Finished Renders

I have finished the renders now after a small Christmas break and will start to take screen captures of the remaining pictures I wish to have. This will save me large amounts of time so I have time to revise for my January exams and complete Art coursework and focus more time on the written portion of this course.

New Plan

I have decided to just take a few renders of the most important features of the model and just screen capture the rest of the images I wish to use as it would have taken far too long at this point in time with coursework and exams fast approaching so have decided to better allocate my time but still receive a very similar result from the images although certain lighting and texture will not be portrayed as well and thick black lines will creep into the images.

Lighting

I have added the lighting and have started to take renders but with such a large and detailed model the process takes about 15 minutes to complete on my computer and seeing as it takes a few attempts to get the camera focus and position correct the rendering will take a few extra days to complete.

Problem..

While rendering my first test image I came across a problem, the 2D people I added to the scene force the rendering process to stop and will not restart so I have removed them from the model. I also noticed that the model lacked a few trees and bushes which are around the station so I added them in so the renders appear more realistic.

V-Ray

Today I downloaded rendering software for Sketchup called V-Ray. It is quite an advanced programme with thousands of options that could take months to learn so instead I will take a crash course and learn the very basics. Lighting is the most important thing to include in the render otherwise the final product only features light from the sun so inside the station it will be very dark so I will have to learn basic lighting techniques and also how to set different times of day so that a range of pictures can be produced.

People

Today I added 2D people to the model so that when it is rendered (made pretty) the scale and function of the building can be clearly seen at first glance. The people also bring the building to life and hopefully will show what the building would look like if it was built as it would hardly ever be empty. 

Footbridge

Today I added an old fashioned railway foot bridge from one platform to the other. This is in keeping with the traditional Warmley station as it also featured a foot bridge. Therefore this station combines a lot features of Victorian stations from the very large to the very small with its footbridge and engine shed alongside a large building with a highly engineered roof structure.

Un Restaurante

Today I finished furnishing the restaurant area of the station. I created my own chairs and tables so that they feature the colour scheme of red and cream and also so that they are in keeping with the Victorian era. I have booths along the walls so that it looks like a train carriage and in the centre I have placed a water fountain and have circular chairs and tables around it in the same design to mimic an engine’s wheel or bike wheel. Also on the counter of the restaurant I have used Victorian styled cash registers so that it matches in with the traditional style of the station building.

Cars

I have added vehicles to the car park so that the scale of the spaces can be seen and also makes it better visually as a car park.

Comfy Coffee

I have completed the seating arrangement for the café area with coat racks and plant pots and arranged the engine shed with the bike racks for rental and a few basic tools for the bike repairs. The café area has turned out looking like a comfy coffee shop with an array of seating in different designs and patterns taking on a traditional look. The Engine shed has the open design which is in keeping with the traditional design but features bicycle equipment rather than trains.

Car Park

I have redesigned the car park so that I can fit in more spaces. I used a document from The Planning Service to find the dimensions of spaces [http://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/policy/supplementary_guidance/spg_other/parking-standards.pdf]. I have made the car park more pedestrian friendly and added vegetation and also a new road surface.

Progress Meeting

Today I had a meeting with my tutor to discuss my progress so far with the project. During our discussion it appears that I am on track with my project and if anything slightly ahead of schedule which is always nice to hear. After this discussion I have decided that I will continue with my current level of work as it gives me a cushion of time in case any unforeseen circumstances arise and I currently have the time to fit this workload in around my other studies as exams are not until January so no conflictions shall arise there and my art project can easily be balanced alongside.

Engine Shed

I have designed the bike hire/cycle repair building as a Victorian engine shed as it is where bikes will be stored when they are not in use and repairs take place so I thought it would be very fitting to use the building as what it was originally intended (if the trains were replaced with bikes). I have finished it with the red and cream of the main building to link the two together.

Next Step

I have finished the architectural design for the main station. It only needs to have finishing touches and furniture added for it to be complete. I have now started work on the other side of the track where there is currently a very mistreated toilet and car park which is far from respectable. I plan to turn the area into a place for bike hire and quick bicycle repairs.

Rearranging Refreshments

After thinking on the current arrangement of the refreshment stands I have decided to swap the locations of the restaurant and coffee shop. I think that this will be better as the coffee shop doesn’t need as much space as the restaurant which needs an area for food preparation. This new arrangement also makes the seating for the refreshment stands much more suited and accessible for the public.

Restaurant

I have built another refreshment stand but this one will be a restaurant in the centre of the station which means that I have had to make the platform area smaller. I have modelled this stand on an a few images I have seen but taking my main idea for a circular shape from this picture, [https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADUibSkf2OEvIIDPUnTZvLq5teHs9bFmixC_oWDson62v62ZBDgljsSMagWTGk1dkFtUccPtJqi4KsQIoX8OkCFI5wML30gh2JGxMf9YUrHAvTozWk3y_ejWRhWOXmJGlFiNKqvfjYPc/s1600/Victorian+Train+Station.Wemyss+Bay.jpg]. 

Convenient Conveniences

After much debate with myself I finally came to the conclusion to place the toilets underground with disabled/mother and baby toilets above ground so that I don't have intrusive and large lifts disrupting the grand open space of the station. The stairs to the underground area have been designed to reflect the Victorian stairs which take you from platform to platform like that in Temple Meads, Bristol. The underground toilets are modeled on the images that are famous from world war two blitz photos where people are taking shelter in the tube system.

Refreshments

I have designed and built a refreshment centre for a company like Starbucks to use within the station. It is modelled after Victorian ticketing booths with radial roofs which slope outwards to the surrounding desk. I have finished the design in the same colours as the rest of the build.

The Roof

I finished the roof structure of the main station. It is a large metal structure which spans the width of the building in the same way that Temple Meads and Kings Cross have large supports below the glass roof. This is a key feature of the building as it really demonstrates the engineering that the building and railway includes.

The Station

Today I finished creating the shell of the new build on top of the existing platform which will now extend over the current goat enclosure. I built it using a Google search for ‘Victorian Train Station’ as a reference to the design of classic stations which mine will try to replicate while featuring modern architecture ideas inside. The front has a canopy like that of stations of the period and I have sunk a small area of the station to recreate the look of a platform but have put thick safety glass over the top so that no floor space is lost. I have finished the building with classic red brick with red and cream pieces to resemble the Victorian image.

SketchUp

I have built the current structure of the station on Google SketchUp using the knowledge that I have already gained from using the programme a few years ago at an architects practice for work experience but have used http://support.google.com/sketchup/?hl=en for reminders on how to use the more detailed options and controls of the software.

The Site

When I visited the station, I noticed that the house next door was for sale so I have looked it up at http://www.rabennett.co.uk/ and discovered that the land behind the platform which currently homes goats belongs to the property so for the purposes of this project I will use this land as part of the site map as it could be purchased from the owners so that I can show my full ideas of design rather than limit them by the small area on the site.

Site Visit

I went to Warmley Station today and took many pictures as references to build the base design of the station which is the existing platforms and the current small shack of a station which is currently acting as a shop. I also decided while there, that I should keep the current station as it is listed (so no choice really) but also I will convert it into a small museum about the history of the Bristol and Bath Railway.

Initial Research

I have looked into designs of Victorian railway stations using a Google image search and have decided that the façade needs to have small windows and doors with pillars along the entire front. The roof of the building also must be glass but have a large metal structure on the inside spanning the entire building similar to Temple Meads Station in Bristol.

Initial Idea

For my extended project, I am going to design a new building more suitable for the Warmley station as the current building lacks the ability to host the amount of customers that come through and offers them no protection against the British summers! I will design it so that the exterior is in keeping with the history of The Bristol to Bath Railway which is now the countries most used cycle path. I will try to incorporate Brunel into the design in some way as well and have better facilities more suited for cyclists.