Organic forms and what we make of it

How do we model something this is extremly above our level? How do you accomplishment what you dream about or what will make you the best. First of all do you enjoy what your doing and secondly, do you really care about and look forward to gaining new knowledge that will make you. Dont do it to impress others you will not make it. You need to believe in yourself and push forward and you need to fail in order to gain valuable lessons.
My first Organic structure was not what I thought and I hit the cross roads and needed ot be honest with me and my boss. From then I understood after how to model and render it.

Shangri-la is Flying

Picture taken by mark belcastro. Construction fly forming at Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto.

Using fly forming is a quick and efficient way to cast in place concrete floors without using post tensioning procedures and hollow core concrete slab plates. A complicated procedure using slip forms and concrete has a schedule in place for optimized scheduling. Your gant charts will be full. At this stage core drilling holes will be taking effect for Mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Xrays for steel rebar will be a tricky one. At Adamson I had 200 core drilling holes to be approved and using the BIM model was key for SI approvals to contractor. Make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's or else you will have swiss cheese.

Oakville Hospital

With the Town Council meetings and the RFP there are busy designers staying up late and coming up with a plan for the Oakville Hospital. I guess it is time to see what these 3 companies can offer the citizens of oakville. Time to get out your rendering computers and time to press a lot of buttons on the keyboard. Remember that the most efficient 3D modelers with benefit from this P3 project with saving time and money. A government project is a tricky one especially one in oakville. The citizens will be paying for this hospital in taxes so it is best to win the vote of the inside committee. How many Volunteers at Oakville hospital? Enough that take public transportation.
Keep up on your rendering techniques and let the judges decide who will take on this beast.

The building code render

It is important while modeling to cut sections through your building to show components during design stage's. Try modeling accuratley to avoid more work down the road

F R E S H

It is a fact what goes up must come down. In my 3rd year of Biochemistry at Laurier before I switched into Communications I learned many things including thermodynamics. The chemical structure and bonding of electrons and the orbital ring is what everything is made up from. When the chemistry is being created and withholding it will do 2 things. Dr Kominar and Dr Kretch still teach the same principals. 'LEO THE LION SAYS GER'. Loss of electrons is a oxidation. Gain of electrons is a reduction. What happens when a metal interacts with another metal? What the chemcial equation for this? What is the chemical equation for a great team?
The speed of light as it hits the double glazed argon filled unit and refracts is another.

The Swimming Pool SocietyTeam

Some much as happened and all so good. I had to explain a stepping stone jump or lilly pad hop advancement in my Industry. Changing platforms. At first the Project manager was hesitant and scared, I would be. Its the way you say it and the proffesional support and experience you need to have to increase confidence in one's self. They have to feel confident and take a dearing leap. My team leader showed me how this is done and my President as well.
Its 40 degress outside and I said" Imagine standing there sweating hot without water and on the edge of a swimming pool. You touch the water and its really really cold. You know how much of a shock it will be jumping in and you say HELL NO!, and wait and wait until you make that first big leap. The water will feel cold and you will not like it but it will warm up and you will then enjoy your refreshing swim". My project manager smiled after and othrs around that listened to me did too.
I have made my leap, have you?
Mark B

Rendering

How far have we come in rendering this decade? Extremly far especially with plug-ins like 'Podium' for sketch-up and plug ins for 3D Max which is the elite rendering software with maya for complex modeling. The trick is to start modeling in revit then export to 3dmax for high resolution renders. When you use free sketch-up and model the doors and wondows will not import and you will have to model them in 3dmax. Thats the disadvantage with sketch-up. Great to to start DD but bad when not switching over. Try getting your team to start modeling in Revit then xport to sketch up if 3D Max is to complicated.
The following is a 15 minute render using revit then exporting to 3dmax. A 1 hour render with this scene is 10 times better. Just imagine a 3 hour render set-up

1967

The say the technology breakthroughs in life can alter the way society functions and change our way of life. Same is true for Radio. Radio was one of the oldest and best technology upgrades for our world. The way the industry could transmit signals over in Britain 1967 has changed signicantly. A friend of mine introduced me to the movie "Pirate Radio". A ship in the northern sea's broadcasting signals out of the controlled government way. Computers and Design back then was much different then it was today..to much control and an outbreak will casue the sea's to stir a motion.

Revit, Mep & BIM

There is one thing using Autodesk Revit software and another having your consultants use MEP Revit and Having a BIM model. One step at a time. "You just have to jumo into it" said a consultant I deal with. Having a different mind frame and being open is the first thing before you start the actual work.
My previous post on complex stair modeling was an issue before in the software where people could not use the default stair functions to do this. Try using curtain wall for curved guards and use your family's for complex balaster and structural supports.
Revit 2010 has a much more efficient platform and using Design Options for your Architects and Designers will make your life feel like a beach of your own. The ocean is a massive undiscovered area and its time for the architectural workforce to sail the ocean with spinaker downwind to the finish line. Your finish line the project delivery deadline.

Revit-Complex Stair Modeling

The more and more you think about modeling something complex the more you have to have an open mind. When modeling stairs and railings Bruce from AutoDraft will blow you head off with sometechniques to help you acquire Pro skills when it comes to Stair structures. Lecture one coming soon..

Doors Open Toronto and into Edmonton

Its the fact that I had no idea about the prison way back in the day that shut down in liberty village and so forth.
It was around 7:30am I just stepped into the elevator corridor and my marketing director and marketing specialist were there with smiles on and we ended rocking the day and had a successful event for our Office. My marketing specialist also helped me realize my talents I had which I threw away many years ago.
Building Information Modeling Please. What software do you use? Do you use AutoCAD?.....AutoCAD?? the future is in BIM and the conference awaits me. The jet engines are warming up as hundreds and hundreds flock to the beach..or Montreal while I am sit here watching Luggage carts drive around.

The future in BIM and the education required by you to listen and more importantly have an open mind. Without an open mind you may as well sell your flat screen or plasma and harmon stereo and SLK because your tube television awaits your purchase at the garage sale down the street.

OVERKILL your Drawings

The command I love to see people use that puts a smile on. This Command will eliminate all lines that sit on top of each other or are drawn by someone that has junior expereince in CADD and creates a diaster of duplication.
Its been around for ever but not many know about it or use it to help reduce drawing file size. I can reduce file sizes by 3-4megs sometimes.
Type in "Overkill" and swing through the trees into success

IPAD Official Release for Canada is here

The momenet we have been all waiting for. I can almost here the anthem before soliders go out to war. 6 different versions well actually 3 with the 3G version which in my opinion is worth the extra money. Limited harware at every future shop, best buy and Apple Store Right now. What app would you run first with this model?
lets see how the numbers pan out over the next few days with itunes and the app store and product sales for Canada officially now

Design, Dock, Play, listen and Send

How could you design the next WTCC, jump in your car and load up your favourite tunes or movie while creating a 3D PDF for you office staff.
Platinum Technology is creating an APP for your iphone using a third party supporter 'ArchiCAD'
ArchiCAD has been the MAC supporting architectural software for all you smart individuals your boss may call smart or blunt at times. This software app will be more of a program but a ton more then an app for iphone. The application is built and designed for an architect but used by the intelligent business type. The docking station allows for the transfer of screen information on your GPS Screen while you drive or riding along in your passenger seat. The display screen uses a screen pen to design or you can take snap shots and overlay into vector information which is lines made up of x,y and z coordinates. The picture transfer can then be reworked and changed into adobe graphics using your sketch-up plug. Amazing. Not to say yes this will be expensive but for someone who has money and wants to play with the best.
MB

What is Relative Path

What is relative path and why am I being asked to use this?

Relative paths are specified folder paths that assume the current drive letter or the folder of the host drawing

This is the most flexible option and enables you to move a set of drwings from your current drive drive to a different drive that uses the same folder structure

When can relative path not be used?
If the file this is being referenced is located on a different local hard drive or on a network server, the relative path option is not available.

The Ribbon Culture Emerging

MicroSoft Office 2007 Structure and the Autodesk Ribbon structure has been migrating the 2 software's AutoCAD 2009/2010 and Revit 2010. It was a dramatic change for the traditional user interface. It was a new concept to many people but it provides greater flexibility, easier access to tools and consistency across Autodesk applications. This is also a great way to slowly emerge into revit BIM world.

Moving towards BIM modeling is something that requires time, discipline and understanding. Jumping from one lilly pad to another is going to be a challenge in our society today and looking at very strategic approaches to consulatant coordination, time, money and solving problem is effective when selecting this software.

AutoCAD 2010 Features

Export
Has the ability now to
DWFx-The file can zoom and pan with the DWF file; turn layers on and off and mark up the drawing
DWF
PDF

Attach PDF, DWF, DGN and Image files as Underlay’sThe External References palette now supports the use of PDF, DWF, DGN, and image files (JPG, TIF, etc.) as underlay’s in DWG files, in addition to the traditional DWG references. If the PDF or DWF file is vector-based, you can use object snaps to locate new objects relative to objects in the underlay.

AutoCad X-ref. Relative vs Absolute

X-referencing outside of Project navigator

Specify an Absolute Path (avoid this if at all possible)An absolute path is a fully specified hierarchy of folders that locates the external reference. An absolute path includes the local hard drive letter or the network server drive letter. This is the most specific but least flexible option.
Specify a Relative Path (the best method)
(Note: these same concepts can be applied to image files with the Image Manager)Relative paths are partially specified folder paths that assume the current drive letter or the folder of the host drawing. This is the most flexible option, and enables you to move a set of drawings from your current drive to a different drive that uses the same folder structure.If the drawing file that is being referenced is located on a different hard drive the relative path option is not available.

AutoCAD 2009 Key Board Short Cut Keys

Just a few little Key strokes that may help you along your way

ALT+F8 VBA Run
ALT+F11 VBA Editor
CTRL+1 Properties Palette
CTRL+2 DesignCenter Palette
CTRL+3 Tool Palette
CTRL+4 Sheet Set Manager Palette
CTRL+5 Info Palette
CTRL+6 DBConnect Manager
CTRL+7 Markup Set Manager Palette
CTRL+A Selects objects in drawing
CTRL+B Toggles Snap
CTRL+C Copies objects to Clipboard
CTRL+SHFT+C Copies objects to Clipboard with Base Point
CTRL+D Toggles coordinate display
CTRL+E Cycles through isometric planes
CTRL+F Toggles running object snaps
CTRL+G Toggles Grid
CTRL+H Toggles PICKSTYLE on/off
CTRL+J Executes last command
CTRL+K Hyperlink
CTRL+L Toggles Ortho mode
CTRL+M (No action)
CTRL+N Creates a new drawing
CTRL+O Opens existing drawing
CTRL+P Prints current drawing
CTRL+Q Exit
CTRL+R Cycles layout viewports
CTRL+S Saves current drawing
CTRL+SHFT+S Saveas
CTRL+T Toggles Tablet mode
CTRL+V Pastes data from Clipboard
CTRL+SHFT+V Pastes data from Clipboard as Block
CTRL+X Cuts objects to Clipboard
CTRL+Y Repeats last action
CTRL+Z Reverses last action
CTRL+[ Cancels current command
CTRL+\ Cancels current command
F1 Displays Help
F2 Toggles text window on/off
F3 Toggles OSNAP
F4 Toggles TABMODE
F5 Toggles ISOPLANE
F6 Toggles COORDS
F7 Toggles GRIDMODE
F8 Toggles ORTHO MODE
F9 Toggles SNAP MODE
F10 Toggles POLAR
F11 Toggles OTRACK