Having seen "The Gallery", on Scott's Labs Blog, I was keen to visit and delighted to find it was the location for the AutoCAD 2010 Backstage Pass Event. When I arrived much of the display area was packed with people and equipment to support the web-cast. If you thought this just required a web-cam, a PC and plugging in a microphone think again! Later in the day they had all disappeared and I had a chance to see some of the impressive displays.
What is "The Gallery at One Market"?
Autodesk's San Francisco Customer and Technology Showcase features projects designed with Autodesk applications and the latest in design technology. It really is CAD Geek heaven!
The building (right) in Market Street,San Francisco - Aircraft Engine in the lobby.
The range of work is breath taking from giant civil projects to tiny medical products, Industrial Technology to Fine Art. Even this long post can only show a few items that caught my eye. It's certain nobody will leave this building thinking Autodesk just means AutoCAD! However, it's also surprising to see how many projects used AutoCAD, alongside other platforms, as part of the design/documentation process.
California Academy of Sciences, the model!
When I visited the California Academy of Sciences, earlier in the week, I didn't realise I'd see it again in the Gallery. The displays of real, as opposed to virtual, projects feature physical objects, design/documentation and often encourage interaction. Below you see models of building elements alongside my photos of the finished project.
Curtain Wall/Canopy Structure over the central Café
A design model (also this months banner image) of the living roof
Model Detail and Design Technology used
This Autodesk Video shows the objects, design documents and back projected wall displays that support the display models.
Lego at this scale isn't child's play, but they still can!
"Maxine" is a Legoland Mega-Model Dinosaur which is taller than me! OK, I'll admit I'm not very tall but it is 9ft high made of 70,000+ Lego Bricks! Her (?) internal structure, including steel tube support skeleton, is revealed as part of the body has been left incomplete. There is also a box of bricks which allows kids, of every age, to get involved and help complete the model.
Transports of delight, from cars to bridges:
Transport related displays include the aero engine, concept and production cars and infrastructure projects like the new Bay Bridge.
This Autodesk Video shows the construction, including how they got the Mustang up there!
Cathedral of Light:
This SOM project impressed with stunning wooden design models. The detail is amazing. (All images in this post link to full resolution photos on Flickr).
The design displays are impressive but, for me, the real fun begins when you get to the technology previews. More on those in a future post!
Autodesk Gallery at One Market Street, San Francisco.
If you want to visit - virtually or physically - see details at: www.autodesk.com/thegallery
