by the author with finish carpentry at heart, and many other disciplines radiating or spinning off from it.

Monday, August 10, 2009

"Free" Stone Masonry~ Surveying For Google Earth Modelling

In re-assignment to work on the Historic Federal Building in Pueblo, Colorado I found that there were no corresponding American Institute of Architect models of buildings. This does not compare well to even one town further north, Colorado Springs, which has many only in the Google Earth programming online.

To that effect, I am trying to D-I-Y a model drawn up with the skills I have accrued in drawing with Google Sketchup 6. If there are any interested parties whom would like to assist in this project I am be able to share some of the information from the blueprints to which I have access. The past two weeks my spare time has been devoted to scanning some of these blueprints at our local Kinkos. They's been instrumental in re-assessing all the free masonry for which there are no working drawings. From four elevation drawings I have found that there are 30 individual styles of stonework. Some recurring in use, some bespoke, such as the eagle figures over shields or chevrons above the Main Street entrance. It will be my attempt to catalogue all these on the building , draw them accurately, faithfully, and maybe write a book about the whole inventory process. Perhaps someday such information may be useful towards cast stone replication.

Below are my intial efforts in drawing of some of the cornice work. (Yesterday before sunset I was even up on an extention ladder verifying measurements to get some of the mysteries solved.)

East Elevation Photo

A mid-summer portrait in the early afternoon from the east.

East elev on light paper

An improvised photograph of one of the renderings in the basement file, probably dating back to when work was done to add onto the building during the 1930's.

East Elevation

A photo import from my Google Sketchup drawing showing attempts to use cut and paste imposition. The camera distortion proved to be to great at this juncture.

East Elevation

My first side-by-side comparisons of all three, contemporary photo, photo of rendering, and Sketchup drawing. From the ground up this must be what it is like to begin writing a novel.

HFB Stone Details 001

The intensity of the first targetted area, the first floor cornice banding with the second floor.

Detail 11

Rudimentary first sketch incurring questions of distorted dimensions.

Detail 11 b

Second sketch after verification, incurring even more desire for clarity!

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About Me

Sculptor, Designer, Resides in Southern Colorado, USA. age 62. Interested in mould-making and casting, public or outdoor sculpture presentation, and space or environments in which to present them.

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