14 DAY TRIAL // San Francisco is one of the better-known US cities out there, and it is currently building some structures that won't be finished for another two or three years. That doesn't mean you can't see what they'll look like though.
Sure, you won't be able to see the buildings themselves until architects and construction workers finish building them.
But that doesn't mean you can't know what they'll look like. And we're not talking about seeing the blueprints or virtual 3D models.
Autodesk, using a digital model provided by design firm Steelblue, 3D printed the entire San Francisco cityscape.
The 3D print was made on the order of estate developer Tishman Speyer, that wanted to outline the urban development in the rapidly changing SOMA neighborhood.
The model (not yet colored) shows what the city will look like in 2017 and covers the Financial and ‘South of the Market’ Districts.
That means it includes 115 blocks and recognizable elements like the AT&T Park, the Ferry Building, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Transbay Transit Center, among other things.
The 3D printed San Francisco city model is made of resin and was created on the Autodesk’s Pier 9 workshop.
Two Objet Connex 500 printers actually rendered the virtual model physically though. The resolution was of 16 microns.
Sadly, you probably won't be able to see the model yourself, because it will remain with Tishman Speyer in the Bay Area.
Don't despair, though. A copy will be created and showcased at the Autodesk Gallery in the One Market Building, and models of other cities will be made soon. You'll still need to be a San Francisco resident to actually see it though, or otherwise wind up in that particular metropolis.
Then again, the other cityscapes will probably be put on show in the cities they'll represent, unless they're used by officials in urban planning.
Most likely we'll be seeing these things done in pairs: one for architects and infrastructure planners, and one for the public to gaze upon when they go to the museum.
“We’ve been creating digital 3D models of cities around the world. They are incredible tools for urban planning, but sometimes the tactile experience of a physical model provides insights and understanding you can’t get from a screen,” said Justin Lokitz, senior product manager at Autodesk.
“This project is really the embodiment of our Pier 9 Workshop – experimenting with new fabrication methods to bring the digital and physical worlds closer together.”
