how to scratch build modern skyscrapers

[relucas]

I know that 1 inch in ho comes out to 7ft 3 in, I need to know what would be the correct mesurement to build buildings with 25 to 30 floors. I also need to know what would be a good per floor hight , as per 8ft 10ft 12ft per floor. The reason i ask is that if i use ho mesure my ceiling is not high enough. And what would be a good foot print size for large buildings. I use 1/8 in mesurements which is simpler to me then 3.5mm.... thanks for the help.

[relucas]

I know that 1 inch in ho comes out to 7ft 3 in, I need to know what would be the correct mesurement to build buildings with 25 to 30 floors. I also need to know what would be a good per floor hight , as per 8ft 10ft 12ft per floor. The reason i ask is that if i use ho mesure my ceiling is not high enough. And what would be a good foot print size for large buildings. I use 1/8 in mesurements which is simpler to me then 3.5mm.... thanks for the help.

[Anonymous]

You may wi***o use "selective compression" in this case. If your protoype building is supposed to be 25 stories, try modelling 20 or even 15, but retain the key features of the building - special treatments of groundfloor or rooftop, etc.

The other thing you might try is to build the building at a smaller scale like 1:100 instead of 1:87. This will work well especially if the building is in the background, and doesn't have a direct "interface" with the HO models - cars, trains, etc.

Andrew

[Anonymous]

You may wi***o use "selective compression" in this case. If your protoype building is supposed to be 25 stories, try modelling 20 or even 15, but retain the key features of the building - special treatments of groundfloor or rooftop, etc.

The other thing you might try is to build the building at a smaller scale like 1:100 instead of 1:87. This will work well especially if the building is in the background, and doesn't have a direct "interface" with the HO models - cars, trains, etc.

Andrew

[Anonymous]

check out MR May 2003 for the Chicago museum layout.

Modelled skyscrapers only look good if you have lots of them and also the space to model them. it's much easier to buy a skyscraper backscene and put it behind some medium height blocks, say 5-6 storeys high. when you're looking at the trains, you don't see the tops of the buildings anyway.

Jon

[Anonymous]

check out MR May 2003 for the Chicago museum layout.

Modelled skyscrapers only look good if you have lots of them and also the space to model them. it's much easier to buy a skyscraper backscene and put it behind some medium height blocks, say 5-6 storeys high. when you're looking at the trains, you don't see the tops of the buildings anyway.

Jon

[vsmith]

In reality floor to floor for a highrise is around 15 feet, that is so there is enough room for the ductwork, electrical chases, water and drain lines, etc, etc, to be placed in the space between the ceiling system and the bottom of the structural members. But for model structures a scale 10 feet would be a better choice. That way it can look closer to reality without taking up as much space.

I also like the idea of reducing floor number but be careful, if you take a 20 story building and remove 5 floors it will alter the massing and proportion of the building. It may not look as pleasing as the proptotype did and you will wonder why. I would try this for every floor removed, take away a similar proportion in the depth width by say reducing one window bay for every two floors removed. That way the massing of the building remains more or less the same, this is most true with highrises. Low rise (2-5 strories) and Midrise buildings (5-10 stories) can be accomodated more easily on a layout hence they do not need "trimming" as often.

As for footprint for a model layout use a scale 10feet, 15 feet or 20 feet grid ot establish a structural grid, this will give you the basis of a footprint.
12"x 12" is good for a midrise, highrise should be larger, but not by much.

Professional model builders us acrylic sheets to create architectural models of real projects. Any good library should have books on Architectural Model Building. Check out the library also check the Architecture section, you should find a good selection of books on highrises, even highrise planning and construction.

[vsmith]

In reality floor to floor for a highrise is around 15 feet, that is so there is enough room for the ductwork, electrical chases, water and drain lines, etc, etc, to be placed in the space between the ceiling system and the bottom of the structural members. But for model structures a scale 10 feet would be a better choice. That way it can look closer to reality without taking up as much space.

I also like the idea of reducing floor number but be careful, if you take a 20 story building and remove 5 floors it will alter the massing and proportion of the building. It may not look as pleasing as the proptotype did and you will wonder why. I would try this for every floor removed, take away a similar proportion in the depth width by say reducing one window bay for every two floors removed. That way the massing of the building remains more or less the same, this is most true with highrises. Low rise (2-5 strories) and Midrise buildings (5-10 stories) can be accomodated more easily on a layout hence they do not need "trimming" as often.

As for footprint for a model layout use a scale 10feet, 15 feet or 20 feet grid ot establish a structural grid, this will give you the basis of a footprint.
12"x 12" is good for a midrise, highrise should be larger, but not by much.

Professional model builders us acrylic sheets to create architectural models of real projects. Any good library should have books on Architectural Model Building. Check out the library also check the Architecture section, you should find a good selection of books on highrises, even highrise planning and construction.

[Anonymous]

I'm building an 18 story hotel right now and I'm using Acrylic window glass for the "base" and adding plastic facia to flesh it out. I scribed the acrylic to simulate panes. The acrylic glass is from the hardware store for storm doors and is cheap. They will even cut it to size for you. You need to super glue it as plastic cement doesn't work on it. I went with a hotel on the beach theme to overcome the single skyscraper looking out of place as mentioned above. You see lots of single tall hotels on the beach. I went with a 2 feet tall by 9 inch by 9 inch as looking right. I arrived at this size by making cardboard boxes the height I wanted and changing the footprint until it looked right to me. Use foam core for floors and roof. Build some interior walls to keep you from seeing through it and add lights to some rooms. Be sure to add curtains from printed paper from your computer. Make them all the same for a hotel, but other buildings may be different. Put some people looking out at the tracks for that extra scene.

[Anonymous]

I'm building an 18 story hotel right now and I'm using Acrylic window glass for the "base" and adding plastic facia to flesh it out. I scribed the acrylic to simulate panes. The acrylic glass is from the hardware store for storm doors and is cheap. They will even cut it to size for you. You need to super glue it as plastic cement doesn't work on it. I went with a hotel on the beach theme to overcome the single skyscraper looking out of place as mentioned above. You see lots of single tall hotels on the beach. I went with a 2 feet tall by 9 inch by 9 inch as looking right. I arrived at this size by making cardboard boxes the height I wanted and changing the footprint until it looked right to me. Use foam core for floors and roof. Build some interior walls to keep you from seeing through it and add lights to some rooms. Be sure to add curtains from printed paper from your computer. Make them all the same for a hotel, but other buildings may be different. Put some people looking out at the tracks for that extra scene.

[vsmith]

Flee307,
Sugerglue risks clouding the acrylic if its clear. A good acyrilic supplier should have the correct chemical bonding agent, cant remember exactly what is called but I know cause I have used this stuff, it works great but its dangerous fumes. It comes in a metal bottle and you need a plastic syringe bottle to apply it. It will partially melt the acrylic joint then bond back together as virtually one piece, very good stuff, just use it outside. Just tell them what you are bonding.

[vsmith]

Flee307,
Sugerglue risks clouding the acrylic if its clear. A good acyrilic supplier should have the correct chemical bonding agent, cant remember exactly what is called but I know cause I have used this stuff, it works great but its dangerous fumes. It comes in a metal bottle and you need a plastic syringe bottle to apply it. It will partially melt the acrylic joint then bond back together as virtually one piece, very good stuff, just use it outside. Just tell them what you are bonding.

[Anonymous]

I'll pass. I use superglue gel with no problems. I an also glueing styrene and foam core to it and I know ACC works for that too. And in the corners there is a styrene angle to simulate a concrete "post" which helps hold it togethet and would cover any fogging. But the biggest thing is use ACC gel and NO accelerator to keep the fog away. The paper curtains are stuck to the foamcore ceilings with whiteglue. I don't like using any chemicals that require you to work outside or will croak you if used wrong. FRED

[Anonymous]

I'll pass. I use superglue gel with no problems. I an also glueing styrene and foam core to it and I know ACC works for that too. And in the corners there is a styrene angle to simulate a concrete "post" which helps hold it togethet and would cover any fogging. But the biggest thing is use ACC gel and NO accelerator to keep the fog away. The paper curtains are stuck to the foamcore ceilings with whiteglue. I don't like using any chemicals that require you to work outside or will croak you if used wrong. FRED