Sweet Onion Creations

One of the best parts about Sweet Onion Creations is having the freedom to work on interesting modeling challenges. Google Sketchup is available for free to download and has quickly become an invaluable tool for designers and architects everywhere.

Why?

It’s straight forward, insanely easy to learn, and FREE.  Sketchup is not necessarily replacing expensive CAD packages at big firms but rather being used in conjunction. Like the name implies, you can get a quick sketch of an idea and go forward with a design concept. Smaller boutique shops around Bozeman are using it to create plans and present to clients. There is also the slick way it can produce quality renderings with Google Earth.

Here is a screen shot of a skyscraper created in Sketchup…

We often get asked if we can take information like this and create a physical 3 dimensional architectural model from this data. The answer was usually “maybe”. The problem with the free version that is widely used has to do with the file export options. (The .skp file format is not easily read by the software used in 3D printing.) However, through the use of plug-ins with third party tools it is now possible to do this quickly with minimal cleanup on the computer.

Below is a picture of the finished model taken directly from the above Sketchup file.  At a rough scale of 1″ = 150′, this model was built in under an hour. We snapped a pic with the paper clip to get a sense for the finished scale.

We’ve had good luck working with topo models from Google Earth. However, working with actual architectural files can be a bit more difficult given the construction materials and surfaces.  This process looks to be free from such hassles.

Going forward this should make for interesting communication between clients and architects. As more and more people contribute to Google’s 3D Warehouse, entire city blocks can be modeled at the small scale shown above and printed out.

As cities grow proposed structures can be built with the surrounding topography from Google Earth and examined before planning boards. Imagine being able to quickly build multiple concept massing models through Sketchup and put together different design ideas for how a city should grow.

For example, a new community library design can be set down in front of a live audience and different proposed structures swapped out. People will get the designs much more quickly and also get a sense for how well each one integrates into the existing communities look and feel.

The ability to do this quickly and efficiently could make for an exciting way to communicate architecture visions.

Well, it’s been an amazing week around here at Sweet Onion headquarters…

On Monday we learned we were selected as StartupNation’s Greenest Startup Business. We originally saw the contest back in late September in the small business section of the New York Times. Since it was free to register, we jotted a few notes about our use of Green Tags for all projects, recycling all our raw material waste, reusing packaging material, etc.

We figured the competition would be pretty stiff and it was. We are very humbled to win such an award and realize it raises the bar that much more to be sure to continue to work on minimizing our environmental impact.

A big thank you to our clients who have been supportive of our ideas from the get-go. We hope to continue to provide the tools that make it easy to communicate your visions…in the least harmful manner possible.

Here is the link from MSN.com, in case you’re interested. Also, the Wall Street Journal did a short blog entry as well.

Chances are if you’re an American and the topic comes up about climate change, you’ll point to cars and trucks as the culprit. But you probably won’t take a bus, ride a bike, or carpool…too much hassle.

But you still feel guilty everyday you sit in traffic and stare at the tail pipe of the SUV in front of you belching grey smoke. It’s hard not to think, “Damn, I should be doing something different.”

The AIA released an interesting survey regarding what Americans believe to be the cause of greenhouse gases…guess what most Americans believe that to be?

Automobiles. Yep. Read the entire article here from Architect magazine

So, instead of beating yourself up about not avoiding riding your bike to work because you really want a cup of coffee to start the morning off right, beat up your colleagues. Lay the guilt trip on them to design more efficient and sustainable buildings.

After all, according to the EPA almost 48% of greenhouse gas emissions are directly tied to buildings.

PS: Stay tuned from Sweet Onion Creations…we’re announcing a little something in the next few weeks in relation to LEED certification and architecture models and renderings.