Fitzroy Square - Sample Google Earth London

Tweet

Fitzroy Square is one London's hidden treasures, designed by Robert Adam it is dedicated to Charles Fitzroy the fourth Duke of Grafton. It was also famously home to Virginia Woolf and George Bernard Shaw.



The model is 1mb in size, which is notable for Google Earth but represents part of the first stage of highly detailed rapid modelling being researched at CASA.



More models will follow in the coming weeks as the development process is refined.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (1m)

London Google Earth 1690 - Tweak

Tweet

The image overlay of London 1690 has received a lot of interest. So much so that we now have a project at the lab to put more of these up as soon as copyright is cleared.

Frank Taylor from the excellent Google Earth Blog has sent us a tweak to the original file so that the Tate Modern now sits on the banks of the Thames rather than slightly in it due to a misalign. Thanks for that Frank.



A number of key landmarks which were around in London 1690 and other overlays which are coming shortly will be added. Hopefully making it a good resource of the teaching of History and Geography.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the overlay in Google Earth here

Sneak Peak Google Earth London

Tweet

We have posted a number of models recently so we thought we would post an image of the level of detail we are working on in Google Earth London. This is a first phase test for new modeling techniques developed at CASA.

Sample high detail Google Earth files will follow shortly....

London Google Earth 1690

Tweet

Using image overlays it is possible to compare cities over time. The above and below images illustrate the layout of London in 1690 - post Fire of London - in Google Earth. It is interesting to note when changing the transparency how the shape of the Thames has been modified with the building of Embankment.



You can download the kmz file to fly into the overlay in Google Earth here

St Helens Google Earth London

Tweet

As an update to our Natwest/30St Mary Axe model, we have now added in St Helens which is a notable highrise in the City of London. Built in 1969 it stands 118 metres tall and was designed by RWHL Architects.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (35k)

Google Earth Tate Modern

Tweet

The Bankside Power Station, which is now how to the Tate Modern was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Sir Giles is also notable for the design of Battersea Power Station, the Liverpool Anglican cathedral and the British red telephone box.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (20k)

Google Earth Tower 42 and Swiss Re London

Tweet

The latest building is Tower 42 in London, coupled with a simplified 30 St Mary Axe. Tower 42 is the tallest building in the City of London at 183 metres compared to 179.8 metres for its neighboring 30 St Mary Axe. Built in 1980 by Architects Seifert and Partners, Tower 42 was originally home to the Natwest Bank with rumours that its unique shape mirrored the Natwest's logo at the time. This seems to be however an urban myth, the building is now an office complex with a restaurant on the 42nd floor offering views of London.

The file is only 28k...



You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (28k)

3D Microsoft Live Local

Tweet

Microsoft's Live Local includes 'Birds Eye' images which provide various views around buildings. Its interesting in terms of views but compared to Google Earth lacks any interactivty or 3D Element.



Therefore, using these images we thought it would be interesting to try and construct 3D Models from the data. Below displays an image from the output, you basically get a 3D model rendered out of the webpage screengrab. You could of course then port it into Google Earth....



A Quicktime movie of the model can be viewed from here (8Mb).

Stereo Anaglyph Google Earth

Tweet

By grabbing two snap shots in Google Earth you can create anaglyph stereo views. I'm not sure why you would want to.. but if you have a pair of Red/Blue Stereo Glasses its worth a look to see the Euston Tower come out of the screen...

You can view a full screen version of the image here.

Google Earth Euston Tower London

Tweet

The Euston Tower dominates the top end of Tottenham Court Road, London. Built in 1970 the tower is non-descript, being most famous in London for being the previous home of Capital Radio and dubbed the 'Power Tower'.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (700k)

New BT Tower London Google Earth...

Tweet

Due to a slight error the BT Tower from our original post was 40m to short! This only came to light when placing in Centre Point and realizing it was taller than the BT Tower.

The model has now been fixed and all heights are correct...

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (170k)

Google Earth Centre Point London

Tweet

We have placed online a first draft version of Centre Point in London. Centre Point stands at 117m on the junction of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. The building, completed in 1967, is made out of pre-cast concrete and at the time held the honour of the worlds tallest concrete tower.

The building is a controversial landmark in London with its unique architecture. Despite its appearance it is now a Grade II listed building.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (170k)





You can also view a panorama of the building in full screen via the QuickTime plugin, allowing you to view the scene in 360x180 degrees at high resolution.

View the panorama of Centre Point, London (2.8mb).

University College London Google Earth

Tweet

Following on from our model of the BT Tower we have placed online a model of the University College London Campus. The model is undergoing further development but coupled with the models already online and future sections it is starting to build up a picture of the Bloomsbury/Fitzrovia area.



Interestingly the model is now under 100K. If people would like to see any specific buildings modelled let us know...




You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (94k)

Google Earth BT Tower London

Tweet

Google Earth has added 25cm imagery of London from the GeoInformation Group. This provides a much improved backdrop to models such as the BT Tower which we have now placed online.

Thanks go out to the comments and emails with reference the black roof and reversed faces. These are now fixed and the file size has also been reduced from 746K to 540K.



Larger sections of London should be available shortly.

You can download the kmz file to fly into the model in Google Earth here (540k)

Worlds Worst Urban Place and Space?

Tweet

Digital Urban has a sister site dedicated to exploring the worst examples of urban planning and architecture in the world. The site is open to submissions of your local urban blight. Send us a few words and a photo and we will post them up on the blog. After the first few submissions we may well then run a competition for the worst example to be sent an award for their lack of contribution to our urban environment.

View the Site - Worlds Worst Urban Place and Space

Virtual Tour of the Sydney City Model

Tweet

Peter Murphy of the excellent Panoramic VR Blog has put online a virtual tour around the acrylic block model of Sydney. Covering over 1000 buildings and 10 square kilometres of the city it is similar in scope to the architects models that exist in many of the worlds cities.

What is unique here is that at first glimpse it is difficult to tell if the model is real or virtual. It is of course real and well worth a look..

View the Virtual Sydney Model Tour..