Base One Europe

The point of this project is that it is a live project, with actual contacts and clients to speak with not just a class only task.
These contacts include the University (permissions and guidance), the US.Navy (when looking further information and high resolution images) and Base One Europe Museum (Where it will be exhibited) After the initial meeting with all the contacts i got Base Ones Europes Mark Lusbys business card, knowing i would eventually need his help and expertise.
I've barely begun the project and am only in the Discover stages and i've probably done the poor mans head in already.
So far there has been alot of back and forth questions mostly regarding his ideas for the project and the confidential high resolution images of the bunkers plans but while sketching and researching i have built up alot of questions that would be best asked and answered in person.

So a meeting was arranged and a glimpse of the museum was decided as a meeting point.
Similar to Aberfoyle House this was a research and reference goldmine! as usual please look on the pinterest and behance pages.

What i love about the fact this is a live project it gives us the chance to take initiative with client interaction and builds up those professional skills.

The two initial meetings took place before and after the second presentation (for reference when looking at the powerpoints attached at the end of this blog)

There was alot of questions answered and many more created within the meeting, some of which were materials used (exterior mainly) and what certain rooms were used for.

Before this meeting i was unaware the building was used as an administration building, and there was alot of debate amoung the three students on the exteriors colours and whether the rood was arched or squared. Throughout the meeting there was alot of back and forth questions and answers amongst the three students messenger group chat which was apparently unusual for M.Lusby but he thought it was very innovative of us as the other two couldn't make the meetings.
 Although all our projects are independent we all have different views and final outcomes so there was no competition or animosity, this way all information gathered was shared as it might be beneficial for the other classmates.

The biggest piece of information i personally took from the meeting was our discussion on where we had decided the most practical room would've been as the commandants office.

My project at this point had a clear view as a flythrough from the entrance to his office (recreation of not only the building but his office) but deciding where his office was was going in circles until i was able to brainstorm with M.Lusby.

It was a toss up between three rooms, to the right the windows matched up to the window positioning in the photo reference but they were all much of a muchness and none stood out as fancier office.
The two to the right looked more likely. Both to the right had personal bathrooms and connecting large rooms which were likely admin rooms where the personal assistants and wrens would've been situated, the deciding factor was i noticed there was three doors leading to the furthest room even though it was closest to the chart room which was a vantage point according to mark but i thought it was too public, would there not have more security and less openness to a higher ups office, especially if it had personal quarters and bathrooms. Mark agreed and it was settled it was the office that checked most if not all the boxes.

Deciding on this office was a turning point in my project and allowed me to better plan and storyboard the fly through, knowing the hallways doors and rooms the fly through would be going through.

From this i was able to plan not only the rooms but narrow down what sort of assets i would need to furnish and bulk out the rooms with. Although i hadn't a final concept or asset list i began modelling the assets i knew i would use regardless. The advice i was given after the first presentation was "you need to bite the bullet and start modelling as you seem to be avoiding it" which was very on point.
Although my creative process usually has alot of the back up work and visual concepts done before i even think about modelling, there is no reason i can't begin basic modelling as i have the dimensions and plans to start with, but as i am incredibly rusty in 3D skills and this is a very intimidating project i was very reluctant to begin.
To get over the nerves i began modelling small and replaceable assets that wouldn't be devastating to re-design/re-do when my skills build up as i go along over the course of this project. I will discuss the modelling in another post ion attempt to keep these rambles in some sort of chronological order for (i hope) easier reading.

Incase i don't have reason to mention it in future posts, i found Marks expert opinions and the brainstorming with  P.Quinn and C.Friel a big help in this projects development process.
Collaboration and opinions always shape projects in ways solo projects never can and its worth mentioning when discussing the projects development process.

I found visiting the Base One Europe museum gave me a better idea of how the furniture and equipment would've faired over time and what sort of materials they were made from and their life size which is difficult to gather from online images. It really puts you in the past which is essential when designing this flythrough.



The website wasn't up and running until after my second visit so i didn't take as much use out of it as i could've but to give you an idea what the museum is all about here's the link :

https://base1europe.com/