Gordon Pilaster Plans

Here are by request the plans and dimensions of the pilasters on the front of the Gordon that I built yesterday.  Click on the image to view it better.  Also the plans are scaled 3:1 so you could view them better, but all of the dimensions are accurate.

If anyone has requests like this I am more then happy to help out and supply the info.

Gordon Building Update - Facade Takes Shape

Sorry for the surprise but I got a large amount of work done on the facade of the Gordon.  

I had to add a .010" layer to start on the frame work, across the top 1/2" I cut strips of .010 x .125" a 1/4" long and made individual blocks.  It turned out extremely well and I should have done it all the way down, ah well.  I then built the tiny cornice on top and the slightly larger one above the first floor from various dimensions of strip.  

The three vertical parts have a core of .040 x .250" strip, then I added three layers of .080, .100 and .125 strip that is .010" thick each.  Then I built the little decorative parts up at the top floor from .010 x .060" and .040" strip stock.  

In the first photo you can see my cement of choice, it is Tamiya Extra Thin Cement.  I used to use Ambroid Pro Weld, but the Tamiya has a tiny brush, so I don't flood my parts with too much cement and end up with finger prints.  Another bonus is the Tamiya is in a short squat bottle so it is less prone to being tipped over, but I have still managed to tip it.

This was just a quick update and I may not have explained some parts very well, please ask for clarification if needed.

Favorite Buildings - Helsinki Station

Helsinki Central Station

Helsinki Finland -1919-

I don't have very much info on this building but it is one of my all time favorite art deco buildings in the world.  The two pairs of granite statues are very striking and stylized and wouldn't mind one as my porch light on my home.  The clock tower is the other feature that I love on this building and yes more of that patina I love. 

Gordon Building Update - The Beginnings

Hello again, as I said here is the first Gordon Building update.  Lets get to business.  First off I cut three .060 x .250 and .188 strips, I cut them about a 1/4" too long just in case.  Then I cut a few strips off of a sheet of .030" spacing metal siding from evergreen for the areas between the windows and I also cut a .020 x .060" strip for the sills.  Last I needed some .060 x .250 cut for the top and bottom.

I then glued the basic frame work up in my magnetic gluing jig, that way everything stayed good and square, this is the critical point cause if the beginning is out of square then from here on out nothing will go right.  I also cut a little spacer so the spacing for the windows would be perfect.

Once the frame work is dry I popped it out, flipped it over and added .040 x .060" strip to the back for added strength and support.  Then I cut the tops of the vertical parts flush with the top horizontal pieces.  This building might move quickly so I may post a little more often than the Dominion, but we shall see.

Dominion Building Update - Trying to Find a Good Interior Designer

Hi Folks!  Well here it is the last Sunday update on the Dominion Trust Building, and I must apologize about the bittersweet end.  I am very burned out on this project, but don't worry, I still need to finish it for the March 6th show at Ogden Union Station.  I have a few little jobs left to do, but I need to shelve it for a couple weeks so I can start on the Gordon and finally start on some other major stuff.  I wont say too much about the gordon yet cause after all this is the Dominion show.

I began work in side and I hate to admit it but I don't like doing interiors for some strange reason.  I think it is because it is usually one of the last tasks and when it is time to do it, I am mentally on my next project.  The basically all but the furniture is photo textures that are free to down load at cgtextures.  I then sized and pieced them together on Adobe Illustrator and then printed them out on a nice glossy brochure paper on a laser copier.

The few pieces of furniture I built from strip styrene, then painted appropriately.  The table at the entryway, I added some pamphlets and a vase with flowers.  The pamphlets are paper cut to size and the vase was cut from aluminum tube.  The flowers are made from tiny squares of red paper and the stems are, he he he, hair:)  The few shrubbery's  are 1/8" square tube and clump foliage.  The paintings I got from the same site as the other textures, I them added a .020" plastic back, then colored the edges with a brown Sharpie.  I still need to build more furniture but that will come later.

I also added a black card stock view blocks on the upper floors but the windows are too lifeless and so I have a few things that I will try out to see if they will look better.  I have most of the glazing in, I just have a few windows left.  I also have curtains to hang as well on a few windows and have a few more signs and other details as well.

So I will post finished pictures of the Dominion before the show and have a better farewell but other than that we move to the Gordon.  I have built the Gordon about a dozen times in my head, trying to figure out the best route to take it.  I still have gobs of time today so I may post on it late tonight.  That reminds me, do you guys like the Sunday updates or would you prefer I post more often with smaller updates as I go?  If I don't hear anything I will stick with the Sunday posts. 

Favorite Buildings - McGraw-Hill Building

-New York Public Library-

McGraw-Hill Building

New York City -1931-

The McGraw-Hill Building or aka "Jolly Green Giant" for the era that it was built was a very radical choice in colors.  It is clad in a turquoise green terra cotta, the same color is used on a smaller Art Deco building in Los Angeles that I may also post on.  Art Deco is one of my favorite styles of architecture and I will finally use it on my next structure.

McGraw-Hill no longer resides in this building but like the Chrysler Building it still carries the moniker it was born with.  

Favorite Buildings - Book Tower

Book Tower

For the next building we go to the depressed city of Detroit.  Because of Detroit being down on its luck for so many years, it has some of the greatest examples of early 20th century architecture in North America.  The Book Tower was built in 1926 and was an addition to the Book Building built in 1916.

The buildings last tenants moved out on January 5th of this year and so it has been shuttered.  The company that owned it was unable to pay the back utility bills and that is why it is now abandoned.  

This building was the inspiration of how I was taking the Dominion Building.  This is why I did the  patina on the roof,  the detail between the windows comes from this and whole color scheme was to be modeled after this building, but some of you talked me out of it and now that is why the Dominion looks the way she does now.  I still want to use this color pallet on another structure, but hey, I maybe dumb enough to try to build this building in the future. 

-by statlerhotel on Flickr-