2' x 2' 3D Printed Model of a Large Campus

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

Hello everyone, I just wanted to ask the great people on this forum for their opinions. My company wants to create a 2'x2' 3D printed model of a large campus that consist of around 20 buildings, and roads. We are a large contractor, and this is for a pursuit interview to hopefully get the job. I have tried multiple ideas already to get this into a model. I will need to be able to edit the buildings as we want to show the existing architecture and then what it would look like after we renovated/demoed. It does not have to be extremely detailed. It does need to show the topography and buildings/roads.

First Method: CAD Mapper

This somewhat worked but the main problem was some buildings/roads were overlapping with the topo and in some spots the topo didn't even reach the buildings.

Second Method: QGIS to get survey points

I used QGIS to gather survey points from a google earth path and then imported those points as a CSV file to create the topo, I then used the buildings and roads from CAD Mapper and placed them on top of the topo, it somewhat worked but again the topo does not match with the buildings and roads perfectly.

My question is what the best way would be to get this into a model so I can then convert it over to a 3D printing/modeling software like Inventor?

I have a meeting today at 2 to discuss what I have figured out so far

[Tom_Kunsman]

Contact this company, they have experience with 3D models and I have one of my old contacts use them to create a fairly complicated 3D model in color - https://www.riotcolor.com/

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

We are trying to keep everything in house other than the 3D printing but if I can't get it figured out, I'll give them a message, thanks

[mhiserZFHXS]

Have you considered actually doing some cleanup work yourself? Sounds like either of these options is a good starting point. I doubt you're going to find a solution where you don't have to actually do anything yourself.

[RLY_15]

Took me a second to realize one image was 180 degrees of the other.

I'd start with the one with a more accurate topo (use whatever real-life verification you can, be it google maps or company photos), then start cleaning up the roadwork and building elevations. Unless you're sourcing the building/road data from the same source as the topo there is going to be inconsistencies that you'll just have to work through. 

With the comment about showing intended renovation work, just keep in mind the scale. I'm guessing based on building sizes that you're in the ballpark of a 1"=50' scale. While this means you have some leeway in presentation for representing relative elevations between buildings, it also means a pretty low fidelity on portraying the renovation scope beyond building removal/addition and sitework.

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

I'm just looking for any other ways that this could be done

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

Yea that's my bad lol I took the screenshots at different angles without realizing it. Using CAD Mapper, the building data and topo came from the same source id assume so I'm not sure why its lineup is terrible. Using the survey points gathered from google earth and QGIS gives me the best-looking topo, but the buildings/roads aren't exactly editable as they are coming from CAD Mapper and for some reason when I explode the family it shows just the buildings, but the roads disappear, do you have a recommendation on how to get the buildings into the model? Or should I just explode the family then model the roads in myself?  

Also, regarding the scale I'm at 1 = 100. I need to re do my survey points in feet rather than meters. I was just getting stuff into the model to see how it looked, and yes, I understand I won't be able to show detail on the buildings, I just need to be able to show where some buildings were demoed and replaced with a different shape building.

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

I decided I'm just going to 3D print the topo and the Buildings/Roads in two different 3D prints and glue everything together.

[mhiserZFHXS]

How is that going to resolve the issue? If the elements don't match up digitally, they're not going to match up when you 3D print them. Maybe it works, but maybe it doesn't and you'll also be out however much material and time it took the prints to finish. It still seems like you're trying to find a quick and easy solution to something that's probably not going to be quick and easy.

I'm not even sure Revit is the right tool for what you're trying to do. This is just a massing model. Revit can do that, but its not its primary use. There are other programs built for this.

If you're doing this to try to get a job, then you either need to do it well, or not do it at all. I'm not convinced your desired workflow is going to create a product worth presenting.

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

Then how should I do it?? You're criticizing me but giving me no other possible options. I have done research and found nothing on this topic. I have asked friends that 3D print, and they say this is the best route to go. If you're just going to comment about how I'm doing something wrong but then going to provide zero context on how to fix it don't reply at all.

I can't spend forever on this, if it's not feasible we just won't do it. I have other MEP projects I need to work on as well as exterior renders and logistic plans. I don't have time to go through and fix/add each elevation point. Even if I did it would ruin the point as it's no longer the original topo the buildings are sitting on

If you're so knowledgeable in the topic... HOW SHOULD I DO IT.

[mhiserZFHXS]

I told you you'll have to edit the file to clean it up, as did @RLY_15. I also mentioned that I don't think Revit is the tool to do it. After quickly downloading a sample from CADmapper, I see that they export .dxf files, which can be edited in AutoCAD. If you didn't know that, you could have easily searched "how to edit a .dxf file".

If making a 3D concept site plan were as simple as downloading a file from a website and printing it, everyone would do it. But its not that simple. That's step 1, if you want to go that route. If you want to make something that's presentable, you're going to have to put work into it.

[tj_nelson4BTBQ]

How do you suppose I edit it? I have the .dxf opened in AutoCAD

[mhiserZFHXS]

I don't know. I haven't done any 3D work in AutoCAD in years. YouTube would be a great place for you to search for some tutorials.