From buildings to neighborhood

One of the nice things about digital modeling is that once you have something modeled (a tree, a building or a cat) it is easy to copy. Once you have the buildings, color schemes and trees, the next step is to assemble it all to form a neighborhood. This lets you see what a small group of these homes would look like.

In designing this prototype, I wanted to create buildings that work together to make a harmonious neighborhood. No one building stands out, and yet there is enough variety in shape and color that the buildings aren’t monotonous.

The color schemes are different but complimentary. The colors in one scheme are put on differently than the next scheme. The shape that gets the accent color in one scheme gets the darker background in another. This creates further variety.

These images are sort of snapshots of a walk through this neighborhood. Images from top to bottom:.

.Overall view looking down the street, showing the buildings facing the street, sidewalks, rows of trees and the neighborhood street.

.Elevation through the street, looking directly at the sides of 2 1/2 of the buildings. If you look carefully, you can see 2 front doors facing the street. The narrower space between two of the buildings (on the left) is a landscaped pedestrian entry courtyard. Front doors to the homes that don’t face the street are located along these courts. The wider space on the right is a motorcourt.

.Street from another angle. An entry court is on the left.

.Looking across the street from a patio to a courtyard.

.View from a second floor bedroom window, down a courtyard and out to the street.

.View from a second floor bedroom window, looking out to the street.

.Closer view across the street. Some homes have patios along the street. One of these patios is in the foreground on the right.
.Looking across the street and down a courtyard on the right side.

Next article: An animated walk through the neighborhood, and some 3D images.