Carlos Franco: Week 1 Castle

 Week One: Topaz Citadel

Concept

Overall, my intent was to maximize what can be conveyed through simple objects and shapes, as the assignment encouraged. Inspired by the notion of incorporating naturally-occurring, scientific elements in an artistic way, I wanted to create a model that juxtaposed man-made construction with natural construction.

I came up with the idea of a tower/castle being uprooted by an eruption of crystals. Since a simple hexagonal shape could create the impression of a crystalline structure, I decided it would be a good way to feel out Rhino's basic shapes/commands.

Sketches

Structurally, I wanted to implement some archetypal medieval tropes such as banisters, parapets, etc.

Reference

Process

My main focus with shapes was to utilize cylindrical objects that achieved height and stature, paired with a hexagonal motif originating from the concept of a crystal structure.
Major techniques for modeling including using tapered extrusions, custom hexagonal polylines, arrays, and Boolean differences.

Naked Edges

Layers

Materials

In KeyShot, I wanted to employ materials that had a sense of rigidity, using a robust concrete for the tower, rough copper for the roof, and an elegant mahogany for the scaffolding. The crystal was originally more transparent, but the more opaque, milkier look made it slightly less imperfect.