So, I spent some time trying to put together a model of the Joelma Building. Yeah, that one. Saw some pictures, read a bit about its history, and thought, “Hey, maybe I can build that in 3D.” Just for kicks, you know? A little side project.
Getting Started
First thing I did was hunt down reference images. Scoured the web for photos from all sorts of angles – front, back, sides, aerial views if I could find ’em. It’s a pretty distinct building, but getting clear shots of every little detail? Not so easy. Finding actual floor plans or anything like that was a dead end, mostly just tourist photos and news pics.
The Build Process
I fired up some basic 3D software I have. Nothing fancy, just the usual stuff I mess around with. Started simple, just blocking out the main shape. A big tall rectangle, basically. Then I tried getting the proportions right, comparing it constantly to the photos. This took way longer than I expected. Just scaling the height versus the width, trying to make it feel right.
Challenges popped up quick:
- Getting the scale right without blueprints was guesswork. Lots of adjusting, deleting, starting over on parts.
- The windows. Man, so many windows. Figuring out the spacing and the pattern, especially on the lower floors and the sort of crown structure at the top, was tough. Tried some array tools, but lining everything up perfectly across different photos was tricky.
- The base of the building isn’t just flat; it’s got entrances and different levels. Modeling that accurately from just photos felt like a puzzle.
I spent a good few hours just getting the main structure roughed out. Didn’t even get into super fine details, just the big pieces. Slapped on some basic colors – like a concrete gray and a glass blue – just to see how it looked. It helps visualize, even if the textures are rubbish.
Where It’s At Now
Honestly? It’s kinda half-baked right now. The main tower shape is there, you can kinda tell it’s supposed to be the Joelma Building. But it’s rough. Very blocky. I haven’t really tackled the roof details, the ground floor stuff is super simplified, and the textures are just placeholders.
I kinda hit a snag with the finer details and ran out of steam a bit. Sometimes you start these things, and then real life or just plain frustration gets in the way. It’s sitting on my hard drive. Maybe I’ll get back to it, maybe it’ll just be one of those “tried that once” projects.
Thoughts on the Process
It was definitely a learning experience. Mostly learned that modeling real buildings accurately is harder than it looks, especially without proper plans. You really need good, consistent references. It also takes a ton of patience, especially with repetitive stuff like windows.
Was it fun? Parts of it. Was it frustrating? Absolutely. But hey, that’s how you learn stuff, right? By trying and messing up and figuring things out. It gave me something to focus on for a bit. We’ll see if I ever actually “finish” it.
