In 2017, a 77-year-old scale model of San Francisco used for urban\nplanning resurfaced after being out of the public eye for decades. Although it\nis the largest and most intact of the many American city models, parts were still\nmissing. At the request of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA),\nAutodesk employees Marti Deans and Gabrielle Patin helped recreate missing\npieces, so the model could include all of the city’s neighborhoods.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SFMOMA’s request was an opportunity for Autodesk to\nleverage its expertise in 3D design software and 3D printing\ntools to help foster inclusivity for all communities\nin the model. \u201cThe project was specifically about recreating the\nparts that had gone missing,\u201d recalls Marti Deans, Autodesk\u2019s Technical\nMarketing Specialist. \u201cWe wanted to make sure that those neighborhoods didn\u2019t\nfeel excluded when the model was displayed across the city.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once assembled, the model is an impressive 37 by 41 feet and composed\nof 6,000 removable blocks, each one corresponding to a city block. The blocks\norganize into 140 sections, each on a stand. The genius of the model is that it\nliterally fits together like building blocks connected by wooden\npegs. Unfortunately, many blocks disappeared over the years, including City\nHall, Seals Stadium, the Golden Gate Bridge, and part of the Bay\nBridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One missing piece of the model was Potrero Terrace, now a\nhousing project. \u201cWhen the model was originally created, the housing project\nwasn\u2019t there, so we debated whether the housing project should be represented\nin the updated piece we\u2019d be creating,” Marti explains. “In the end,\nwe decided to represent the area as it would have been produced in the late 1930\u2019s,\nwithout the housing project. This way, we\u2019d stay true to the original model and\nthe time in which it was designed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Design to Fabrication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Autodesk team worked with Dutch artist team Bik\nVan der Pol to realize their vision of the restoration. Over the course of two\nweeks, the design and production process included the following steps: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Measurement and 3D Design<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First, Autodesk visited SFMOMA to experience the model and\ntake measurements of the missing pieces. These measurements were then used\nto design the replacement blocks in Autodesk\u2019s Fusion 360<\/a>, a cloud-based CAD\/CAM tool for collaborative product development\nthat combines industrial design, mechanical engineering, and machine tool\nprogramming into one software solution.Each missing section was\ndesigned as separate blocks, like the originals, to ensure that individual blocks\ncould be swapped out or changed if needed. The design work took Deans\nand Patin several hours to complete and is available to viewhere.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prototyping and Testing<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Autodesk team created a set of prototypes to ensure\npieces would fit together seamlessly. Bases of pieces were printed and\ntested on the model. If a piece did not fit, measurements were retaken and prototyped\nagain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/publicknowledge.sfmoma.org\/take-part\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2019\/05\/1.jpg\")
3-D model on Fusion 360, Image Source: Autodesk <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/publicknowledge.sfmoma.org\/take-part\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2019\/05\/2.jpg\")
3-D model on Fusion 360, Image Source: Autodesk <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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