World Capitol Project

[JHoward88]

Hello everybody! I've come to this forum from time to time in the past and enjoyed the great conversations and architecture which is presented throughout the boards. I finally decided to sign up.

At the end of January I began working on my first large-scale sketchup hobby project, to which I dedicate this thread; the design for a capitol city of a fictional empire.

It has been my goal to reflect an imperial style of design throughout the model. The capitol campus, at the center of the map, has taken shape significantly. In the future I will begin expanding outwardly to create an urban landscape surrounding it.

Below is a rendering of the complex:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/wcp20100506a.jpg

Here is a basic rundown of the theoretical functions which the currently present structures serve:

Phase I, The Judicial Ministry complex is seen at back (The complex includes 20 connected buildings behind a facade and windmill stacks)

Phase II, The Economic and Military Administrative complex (The complex featuring twin pentagon-shaped domed buildings)

Phase III, The Cultural Ministry, Archives, and U.S. Embassy Complex (still under construction as I write this) (Features Twin Towers at left, Central Domed Structure, and Twin Pyramids)

An underground train concourse allows convenient transportation connections between all of these buildings.

Update: original video removed. Most recent video rendering is located later in this thread.

-

I plan to spend the rest of the year working on this project. I will make periodic new updates as they occur.

[treras93]

is this supposed to be nazi-ish/Greek architecture because it really looks like it especially with eagles on those domes.

Well, i really like it. That entrance gate looks sweet. cool vid too.:)

[JHoward88]

is this supposed to be nazi-ish/Greek architecture because it really looks like it especially with eagles on those domes.

Well, i really like it. That entrance gate looks sweet. cool vid too.:)

I drew significant inspiration from the old model of proposed Germania, and the Nazi style of larger than life classical/neoclassical architecture, as was proposed for Germany during that era. (As a disclaimer, beyond the architecture, no further political intent should be perceived.)

One of my main goals from the beginning has been to employ a style which implies authority and scope without relying excessively on height to achieve that goal.

As an additional note, the text which appears on various buildings throughout the model is an alternate alphabet which I designed (based loosely on flag semaphore symbols) in an effort to give the project further distinction. Many of the inscriptions allude to the titles of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian deities.

[Pingyao]

Kinda unique stuff here! Yeah does remind me of some of Albert Speers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Speer) work. It also makes me think of a new age cult - scientology if you will! I'll be interested to see what form the city takes. I reckon all those columns will slow it down though?

[Vellu]

Interesting concept! I think the architectural style you've created is unique-looking yet still very believable. Great modeling too! Only thing that is not to my liking are the windmills on the roof. But hey, if that's the way of this empire, then that's their business, not mine. :)

[Innsertnamehere]

i like it! but those towers hold an EXTREMLY large simalarity to the old WTC in new york.

[JHoward88]

12,000 faces later... Update 1.59 (The project now registers 159,000 faces)

The twin towers are now fully connected to the still unfinished central domed complex, and I have begun working on Tricentennial Tower.

Tricentennial Tower is designed to be the headquarters of the Imperial Commercial Corporation. It is comprised of three connected towers, each having 100 floors. It stands 1,477 feet tall including top-level mechanical space and ornamentation, with the highest usable floor topping out at 1,102'. It is decorated atop by a massive pick and hammer, reminiscent of the style of the Soviet Union. The ICC is symbolized by the uppercase letter Phi, which appears on each of the tower's three sides.

The fiction of this Empire suggests that the economy is monopolized by a State-run corporation (Imagine an entity like the U.S. Federal Reserve acting on unlimited power over all commerce). Thus, the Corporate headquarters is to be separate from the government, but nevertheless inextricably linked to it and funded by it.

Presumably, beyond the core capitol complex of federal and military buildings, almost all architecture throughout the (yet unbuilt) city is commissioned either by the Cultural Ministry or the Commercial Corporation. The Tricentennial Tower serves as the centerpiece for all finance, public and private.

The individual floors of the new tower are visible, but the skin of the building has not yet been added.
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/wcp159a.jpg

Most free-market-based urban landscapes reflect a blend of functionality and randomness. Cities slowly evolve over time as the commercial and residential demands of their region evolve. When a new building does go in, it reflects (ideally) the vision of the company/entity which will reside in the building, or the architectural style of an individual designer.

In contrast, and as is the case in my project, we are imagining an urban landscape which is taking shape by order and design of a central government. As an imperial project, little thought concerning the cost (or even, in some cases, the practicality) of the project need be taken into consideration; for the primary purpose of the construction, unlike commercial construction projects, is to create monuments serving as an all-dominating civil reminder of the grandeur of the Empire.

While such a scenario provides cause for an absolutely enormous scope in the building of government projects, it also suggests that civil architecture, meaning anything that is part of (in this case) the rather limited private sector will likely be of a surprisingly low key, at least in comparison to what most of us would expect of a large city. Like villiagers dwelling in the shadow of a massive castle, the average people in this empire are, theoretically, rather poor, while the officially sanctioned imperial building projects are of unparallelled glory.

When I started this project, I resolved against designing anything without first understanding the structure's function. Additionally, I am trying to emulate a specific urban atmosphere which can only be appreciated if one also understands the nature of the economy and political structure of the environment for which they are designed (hense the fiction subtext which I am splicing in here as I go).

[JHoward88]

i like it! but those towers hold an EXTREMLY large simalarity to the old WTC in new york.

The roof of the towers are 1,375' tall. The tower fitted with an antenna tops out at 1,776'. They each have 110 floors and two sky lobbies, as did the towers in New York. As these towers are intended to serve as fictional housing for the U.S. Embassy and related international functions, the design is a deliberate tip of the hat to the late WTC. :)

[Tolbert]

Your city reminds me on my own capital i started some years ago but never finished. So i just combined different buildings from GE Warehouse to build up new ones...

Here just some pics to show you ;)

The city grid
http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy279/Tolbert2000/Sonstiges/Gesamtplan01.png

one of the uge places at the entrance to the inner city
http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy279/Tolbert2000/Sonstiges/Gesamtplan03.png

the imperial palace
http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy279/Tolbert2000/Sonstiges/Kaiserpalast.png

hope you' ll do it better than me in finnishing your capital :)

[Flamesrule]

Really like of what you have done Jhoward. Really like the style of architecture you have done so far..

[toyota74]

Cool.........melikes.

[JHoward88]

Update 1.66 - The project has grown by 7,000 faces since my last post. The ICC/Tricentennial Tower and central complexes are now primarily complete. There are a number of finishing touches that I am planning for the central campus, but for now Phases I-III are completed enough for me to start active work on the design for phase IV.

Phase Four introduces the State Street Project (High-Density State-Commissioned Residential Housing), which is beginning to take shape in the latest rendered picture:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP20100520s.jpg

The State Street Project is the first group of buildings conforming to an urban grid system. The large red letters engraved on the sides of the new buildings spell the word "STATE". They serve as a reminder to visitors and citizens alike of the power of the State. Citizens of the Empire (more especially those in the capitol city) work for the State Corporation, live in State Housing, and everywhere are surrounded by symbols of the Empire's power in (and over) their lives.

[Flamesrule]

Looks really nice. Looks like you put a lot of time into this.Nice job!!

[JHoward88]

Update 1.69 - ^First of all, thanks Flamesrule, and everybody else thusfar who has cruised into this thread and commented. :-)

A frontal view of the State Street Residential Project shows recently added Ascension Spire (Trivia: I got the open-topped pentacle design idea from an episode of The Dresden Files, where it appeared briefly.) Three taller towers will soon be going up behind the complex:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP201005222.jpg

A pseudo-night time/negative view looking north from South State Street is shown below. A 200-foot cross and lightning bolt monument (intended to be the primary symbol of the FFF, or Fellowship of Federal Fraternities, which is the Empire's primary pseudo-religious State-sanctioned institution) stands directly in front of the Stock Exchange building. (Athena Tower)

The left and presently undeveloped side of State Street as shown below is going to be turned into medium-density commercial and residential city blocks. Most of the buildings there will be two to not more than ten stories tall, marking a distinct contrast from the trend of large scale buildings. Additionally, trees, grass, small monuments and lamp posts will be going in soon, in order to make the streets themselves more clearly defined.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP201005223Nrs.jpg

[Vellu]

Looking really cool! The designs are consistent and the night shot looks great. Is it just inverted colors, or is it really a night time render with lights and all?

It would be nice to see some trees and people to get an idea of the scale of the buildings.

[JHoward88]

Looking really cool! The designs are consistent and the night shot looks great. Is it just inverted colors, or is it really a night time render with lights and all?

It would be nice to see some trees and people to get an idea of the scale of the buildings.

^ The dark shot that I posted earlier was an just an inverted color version. I'll be adding trees and some grass after a while, but for the time being I have started by adding some cars to the boulevard itself to help give the project scale reference.

Work on the West side of State Street has begun, adding the new buildings pictured below, which include a medium-sized retail space, a 14-story hotel (which also occupies the smaller buildings immediately connected to its main tower), 8 stories of leased/contract office space, and a public garage with six parking levels.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP201005225.jpg

[JHoward88]

Update 1.76: this new 56-second video rendering offers a quick glimpse into the newly emerging State Street Neighborhood on the south side of the development, continuing through the Federal district, and ending with a brief flythrough of the underground concourse.

Update: original video removed. Most recent video rendering is located later in this thread.

[Pingyao]

The cars really help to give a sense of scale and just how big this whole model actually is. State St looks like it might have more 'ordinary' buildings lining the left side. I don't think I'd like to be a citizen in your city though, its kinda scary architecture!

[JHoward88]

Imperial Opera and Dominion Television Complex

Located on the west side of State Street, The lower levels of this building are occupied by a centre for the arts, while the 340 foot tall arch-shaped tower houses State television networks:

Seen from front:
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP20100531.jpg

Seen from above:
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP201005312.jpg

Seen from west:
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCP201005313.jpg

Happy Memorial Day, Folks! :)

EDIT: My first propaganda poster: :)

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/StateStreet.jpg

[Flamesrule]

I really do not think this is scary architecture. It's not my favorite taste but you have done a great job for this project with design and the design.


Very nice job!!!!!!!!!1

[JHoward88]

200 Gult Avenue (Atlas Tower) is the new headquarters of the Free Market Capital & Trade Party, an organization which rivals the Imperial Commercial Corporation. With a total height of 2,441 feet, the building has 130 stories and stands as the new tallest structure in the city. (To provide an idea of proportion, Atlas Tower is approximately 276' shorter than the real world Burj Dubai/Khalifa.)

Gult Avenue is the main East-West arterial which intersects with State Street. 200 Gult Ave is the first building to be assigned an official street address. If it isn't obvious, just as the Federal Complex is a tip of the hat to fascism, and the ICC tower was a tip of the hat to Communism, the Atlas Project is inspired by Anarcho-Capitalism, Ayn Rand-esque ideologies, and Corporatism.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/DasAtlasTower.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/GultTower.jpg

[Innsertnamehere]

Holy Sh*t!!!! Thats Massive!!!

[Patrick]

I'm a big fan of this city as I am of Communist Architecture and Communist Art. This City is a nice breeze of fresh air here on this forum, there's just no other city like it! My only complaint would be the coloring of the city, your first shots show a completely red and white city, It gave the city a very surreal future Communist look, but now I've noticed you've been adding color to some of your new structures, including the Atlas Tower. But since you've said the other buildings are fascist and communist and the Atlas Tower is capitalist, will all buildings that are communist styled be white while the capitalist styled buildings be colored?

[JHoward88]

:previous: Thanks, Patrick. I put some thought into what you were saying about color themes, and decided to neutralize all colors in the model other than the black/red/gold which I have been using sparingly for special components like writing and logos.

Sticking to a primarily white/plain theme adds to a sense of uniformity throughout the project while also giving me the added flexibility of being able to flip to a negative image and easily create fairly realistic pseudo-night renderings. It also helps ensure that I won't let myself allow colors or textures to start detracting from actual model detail.

I really like the premise of having completely separate color themes for different sectors, but for now to keep things simple, let us assume that Red represents the Communist Party; Gold represents the Capitalist Party; and Black represents the Common Party, or Nationalists. Various organizations throughout the Empire may employ a variety of combinations of these three colors depending on their political affiliation or relevance. Those three colors may be used together, or seperately. When all three are used together, they imply an element of commonality shared between the three parties.

Here is both a light and dark new rendering of Atlas Tower showing the change. At its base, the Daventry district can be seen, which includes a mix of Retail and Office space, Musical Venues, an Art Gallery, and a small convention center:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/AtlasProject.jpg

The Daventry district in more detail:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Atlas3.jpg

[Vellu]

The cars you added really helped to get the feel of the scale. Now I really see the buildings are incredibly massive, yet the scale feels even more realistic than before and fits the backround story perfectly.

[JHoward88]

Just in time for update 2.0... The Tri-Party Congressional and Diplomatic Assembly Complex is now visible, significantly filling out the skyline as it appears when viewed from the southwest.

The Tri-Party Congress & Diplomatic Assembly will be the Empire's administration of international affairs (also known as the NCCP), having duties ranging from diplomacy and foreign policy to intelligence abroad. It is intended to be the global face of the Empire, as well as host to an international peacekeeping panel similar to the real-world United Nations.

During a later phase, the Southwest edge of the city will be developed as a coastal region, offering opportunity for the city to eventually host seafaring vessels. Presence of water is taken into consideration for added effect in the latest rendering:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Skyline.jpg

Phase IV In Final Stage, Phase V To be Launched Soon

Moving forward from here my plan is to make sure that everything that has been added to the project up to this point is complete, and put together a new consolidated summary and history of the Empire with more specific details concerning the specs and peculiar significance of each building constructed thusfar.

Some of the large projects slated for the beginning of the next phase include a large shopping mall complex and international business district (a sector open to foreign corporations) and the North State Street Health Ministry Complex, as well as a massive headquarters and operations base for the Department of Public Works and Corrections (PWC).

Advancing the Fiction - Labor Issues in the Empire

I am creating a picture of a project which would be of unprecedented scale if it were to be created in the context of reality. From ancient Egypt to modern Dubai, massive projects designed to bring glory to an Empire usually come at an uncomfortable and often unmentioned human expense. In the context of the fiction of my Empire, such is no less the case.

The Department of Public Works and Corrections is jointly responsible for punishing law or code violations and for supplying the manpower necessary to build and maintain the Empire's many projects. The citizen is given a civil obedience rating similar to a credit score, which is issued to him or her in the form of what is known as a CCN Number. The more law-abiding the citizen happens to be, the higher his or her score is likely to be. The Empire punishes even the smallest offenses - such as littering - by automatically lowering the CCN rating of offenders.

Citizens with the lowest common denominating CCN rating are generally unable to find any form of federal or contract employment whatsoever, and are thus forced to live in a PWC Labor Facility and accept a delegated job assignment. In this way, the Empire rewards order by giving the greatest degree of freedom and opportunity to the most compliant folks, while recruiting everyone else for forced labor; and that is how the ongoing glory of the Empire, and its lavish construction projects, are driven forward.

The Free Market Capital & Trade Party opposes the practices of the PWC, but is limited in its ability to change them due to the fact that it controls only one third of votes cast in the Tri-Party Congress, and majorities of both the Communist and Nationalist congressional delegates support austere policies.

[Brokenhead]

awesome work, keep it up, looking forward to your updates

[Dac150]

Definitely an interesting project. Like a clash between early 20th Century Communism and Futurism.

[JHoward88]

The north face of the Tri-Party Congress Building:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/1910.jpg

[toyota74]

Wicked!!.................

[verticalextropy]

Amazing. And you even included some competish to the Imperial Corporation with that Galt Tower. I can't help but wonder how both can coexist in the same city, but I guess you explained that when you mixed free market and corporatism in the same line.

Love the scenario though, frighteningly reminiscent of everywhere I dread. And your alphabet looks strikingly similar to German "Runes" revived during the 30s.

Keep up the good work, can't wait to see a fenced camp with a chimney on the outskirts.

[JHoward88]

^ Thanks for your feedback, verticalextropy! :) The question of how Totalitarianism and Communism can exist in the same context as Individualism and Capitalism is intended to add a tone of surrealism to the project. It is also intended to provoke thought of some sort.

-

In any case, work continues on the Tri-Party Congress Complex. The Diplomatic Assembly Tower stands 1,200 feet and 87 Stories tall, while newly designed 20-Story-Tall banners decorate the south and west sides of the building, along with the official date upon which the Empire was founded, which was January 13, 1908. The official calendar of the Empire is always set exactly 100 years earlier than the modern equivalent. For example, 1908 and 1910, in the Empire, are metaphorical of 2008 and 2010 in real life, respectively. January 13, 2008 is the day when I began working on some of the early concepts leading to the broader project, which is why that "founding" date was chosen.

On the North side of the complex, the date "1910" is inscribed, which marks the year in which the building was constructed. On either side of it, the International/Universal flag colors are represented by six stripes of descending Red, White, Red, Gold, Red, and Black. The line of coded letters spells "Tri Party Congress".

It is worth noting that the west tunnel entrance of the Tri-Party Congress complex is the first major landmark which visitors, generally entering the city by train, witness as they approach the central terminals.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TriConNorth2A.jpg

To avoid lag, I am designing this building in a separate file for later import into the main city, which is why no other buildings appear around it in the above shots.

[verticalextropy]

The sheer mass of the Twin Towers next to the Reich Chancellery gives a very powerful imagery. It actually sent chills down my spine.

I can't believe the consistency (architecture/story) of your work.

Might want to see how the peebs live though. You could make just three different housing projects and then copy them in an efficient, orderly yet not necessarily aesthetic manner. Maybe a "Home of the Street Sweepers" ?

[JHoward88]

^ I will be addressing the shortage of residential buildings in the next phase with several new large scale housing projects in the northwest part of the map. I will also make a color-coded top-down map that has the names and uses of current buildings and a zone chart of future plans in undeveloped areas soon. Finally, the Congressional Complex is complete and integrated with the rest of the model.

-

The Peace Assembly Center is the first, and thusfar only exhibition of State tolerance for foreign or International organizations. In spite of certain austere practices, systems, and departments which exist by government authority, the Empire unveils new offices which it has provided for the United Nations and Amnesty International.

A part of the recently unveiled Congressional and Diplomatic Complex, the Peace Assembly Center is a symbol of international goodwill and reflects the Empire's desire to demonstrate to the world its interest in complying with universal standards for equality and human rights. Nevertheless, for security reasons International guests are not permitted to travel freely within the Empire without a State-appointed escort accompanying them.

Proponents of the Empire applaud the grace which it extends to the rest of the world, while critics question the motives of High Command and insist that the new "Peace Assembly" is powerless and ignorant of alleged concerns beyond its jurisdiction.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TripartyCongressF4.jpg

Congress Loop Road is an elevated expressway allowing direct rooftop access to the Peace Assembly Center and ease of access to upper lobbies of the Congressional Complex on the north side. It is visible in these new shots, as the new addition appears for the first time in full detail against the backdrop of the entire city:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TripartyCongressF3.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TripartyCongressF1.jpg

Bird's-Eye view of Congressional Complex from Second Sky Lobby of the US Embassy Complex North Tower:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TripartyCongressF.jpg

[Pingyao]

This is mental! Very unique architectural style you've got going. The whole city is looking huge and frightening - big brother is watching you!

[JHoward88]

As I write this, the rendering process continues for what will be my first full-detail video animation of the project at its current development stage, which I will post within the next day or so. Due to computing limitations, it takes about 10 hours to create each minute of completed video animation, so suffice to say things are going a bit slow. :)

Meanwhile, early design work has begun on the next phase of housing developments, which will provide residence for another 20,000+ people. I will probably have them finished and integrated into the model in about a week.

In any case, here is a quick list of completed and planned buildings, and their functions:

Part I: Federal
East (Themis) Tower (Civilian Amenities)
Judicial Wing North (Enforcement Division)
Judicial Wing South (Legislative Division)
Pentagon II Complex South (Military Administration, Nationalist Party)
Pentagon II Complex North (Economic Administration)
West Mall Memorial (Department of Tourism)
South (Athena) Tower (HC352 Indicator / Commonwealth Stock Exchange)
North Marker (Civilian Memorial)
Sigma Center East Pyramids (Department of Archives and Records)
Sigma Center Dome (Ministry of Culture, Library of Congress)
Embassy Center Towers (United States Embassy, International Consolates)
Tri-Centennial Tower (Imperial Commercial Corporation, Communist Party)

Part II: Private Sector
State Street Project (Federal Commissioned Residential Housing)
Imperial Contract Zone (Commercial Development, under jurisdiction of ICC, under construction)
Gult Tower (Capitalist Party)
Daventry District (Civilian Arts and Consumer Amenities, Historic District)
Mint Building (Monetary Agency, under construction)
Dominion Television Center (State Broadcasting, Arts Venue)

Part III: International Sector
Tri Party Congressional Assembly Dome (Seat of Government)
Diplomatic Assembly Center (Hotel, Convention Center)
Peace Assembly Center (United Nations, Amnesty International, other international organizations)
International Business District (project not yet started)
Docks (project not yet started)

Part IV: Works and Corrections
PWC Residential District (light to medium density residential space for 20,000+ civilian residents / under construction)
North State Street Department of Health and Education Complex (project not yet started)
PWC Industry and Detention (project not yet started)
PWC Agricultural Division (project not yet started)
Publics Works & Corrections Headquarters (project not yet started)
HOPE II Mass Housing Initiative (project not yet started)

The Fellowship of Federal Fraternities (State Church/Social Organization) Headquarters is another large concept building which is planned for the distant future, along with a substantial shopping mall of some variety.

-

I first started developing ideas which eventually evolved and gave birth to this extended project a little over 2 years ago. My early work with sketchup started at some point in the second half of last year (2009). What began as a rather trivial bit of fun has since evolved into an increasingly dynamic project. It has become apparent to me that I probably will not be wrapping up before the end of the year as originally planned.

While most or all of the projects listed above will most likely be completed in 2010, the ongoing project at large is now officially open-ended and may ultimately be spanned over the course of several years.

[Flamesrule]

wow, you have really out done yourself this time. The architecture is very well done, and this project is very well planned out. I wish Tennington was this planned out~

I also can't wait until your video!

[Innsertnamehere]

the elevated highway looks a bit funny here: http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/TripartyCongressF3.jpg

otherwise, a great city!!! (with lots and lots of thought being put into it)

[JHoward88]

^ Thanks for the feedback, guys. Innsertnamehere, I see what you are saying about that elevated roadway. I think it would look better if I had made it a gradual, softly descending curve instead of using the double-humped design which I did. Perhaps at some point down the road I'll go back in there and redesign it one way or another. There are a number of things that I would really like to go back in and refine, but due to lag in the main model, they will probably wind up waiting until I upgrade my computer system.

In any case, the great unveiling is upon us. Enjoy the Show. :)

Update: original video removed. Most recent video rendering is located later in this thread.

[Pingyao]

Brilliant propaganda video:tup: . All you need are the smiling, waving populace to complete the scene. The architecture you've created is truly unique as well, a bit of Nazi, Stalinist, Russian Constructivist, Italian futurist - genius. I'll be interested to know how you're going to expand outwards the city, and its gonna look so impressive and scary to see the centre surrounded by the workers houses.

[Flamesrule]

Man, that must've taken you a while to make. How long id the movie make? I really like the outcome of it.

Keep it comin!

[JHoward88]

^^^ The video took about 50 hours or so for the computer to render. You know what they say: Rome wasn't built in a day. :)

Imagine that there were no world wars in the twentieth century. Instead, Germany, the USSR, and the United States all became allies. National Socialists, Communists, and Capitalists all worked together, forming the Tri-Party Congress. Together they forged a powerful coalition government; and as a result, the economic and political turmoil of the early twenty-first century was averted. In that alternative timeline on September 11, 2001, there were no terrorist attacks. Nobody died, and this was New York:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/MergeWTC.jpg

Imagination aside, I made the above photoshop so that you could see the fictional buildings superimposed against a backdrop of real-world buildings for a true sense of scale.

This is the current Sector Map, showing current and future development districts:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WorldcapMap.jpg

Sector 1 - The Federal District (Completed)

Sector 2 - Capitalist District (50% Done) - These are buildings which are directly related to the Capitalist Party or are otherwise unregulated by the various federal powers that be. Just about anything can be built in there.

Sector 3 - International District (Completed)

Sector 4A - Private Imperial Contract Zone (Early in Development Phase) - This area is home to private businesses operating by contractual authorization from the ICC.

Sector 4B - International Imperial Contract Zone (Not yet begun) - This area will house offices of international businesses welcomed with federal permission. Early concept work has begun for the first building in this zone, which will be leased to IBM. More details later.

Sector 5 - Mass Residential Development - This is what I am currently working on primarily. Phase I introduces housing for 20,000 people. Phase II will be much larger.

Sector 6 - Industry, Science, Agricultural Tech Buildings and other Services - This sector is to be designed in rough conjunction with Sector 5.

Sector 7 - Retail, Public Commerce, more Residential Areas - This will be the first "liberal" part of the city, as the Empire opens its doors to the modern retail phenomenon. I'll get to the backstory concerning that later on.

Sector 8 - Docks, Waterfront Area - This part of the model will, when all is said and done, probably be on the west end of a peninsula. Sector 8 will reveal the shape of the coastline.

After Sector 8, the model will probably expand toward the East, right side of the map. At minimum, I hope to have Sectors 1-6 completed this year. Sector 7 and 8 design work may not begin until 2011.

Finally, here is a quick shot of some of the light-density housing units being designed presently for Phase I of Sector 5:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/WCPHousingFlats.jpg

Each three-story modular houses 12 ~600 Square Foot units rated for a capacity of up to four citizens each.

[Vellu]

Very consistent and believable work! That superimposed shot is very well done. Those buildings really are gigantic!

[JHoward88]

New Proposed:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/IBMBuilding.jpg

[Foun10Head-X]

I like the classical 40s post-modern look and they're so detailed. Good job on it.

[JHoward88]

The model now contains more than 300,000 faces, with the unveiling of IBM center:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/wcp301.jpg

The Tri-Party Congress passed a motion 4-2 allowing foreign corporations residence within the Empire and permitting the construction of an international business district. The terms of the bill require that all participating companies receive an express congressional requisition for their services.

International Business Machines, the international information services company, unveiled a new independent branch which operates under the title of "Imperial Business Machines" within the Empire and reports directly to High Command of the same. While it remains financially linked to its mother company abroad, all other aspects of its business are strictly imperial.

The IBM Subsidiary will be responsible for maintaining the Empire's Government data and computing systems, in addition to offering standard public products and services.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Tallest10.jpg

[JHoward88]

The Sector 5 residential zone has been officially named the Volksheim District. Three large residential towers serve as the project's centerpiece, each standing 355' tall. An outlying grid of medium-density residential buildings surround them.


The present view showcasing new residential towers and surrounding apartment buildings as seen from Volksheim Street facing North:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/volksheim.jpg

As a side note, computing power continues to be a growing problem. While I plan to purchase a new computer system as soon as finances prudently permit, until that happens progress is likely to be somewhat hampered. ;)

[Vellu]

I think the IBM Building is my favorite so far. That residential zone looks quite intimidating.

[JHoward88]

Thanks Vellu.

I thought I'd thow in another sneak peak from Sector 5, which - in spite of the lack of frequent updates - is indeed making significant progress. I have updated my plans for the residential district to include some mixed use high-density commercial development.

Several new towers are going in which surpass 600 feet, as well as at least one new supertall at 1000+ feet. Additionally, the amount of planned high density residential area has increased. While the final population figure for the zone isn't final, I am certain that it will be much higher than the earlier predicted 20,000.

This is the base of Squeak! Communications tower, exhibiting some decorative public statues in the new Volksheim Downtown District. Note that this is the first instance in which buildings are situated on a traditional urban grid layout, marking a major step forward for the urban development of the project overall:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Squeek.jpg

I expect to have Volksheim 100% finished and integrated into the main model within the next week or so, at which time I will release a full detail update. I'm putting a great deal of thought into this particular phase, which is why the more interesting parts are being kept under wraps until the unveiling. :)

[Flamesrule]

Awsome work you've got going!

Like the render!

[JHoward88]

^ Thanks, Flamesrule. :)

Sufficient progress has been made for me to now share with you the first major still view of the Volksheim District.

With a total height of 1190 Feet, the Valkyrie-Phoenix Tower (left) is comprised of 80 stories situated above 10 parking levels. The building primarily houses offices related to the Empire's emergency response department. Valkyrie-Phoenix Tower is now the city's 5th tallest building complex.

Other notable new major buildings include the RCBL Radio Towers which have a total height of 670 feet (immediately adjacent to Valkyrie-Phoenix Tower and connected to it by skybridge), and Squeak Communications Building (666' Tall).*

Dominating the east side of the district, the New Babylon Arch Towers stand with a total height of 666' (sharing identical height with the Squeak Communications Building) and have 44 floors of residential space. They are the latest phase of the mass residential housing initiative.

Meanwhile and in the shadow of larger buildings, a new downtown district, Opera House, and headquarters for the Fellowship of Federal Fraternities (FFF) stand amongst a network of lower-key apartment complexes.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Volksheim20100719.jpg

In the future, New Babylon Expressway - a high volume elevated traffic viaduct - will travel through the massive arch as it makes its way into the inner core of the city.

*The RCBL building was given its name as a subtle tribute to the four victims (Rachel, Barbara, Curtis, and Lewis) who died in an explosion at a Slim Jim factory in Garner, North Carolina on June 9, 2009. The complex consists of four towers, the height of each tower corresponding with the respective age of one of the victims. I chose to design and name the building in their honor because I enjoy Slim Jims; and ever since that factory explosion, I have found that I think of the victims every time I buy a canister of the snacks which they inadvertantly gave their life to produce. Squeak! Communications, meanwhile, was given its name as a subtle tip of the hat to a real life local communications company called "Click!".

Shifting gears a little bit, if any of you would like me to name a future private sector building after yourself or your city/project, just let me know (and feel free to specify the potential building's style/details and function). I would be happy to dedicate a little bit of future real estate development to my fellow architects on SSP. :)

[JHoward88]

An updated depiction of the skyline, showing the Volksheim addition at its current development stage:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Skyline-1.jpg

[Pingyao]

Its growing well, in a scary kinda way. I love the atmospheric shot of that hunched over statue. That would give me the shivers if I lived there!

[Innsertnamehere]

Ouch, jhoward got banned....... i guess this is dead...

[Pingyao]

Crikey!!!!! Thats dramatic, wonder what he did? What a shame this project is so unique.

[Innsertnamehere]

he always liked to post comments with.... thought behind them, and maybe his thoughts went in the wrong direction. or it could just be this project...

[Duffstuff129]

he always liked to post comments with.... thought behind them, and maybe his thoughts went in the wrong direction. or it could just be this project...

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=183372

It's a shame, he actually contributed quite a bit of good discussion material to many (non-political) threads, but he revealed that he was a homophobe and it caught up to him.

[JHoward88]

Fellow Architects, I apologize to each of you personally for the drama.

It would appear that I am back from my time off. To whoever is responsible for bringing me back, thank you.

When I registered at SSP, I came here to express my interest in urbanism and architecture. I arrived with no desire to disrupt the prevailing peace and harmony of the forum. Insomuch as I have, I apologize.

Furthermore, it is possible that the spirit of my position regarding the earlier topic at hand was misunderstood. I place a fundamental, personal belief in the self-evident innate equality of all individuals, and strive to endorse their universal human rights. This applies to sexual orientation.

I have worked with gay people. I have interacted with them socially. I harbor no malice toward them; nor do I despise them. I view them and treat them as my equals, and would readily lay down my life to protect their civil liberties.

All of this being taken into consideration, my opinion of their cause(s) is not necessarily positive; and yet I believe that one of the things that makes free, liberal thought work well is that we can dislike each other (or other points of view) without disrespecting each other (or differing points of view).

Again, if my comments caused any individual here to conclude that they were delt with a posture of designed disrespect or premeditated divisiveness, I apologize entirely; and as I never came here with a desire to initiate debate anyway, I am more than happy to promise that in all future proceedings, I will act with more care and sensitivity.

I unilaterally acknowledge that personal views and opinions which I may hold and on occasion express could be (and at least occasionally probably are) misguided or wrong. That doesn't mean that I will stop believing in them; but it does mean that I fully respect those around me who choose to disagree with - or even revile - my opinions.

I reiterate my thanks for the second chance on this board, and trust that - gay and straight alike - we will move forward in a spirit of common interest and friendship.

- Joshua Howard

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=4923524&posted=1#post4923524

And on a more positive note, the streets of Volksheim come to life:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/VolksheimParade.jpg

[Pingyao]

Welcome back jHoward, glad World Capital Project is back to life. LOL I spy Adolf!

[JHoward88]

^^^ I didn't realize until you mentioned it that he is standing up in that car. Actually, I realize now that I accidentally also have one of my street lights going through the hood of his car. I suspect if he were here he would feel somewhat violated by this project.

DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Right now I am wrapping up Volksheim. I still must design 10 city blocks and add street lamps and road detail to the rest of the project, add minor touches throughout, and create the New Babylon Expressway elevated auto viaduct.

The viaduct will continue travelling East, passing the Science Department HQ and Health & Education Administration HQ centres. The Department of Public Works & Corrections and attached detention facilities must still be built soon; but what I am really excited about is a new transit hub.

A canal just north of the Volksheim district will allow ships to travel inland. An airport will be built on an artificial island adjacent to it. The hub will connect air and sea with the regional highway and inter-city monorail. The monorail will offer connections to the entire inner city as it develops, and immediate service to the nearby East-West rail line. This hub will be the site of a large retail district:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Hub.jpg

Meanwhile, I have completed the intro sequence for my propaganda video, which adds an extra 3 minutes to the beginning of the animation sequence which I shared previously. The next big video release will add another 7 minutes of actual 3-D rendering to the end of this:

Update: original video removed. Most recent video rendering is located later in this thread.

PLOT UPDATE

Since the beginning of the project, I've been trying to figure out where I was going with it in terms of plot. I've finally settled on the official cover story.

This fictional World Capitol is the result of an alternative historical timeline. In my fictional universe, Ancient Egypt and Babylon were allied Empires. Greece and Rome were also allies. By 1,000 AD, the Egypt-Babylonian Empire and Greek-Roman Empire had united to form a unified Western Civilization.

Meanwhile, the eastern civilizations unified. By the dawn of the 20th century, the United States dominated North and South America. Greater Germania dominated Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The U.S.S.R. controlled all of Asia and the Pacific.

The age of reason had emerged sooner, allowing the various world Nations to enjoy relative peace for thousands of years. In 1908, leaders of the U.S.S.R. and Germania met for the purpose of merging their governments to form an Empire known as New Babylon. The United States remained separate, but allied. At that point, the United States represented all of North, Central, South America, and Australia, while New Babylon represented all other Earth Continents.

The event was celebrated with what was touted as the largest building project in the history of humanity: The creation of a new supercity intended to serve as the seat of Civilization.

The project itself is intended to combine four distinct stylistic elements: Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, the United States, and a mix of Orwellian and Biblical style portrayals of global government. The project begins in 1908, and will end with its completion in the present day.

It is my goal to eventually write a work of poltiical fiction/allegory potentially based on this fictional universe (in whatever form it ultimately takes) in years to come.

[Flamesrule]

Awsome work! I'm now starting to get scared of the architecture you do.

Could we see a overview of the city anytime soon?

[Aleks]

haha, this would make a really interesting city. i love the idea and personally, i like communist architecture, but i just dont see where it would work out. it's good that we have sketchup!!

[JHoward88]

^^^ Thanks, Aleks & Flamesrule. :)

it's good that we have sketchup!!

Ain't that the truth. I bow down and thank the Google Gods daily for being given the opportunity to play with such an awesome program. As for the theoretical real-life viability of a project such as the one which I am depicting, I would agree that - at best - it is a huge stretch; but at the heart of this, my goal is to create a salsa of Nationalism, Fascism, Communism, Socialism, Capitalism, and Consumerism portrayed against the backdrop of popular mythology such as New World Order Theory and Orwellianism; and yet to portray it in a world which developed in a way that is entirely different from anything that has ever really been explored in political thrillers/fictions of the past.

When I start novelizing this thought, it is going to be a story told from the point of view of a citizen living in New Babylon; and that is where this model comes in. The streets, the buildings, context, all need to be portrayed in a coherent way so that the world I describe is consistent and dynamic. In a sense, this is a surrealist political manifesto allegorized in 3-D with architecture. To be honest, I don't really care if it takes me a decade to finish this project. As a vital hobby that has been part of my life for two and a half years now, I won't be particularly surprised if it does. In any case, that is what makes it so much fun. :)

-

At 2240' and 162 Stories, Defiant Centre has risen as New Babylon's second tallest skyscraper and the centerpiece of Downtown Volksheim, the second building to exceed the height threshold of two thousand feet.

Defiant Centre houses the Propaganda Ministry, the new administrative office of the Department of the Architect of the Capitol (DAC), Civil Employment Support Services, and the Department of Imperial Social Services.

Here is the latest view of the cityscape, as viewed from the Northwest, future vicinity of New Babylon Airport (to be constructed on an artificial island in Eagle Beak Bay):

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Volksheim-2.jpg

Flamesrule, here is an overview of the entire project. At present, I estimate that there is sufficient housing in the city for between ten and twenty thousand citizens. As a future metropolis with a target population in the tens of millions, suffice to say that residential development will continue to be in huge demand for a very long time:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Overview.jpg

...and so, you ask, with that awful lack of housing, who is doing the actual construction? The reality is that much of the work has been done by laborers from outside the city who are trafficed in and out by rail from a massive flash city on the other side of the bay which has not been featured yet. In eras to come, that town will evolve as New Babylon's primary suburb, but for now it is just worth knowing that it is there, a few miles to the west.

-

A recession has caused progress to slow considerably; and no, I'm not just talking fiction. I'm talking about the fact that the size of the sketchup model has grown to 70 Megabytes, and my computer just can't handle it anymore.

As soon as I scratch up the money to get the new computer system which I require, the model will take off again like a rocket; but until then, new developments will be slow and segmented, completed in bits and pieces. I am declaring a partial hiatus on the main project with the assurance that it is by no means dead or dying.

My future renders will depict individual building complexes, city blocks, and things that I plan to eventually incorporate into the main model; but until the new computer becomes reality, these images are probably the last which you will see of the primary model. My CPU simply can't handle editing it, and my Memory can't handle rendering it all in one piece.

-

My next post will feature an arterial and zoning map depicting my plans for the greater metro area.

A portrayal of New Babylon-United States territory boundries appears below, U.S. Territories in Blue, N.B. Territories in red. Trivia: those who dislike New Babylon often refer to its citizens as "NooBs". ;):

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/NBWorld.jpg

[Flamesrule]

Vey nicley done! I hope you get a new computer soon so we can see this develop further. Nice!

[JHoward88]

UPDATE: I've reformed all of my animation material into a single new, faster-paced video and ditched the extras. To see the latest video footage of Volksheim, jump straight to the 2:00 minute mark.


<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LmYWQ8zRIEU&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LmYWQ8zRIEU&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>


I have finally settled on England's North Somerset County as the stated physical location for New Babylon City. In my fictional universe, New Babylon City is the largest city in Great Britain (rather than London) and Somerset County is instead named Daventry County (in homage to the King's Quest series of computer games).

[JHoward88]

Following is a simple map depicting the greater metro-region as it will eventually be developed:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Somerset.jpg

Right now I am beginning design phase for the Public Works & Corrections Headquarters, which I expect to be the single largest building complex yet designed in terms of relative volume.

[JHoward88]

Stay tuned! Coming up next:

United States Supreme Federal Capitol

Early Design Concept Phase is depicted below; 100-Star flags are displayed on the outside of what will be the first massive-scale project designed entirely as a projection of United States dominance in the world:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/USA.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/factsheet.jpg

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

this is just...EPIC! amazing Job! and keep it coming! :D

[burjdubai91]

this is just all so weird... and yet I like it... most especially that ryugyong tower lookalike... i love the whole communist vibe of the city and its quite a daring idea... gjob on the video too...

[JHoward88]

Thanks, guys. :)

I did a Google Earth model import over D.C. to show how the New Columbia Capitol Centre compares in relative size to Washington.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Newcolumbia.jpg

When I am done, the U.S. Federal District will be just as large as the New Babylon Federal District. In the actual model, the Embassy Plaza towers will be visible standing directly behind the right side of Capitol Centre.

PLOT:

I have also settled on a unique political twist for the alternate universe United States. Instead of keeping Republicans and Democrats as its primary political parties, I have chosen to replace the Republicans with the "Union Party" (recognized by the First Grand Union Flag) and the "Confederate Party" (recognized by the stars and bars flag).

The reasoning behind this is the assumption that the United States assumed sovereignty from the British Empire without violent revolution, and the Confederacy earned a distinct notable place in federal government without being disgraced by civil war. The basic idea is one of a stronger, more unified United States with a historical timeline less impacted by violent conflict. Nevertheless, the fundamentals of the Nation's government structure remain essentially unchanged.

[JHoward88]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/Congresshalle.jpg

[JHoward88]

The Columbia Mall and Capitol Centre's secondary domes are complete:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/COLUMBIA.jpg

[JHoward88]

U.S. Federal Centre appears in the main model on the north end of State Street:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/USAdistrict.jpg

Eventually, the big green open area will be be developed into a central park, and other federal buildings and highrises will go up around it.

[Flamesrule]

Cool! Can you do a SSP styled diagrams of the tallest buildings?

[JHoward88]

I'll make that a priority, Flamesrule. Of course, to actually make a good, clear building diagram I need to really work out some separate 2-D drawings as opposed to just screenshot clippings. It is kind of seperate mini-project unto itself. Nevertheless, there are enough tall buildings now to definitely warrant it.

At this point I am about 50% of the way done adding cladding to the various parts of the Capitol Centre building. Some additional support buildings will be necessary also, though I don't know when I'll actually get to them. Keep in mind that the U.S. federal district is pretty much just as dynamic as the Reich Imperial Federal district.

Furthermore, the demand for just plain old highrises is still a super-high demand, and the much talked of Dept. of Public Works & Corrections facility is still not started yet. Then we've got the Airport and transport hub, the big retail district, the seaports and shoreline development... ah, my. The list just keeps right on going.

In any case, I rendered a new skyline shot to pass the time of day. As soon as new highrises start going up around the Central Mall/Park area, it will really start to look impressive. By the time we are done, the volume of buildings in the downtown area will be equal to or greater than that of Manhattan island:
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/SkylineIIA.jpg

[JHoward88]

The 2041' tall, 155 story twin towers of Isis Centre:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/IsisCentre.jpg

[Flamesrule]

Looks nice! So is this the tallest building in New babylon?


Good Job!

[JHoward88]

^^^ Thanks. :) Isis Centre (2041') is the third tallest building in the city at present, after Defiant Centre (2240') and Atlas Tower (2441'). Isis Centre contains large quantities of leased office space, The Columbia-Babylon Joint Administrative Headquarters, and the Headquarters of Isis International. Isis International manages large scale retail malls and complexes throughout the world, as well as its flagship mall, which is to be located within the city but is not yet constructed.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Worldcap3.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Worldcap2.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Worldcap.jpg

[Aleks]

omg, this thing gets bigger and bigger! nice!

:haha: i love your 2 nations and their flags.

[toyota74]

Oozing coolness.:cool:

[prometheuspan]

i love this thought experiment as such. And some of the building ideas.

It would be neat to take the concept away from the dystopian and into a greener and friendlier utopia.

Like. what if twenty years after construction greenpeace conquered the empire?
:jester:

[JHoward88]

Thanks, guys. :cool:

i love this thought experiment as such. And some of the building ideas.

It would be neat to take the concept away from the dystopian and into a greener and friendlier utopia.

Like. what if twenty years after construction greenpeace conquered the empire?
:jester:

I think that my broader plan does explore what you are describing to some degree. In the alternate universe which this city exists in, most of the construction which we have seen up to this point is taking place in the early 20th Century. When the project is complete, the date will have caught up to present day, or possibly even progressed into the near future.

As the project matures, we will explore many different political and economic/social dynamics which could theoretically impact the development of a world capitol city hosting a population of 20+ Million. As the name "New Babylon" suggests, my goal is to ultimately represent the architecture and urban dynamics of every political, cultural, and economic system.

We will see much more of the Manhattan-esque American style; more old European Fascist styles; more Communist styles. We will also see some high-density urban development that reflects the styles of Asia and Dubai. We will see on the outskirts elements of small town America as well as the styles seen in small European towns. As we move into the future, we will see the city evolve into a Star Trek style supercity, possibly even hosting a mile-high docking port for spacecraft (something which I have sketched on paper a little bit, but not given any serious thought yet). The city's primary export will ultimately be urban-grown agricultural commodities. As I move forward, flora will be added, and the city will start to look a little more green. Soon the waterways will be mapped also, and some basic topography will be inserted to give the landscape broader context.

I do have some good news to report fiscally, as I just lined up a new secondary job this week after being semi-unemployed for a while. That means that I can probably buy the new computer which I need to keep this project going soon. :D

I'm planning to finish the cladding on U.S. Centre next, design a few blocks of highrises to line Central Park, and then get to work on the Dept. of Public Works & Corrections complex which I've been talking about forever but keep putting off. Transit hub still needs to be designed, various ports... the airport... The monorail lines... The list just goes on and on. :haha: Ah, yes; and... a Nuclear Power Plant will be appearing soon. :)

[Flamesrule]

Yeah, it's really big... How big is the file?


I just love allt he detail you put into the whole project!

[Vellu]

I really like those last shots! I think they are a better way of presenting this untextured model than renderings.

Now that I look at those overviews I'm actually quite surprised how unplanned the city's layout seems. I don't know why I was expecting buildings and streets organized geometrically, 'cause now that I think of it, even ancient Rome, which I'm using as a reference for some reason, didn't look that organized.

[prometheuspan]

:runaway: Ah, yes; and... a Nuclear Power Plant will be appearing soon. :drowning: :gaah: :wah: :shrug: :ahhh:

eeeeek!

But. But. Why?

Can't we just go geothermal and not nuts?

:daz:
Out of idle curiosity, are you thinking fusion or fission, and, how many terawats
per hour?
:borg: :ancient:

[JHoward88]

Yeah, it's really big... How big is the file?


I just love all the detail you put into the whole project!

^ Thanks again. Right now the file is 76.6 MB.

I really like those last shots! I think they are a better way of presenting this untextured model than renderings.

Now that I look at those overviews I'm actually quite surprised how unplanned the city's layout seems. I don't know why I was expecting buildings and streets organized geometrically, 'cause now that I think of it, even ancient Rome, which I'm using as a reference for some reason, didn't look that organized.

I do kinda like the way those turned out too. :cool: As for the street layout, it is still a little bit early to tell how the urban transportation network is going to look after a while; but the elevated rail/monorail system will definitely be geared toward helping to alleviate congestion which results from the rather haphazard layout of those areas in and immediately around the Federal districts. Keeping in mind that this city is expected to have a population of 20+ Million within its incorporated limits, definitely expect a more grid-style approach as we work away from the core of downtown.

Can't we just go geothermal and not nuts?

Out of idle curiosity, are you thinking fusion or fission, and, how many terawats
per hour?

I'm certainly not beyond considering a geothermal approach. I don't know much at all about power plants, or electricity production for that matter. To answer your questions, I doubt that I would try to depict a fission reactor, as I do not think that there are any existing nuclear fission reactors for me to base my general design off of. If I do design a Nuclear plant, it will probably be presented as a regular Nuclear Fusion Reactor.

I think the number of Terawatts per hour that I'm shooting for is probably around 85 (though that confuses me). In any case, roughly 10 Gigawatts of sustained annual power production is probably roughly what is necessary to supply this metro area as it nears maturity. That means that power will have to be delivered in part from elsewhere, or multiple large power generators will have to be constructed near the city, or a very large hydro project will have to be present; but I don't think that North Sommerset county in England offers any real good prospective Hydro options.

Three large Geothermal stations and some wind farms might suffice. Ideas are always welcome, as I am trying to make this project as believable as possible. :)

-

Anyway, thanks again for all the feedback, and sorry for all the yapping and not a whole lot of new development. I'll try to have some interesting new content for ya'll before the weekend is over.

[Foun10Head-X]

Intriguing concepts as I should say so. A new postmodern city in the making (I hope I said that right). I see your ideas growing into something more, and yet it tells a story. Idealism, Industrialism... A lot of thoughts coming through my head.

And yet, I just took my cough medicine and feeling drowsy, just getting real addicted to 3d modelling on my end.

You're doing a great job and I'll lurk back to see more.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Mocholate]

K, this is rather imaginative !

Haven't had a chance to read through the pages and fully undertsand it all just yet but will do asap.

[verticalextropy]

Why do you hate America? :P really, it´s offensive to see the Stars and Banners fly above Albert Speer´s Volkshalle.

Anyway, in spirit of the thread, I thought you might enjoy this one. (http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/Black_Cross,_Red_Sun) I´m a discreet contributor to that alt history.

Next SKup Project will be KZ-Ros

[verticalextropy]

i love this thought experiment as such. And some of the building ideas.

It would be neat to take the concept away from the dystopian and into a greener and friendlier utopia.

Like. what if twenty years after construction greenpeace conquered the empire?
:jester:

Wouldn´t that be even scarier? At least with Howard´s Germania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welthauptstadt_Germania) we get to see that as the past, as if we had lost the war. With your idea, we could dread the future.

[JHoward88]

This is the city's first Hydroponics System, equipped with 8 rail lines running through its center and providing employment for approximately 25,000 laborers. Hundreds of projects similar to the one shown below will eventually be necessary to support the employment needs of the city's blue collar population.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/HydroponicsOne.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/HydroponicsOneA.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/HydroponicsOneB.jpg

[JHoward88]

World Capitol Project remains officially on hiatus, but I am still working on a number of little side projects which are more or less on a waiting list to get integrated into the main model whenever I get around to buying my new computer system. It is my goal to keep this thread somewhat active with occasional updates throughout the hiatus.

The primary anchor of Jaliva Mall will be a Walmart, which is under construction presently:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Walmart.jpg

When complete, the mall will probably have two or three levels of shopping concourses and multi-tiered parking garages. The commercial service centre will also feature residential highrise(s). This is the first building complex in which I am designing the interior floor plan as well as the exterior:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Walmartsign2.jpg

[Flamesrule]

Looks very nice, I like it.

[JHoward88]

Cladding on Columbia Centre is complete, and I have positioned the mall project adjacent to it.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Columbia-1.jpg

[Tolbert]

Thats truly an epic Walmart :)

[Innsertnamehere]

the thunderstorm background is a nice touch.

[Duffstuff129]

:runaway: :drowning: :gaah: :wah: :shrug: :ahhh:

eeeeek!

But. But. Why?

Can't we just go geothermal and not nuts?

:daz:
Out of idle curiosity, are you thinking fusion or fission, and, how many terawats
per hour?
:borg: :ancient:

Please. Nuclear energy is the safest, most reliable, and most cost-effective energy solution man has ever devised. Don't accept the propaganda of uninformed idiots who don't know the first thing about the subject. (Geothermal is great too, but in its present state [like all renewables at this point] is not a valid solution for any large population, now in 10 years or possibly even less...)

Also, J, I love the Walmart. :P

[Tolbert]

Please. Nuclear energy is the safest, most reliable, and most cost-effective energy solution man has ever devised. Don't accept the propaganda of uninformed idiots who don't know the first thing about the subject. (Geothermal is great too, but in its present state [like all renewables at this point] is not a valid solution for any large population, now in 10 years or possibly even less...)

Also, J, I love the Walmart. :P


You mean that serious do you ?

[Duffstuff129]

You mean that serious do you ?

I not sure what part of my post you're referring to, but to clarify: Nuclear power is safe and efficient and I was being somewhat tongue-in-cheek about the Walmart, although the logo (like the rest of this project) is very impressive.

[JHoward88]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/JoshuaH688/World%20Capitol%20Project/Majesty.jpg