Put Letchworth on the 3D Map!

We have emailed some 70 contacts as follows:

3D modelling/visualisation companies 35
Associations 5
Community groups 11
Educational/literary 12
Graphic designers 10
National/quango/local authorities 4

The responses are as follows:

Keen interest 14
Neutral/moderate interest 10
No response 43
Declined 3

The organisations that responded positively mainly offered support with publicity, judging and technical advice rather than sums of money for prizes. We need to assess whether publicity for awards (rather than cash prizes) will encourage sufficient people to enter the competition. In a time of austerity, it would be exemplary to start with a zero budget!

We have added a rule about identifying each entry with the project (3D_lgc,) the site’s postcode and the entrant’s initials.

On the Links page’s Examples section, we have added links to the brilliant CADS 3D web site and to the ‘3D fly-through tour’ by Rowan Homes.

We have added advice and links to recommend the use of the Google Warehouse tool for storing and sharing your 3D models and of Google Street View as a source of images, in each case subject to Google’s rules for usage. That makes the competition fairer between local and distant competitors.

On the page Learning to Use SketchUp, we have added a few sets of photographs with which you can freely practice your 3D modelling skills. Two of those sets include public views that are not yet available via Google Street View.

St Christopher School has taken an interest in the 3D_lgc project, to find a way of encouraging pupils to take part.

Today we emailed these schools to invite their older pupils to take part, especially if this would fit well into their studies, perhaps in ICT, science & technology or art/craft:

• Fearnhill, Highfield, St Christopher, St Francis and Wilbury.

The others are secondary level schools but Wilbury Primary School in included since in 2011 its pupils provided the drawings of Early Garden City houses for the map of 1905 Exhibition Cottages (map credit Letchworth Arts Centre’s Art Club Tutor Selina Yip).

If any other school wishes to find out about the competition, please enquire.

Content has been added as follows:

• About – links added.
• Careers – a new page listing careers that involve 3D technologies, plus links to Double Negative and 3D Technology Day.
• Disclaimers – a new page about permitted use of this site and limitations of the 3D_lgc project.
• Learning to use SketchUp – note added about non-local submissions.
• Links – hyperlinks added to Tools (‘List of 3D modelling software’), Examples (HolisticUrbanDesign, Virtual Cities Exchange CADVis), Public facilities (Hertfordshire Library), Training (NextGenSkills, Design8, Landmark3D and SketchUcation) and Commercial Sources (TurboSquid and DAZ 3D Inc), 10K Design, Severn Partnership & 3D-Model.co.uk.
• Judges – added Tristan Jensen of Jensen Consulting, Barrie V. Proctor of CADVis and Paul Zukowskyj at University of Hertfordshire.
• Press – a new page with briefings for local, UK and international media, also the archived Project Proposal. List of supporters’ good wishes linked.
• Rules – added the rule about awards for entries submitted from outside of the UK. Added the requirement for “a map position in postcode SG6”. Added the Entry Form (draft).
• Sponsors – logos added.

Please check out the content and post any comments you may wish.

WELCOME to the web site for the 3D_lgc project based in Letchworth Garden City, SG6, Hertfordshire, UK.
That’s about halfway between London and Cambridge.

|| THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED AND THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE. ||

Where are the 3D models?

• 23 or more are already in Google Earth (tick its 3D option and search for “Letchworth SG6 UK”).
• Around  36 including those are in the 3D Warehouse (search for “3D_lgc” or open the 3D_lgc Collection).

In Google Earth there were only two 3D models for the whole of Letchworth Garden City. We used crowd sourcing to add many more! here

Even thought this competition is now closed, you can quickly find out about creating three-dimensional (3D) models using Google – now Trimble – SketchUp software. This is free in its basic version but also used by professionals. In four easy steps – outline, raise, sculpt and apply photos, as illustrated here – you can help to: “Put Letchworth on the 3D Map!”

Why do digital 3D modelling? – For many possible reasons, for example civic pride, promoting a business, urban planning, crisis response, historical preservation; as Google explain in Your World in 3D.

This competition was launched with 6 free hands-on taster sessions at the Goldsmith Centre for Business, North Hertfordshire College. These were followed by 10 practice sessions at The Hub and in J D Wetherspoon’s Three Magnets pub.

For specialists in 3D/Computer Aided Design:

We held a  3D Innovations symposium from 11:00 to 12:30 or so on 16th November in The Hub, 43 Station Road, Letchworth, SG6 3BQ. This was a specialist business-to-business event by invitation to share the state of the art and prospects for 3D digital modelling, visualisation and related technologies.

We also held a SketchUp Master Class with Mike Tanti Design at 14:00-15:30 or so that afternoon in The Hub. details

Our Sponsors’ Evaluation session was held in The Hub from 11:00-12:30 or so on Friday 30 November in The Hub.