Large Concrete Buildings

[Sangennaru]

Hello everyone!

I've been fiddling with the idea of modular concrete buildings - possibly building skeletons - since a while, and i'm now at a relatively good point of the developement of my first prototype.

The main point of the idea was to offer a large building without the weight of resin walls and floors. Also, i am not fond of MDF at all, and i don't like to see jigsaw joints on my models.
To save weight and costs, i tried to build columns and beams to create large building skeletons. There's plenty of image references, and a lot of different styles can be seen around. In order to keep the assembly to a reasonable level of difficulty i kept a bulky style. Probably not the most realistic solution but easier under many points of view.





For the floors, i chose to custom-cut mdf floors for a few reasons: first of all, the cuts are very accurate. Moreover, i could add the outline of any beam to help the alignment between the floors, which is an important aspect while assembling the structure.









Finally, i added walls as well. Each panel has been weathered individually, but to be honest it's a very quick task. The first floor structure is now complete, but the horizontal beams (that will hide the MDF black edges entirely) have still to be sculpted.







I'm now facing the alignment part which is probably the trickest, wish me good luck!

C&C welcome, i'd like to hear from all of you, especially since i'm planning to re-sculpt part of those components for a commercial purpose.

Thanks!
Jack

[rwwin]

It looks wonderful so far. 

On the alignment, have you considered putting slots into the columns and tabs on the walls for a more solid connection?  It would make things a little more solid than the but joints.

[pocoloco]

Great work Jack, just like usual! 

Are you planning on commercializing the build parts for the general public?

[Hupp n at em]

It's not a perfect comparison, but that layout brought the starting area of "Nacht Der Untoten" to mind immediately.  That looks really nice, great work!

[uti long smile]

Lovely.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

The columns are excellent, I especially like the representation of the corners.

Rwwin's thoughts on alignment make sense but would require multiple types of column (one notch, two notches - either side or at right angles etc).

You'll could use a laminated floor, on the ground floor two layers, the top layer having cut outs for the column base and walls. Align the layers with a peg and have holes in the bottom layer To pin the column.

This would repeat for upper floors but with three laminations, ceiling, middle and floor.

[Sangennaru]

Thank you everyone! New progresses will come this weekend!

On the alignment, have you considered putting slots into the columns and tabs on the walls for a more solid connection?  It would make things a little more solid than the but joints.

The columns are excellent, I especially like the representation of the corners.

Rwwin's thoughts on alignment make sense but would require multiple types of column (one notch, two notches - either side or at right angles etc).

You'll could use a laminated floor, on the ground floor two layers, the top layer having cut outs for the column base and walls. Align the layers with a peg and have holes in the bottom layer To pin the column.

This would repeat for upper floors but with three laminations, ceiling, middle and floor.

Definitely something i'm considering for the next "run". I'm gonna keep on with this for my own buildings, but the problem with less expert modellers is clear. It's not easy to assemble as it is, right now.

As for the laminated floor, that would require further materials and cutting time (or even casting?) that would increase the final price considerably. Probably an "advanced" option, for deluxe buyers?

Lovely.

Thanks Karl!

It's not a perfect comparison, but that layout brought the starting area of "Nacht Der Untoten" to mind immediately.  That looks really nice, great work!

I googled a bit with that name, and yeah! that's the general idea, definitely!

Great work Jack, just like usual! 
Are you planning on commercializing the build parts for the general public?

Thanks! Yeah, i'm discussing the possibilities with a couple of houses, but as you can see right now the pieces are more like a test... it might take a while to have them for the public, i think.

[Dr. Zombie]

It looks awesome. I would love to get my hands on those.

[Andym]

Brilliant stuff! I love the texture you always seem to get!

[clanmac]

Wonderful stuff as always. That concrete effect is lovely.

[Sangennaru]

Thanks everyone! I didn't progress as hoped with the ground floor - i added details and a bit of texture on the base, but not enough for a new photo - but i almost painted a rather large set of barricades. I cast them myself, since i sculpted them for Spectre a while ago and i still have the preproduction mold.

Here's a group shot, the painted versions will be online tomorrow, hopefully!



Cheers,
Jack

[Vanvlak]

Very nice, the texture is grand.

[Mr. Peabody]

That's the kind of clever hybrid that we have come to expect of you O Lazy One. 

It's a brilliant idea. Don't sweat it too much if assembly requires some skill. The market is swamped with cheap MDF kits out there that folks are cutting their teeth on.

[Sangennaru]

Don't sweat it too much if assembly requires some skill. The market is swamped with cheap MDF kits out there that folks are cutting their teeth on.

I might agree, but i won't be the one directly distributing this. And i think that any company would love to have a wider range of clients, afterall

Meanwhile, i've painted the jersey barriers, and this will likely be the painting style of the future buildings too! What do you think? Somehow i NEVER manage to paint concrete in a more yellow tone, no matter how hard i try. At the end that's always the result i get.



(here a close up with a few Spectre figures as well...


C&C strongly welcome!

Cheers
Jack

[dulydude]

I can see this working really well for MERCS!

Keen to see how this project of yours develops! Keep up the good work!