Archetype 3D

The time has come for a change. Archetype 3d has moved to a new location. First off here is our new address for you to update your records

Archetype 3D

1020 Carbon Ct. Unit F

Erie Colorado 80516 - 2435

Our phones have stayed the same. You can still reach us at 303-449-0878 and my cell number is also on the website if needed.

When the time came to find a new locations we looked far and wide for the best, most suitable site for our new shop. There were a lot of available spaces but not many of them would work for us. Living in beautiful Boulder Colorado, we did not want to have a marathon commute. We also needed a space with a flexible shop area, an attractive reception area and a separate space for our technical equipment.

We found everything we need to build the best marketing models and prototypes in Erie Colorado plus a few things that we did not expect. The best surprise is the natural light available from three large windows and four skylights in the shop. During the day there is practically no reason to turn on the lights. The town is centrally located within one half hours drive from Denver, Boulder, and Denver International Airport so it is easy to visit for all of our local clients. Another nice surprise is the beautiful views of the mountains. Traveling from Erie back to Boulder each day is a joy with the entire front range spread out before us in all of its many forms. Today we are seeing the snow covered mountain and the towering form of Longs Peak creating a dramatic white profile to the vast Colorado sky and unique cloud cover. I have never seen such interesting clouds as here in this state which give us the most beautiful sunsets I have seen anywhere.

We were quickly able to customize the space for our electrical and equipment needs. There is plenty of layout space for our architectural and engineering models as well as storage space for materials. Our spray booth, laser cutters and 3D printers are all up and running. We are now working on several projects so the shop is humming along as we speak.

Craig Martin

SALE    SALE      SALE     SALE
for
ICSC 2011 Vegas Tradeshow Scale Model Special

Archetype 3D is offering a special for updating, repairing and cleaning existing models for this years ICSC show. This sale will also apply to new construction as well. I am currently offering 20% off* or our normal shop rate for models to be displayed in the 2011 ICSC trade show in Las Vegas. Let us know if we can help you wow your customers at this years booth.

*Special Requirement: All projects will have to be bid and approved before the end of April to qualify.

Economic Indicators are Pointing Up for 
Shopping Center Business & Model Makers

Retail is on the rise. I am grabbing any good economic information I can find these days. If you believe the news reports or articles from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), people are retuning to the stores for some retail therapy. As one reporter described it, there is a "burn out of frugality". 

What does this mean for us in the model making world. Surprisingly enough, shopping centers were at one point a good percentage of our business. Not much has been done with them in the last few years, and as of today I have yet to see a huge upswing in new shopping construction--but I do believe it is coming back even if it is slowly. 

With the giant ICSC show is opening in Las Vegas at the end of May, we are expecting to have new models represented on the shows floor as we have in the past. The Las Vegas ICSC show is the place were most major retail deals are made.  Attendees know, it is a great showcase for new construction. 

I would love to hear from the design and construction industry if you are seeing a change this year because personally, I am ready and looking forward to an economic boom any day now.

Successful Scale Models for Large Civic Projects and Public Review

 Successful Scale Models for Large Civic Projects as a title alone, this is a mouthful but civic models are what we making these days. More often than not, the economy determines the kind of work and scale models we build. Many of the developers and engineers we normally count on to keep us busy are themselves scrambling for work. When a project does go forward though, scale models are still the most effective way to explain to the public what is needed. Going through a cone zone on the highway is not something I enjoy nor do most of the drivers I know. It is hard to imagine when you are stuck in traffic how wonderful things will be when the construction is done. Our models are being used to spark the imagination to how exquisite the highway will be once the construction is done.

 Case Study: Presidio – Doyle Street Drive Project

 Recently we completed a scale model of the Presidio--Doyle Drive project in San Francisco, California. The drive off the Golden Gate Bridge and through the Presidio is used by tourists, residents and commuters alike. The highway was built a long time ago without the benefit of a model illustrating traffic flow solutions. When looking toward the bay, the existing busy highway is a bit of an eyesore bisecting vital parks, and open space, plus cutting off thoroughfares to neighborhoods and business areas.

The Solution shown in a Scale Model

The solution is to lower parts of the highway through tunnels and redesign the interchanges using modern designs and engineering. As in many cases the best-laid plans aren’t so easy to understand conceptually and often times even harder to sell. Working closely with Parsons Brinkerhoff Engineering, the lead engineering firm directing the project, we came up with a 4’6” X 9’6” model design that takes a slight arc and is divided into 4 distinct sections. Each section demonstrates a different location along the planned drive and offers a clear engineering solution. Each section is enclosed in its own crate with casters so they can be wheeled around with ease and taken to separate meetings involving specific focus areas being considered for redevelopment.

This civic engineering scale model is being hauled all over San Francisco Bay Area for display to explain how the different phases of build-out are planned and to ease the public concerns over having been inconvenienced for as long as it takes to get the job done.

 

What makes the Client/Model Maker Relationship Special?

As much as the purpose of the Presidio model is clearly defined by the team of engineers, city planners, and public input, from a scale model builder’s perspective this was an interesting scale model to build. Along the way, we learned a bit about the history of the Presidio area and the politics at play affecting the project’s direction. One the coolest things for us was building the ramp leading up to and structure replicating the entrance to the Golden Gate bridge, and the elegant Palace of Fine Arts Buildings. We were able to solve problems associated with detaching and transporting the separate sections of this engineering scale model. On top of that, we had to figure out how to build hundreds of buildings and place the massive military cemetery.

Our passion is making models and solving problems for clients like Parsons Brinkerhoff, who were the lead engineering team for the Presidio—Doyle Drive project. It was challenging, and historically fascinating even though it wasn’t the biggest model we’ve ever created. Projects like these push model makers to engage with a project beyond just reading the plans and building the scale model to suit the client.  The special collaborative and cooperative juice between client and model maker often make the difference in a projects success like the Presidio—Doyle Drive.

Craig Martin

Craig Martin -President                                                               Many new things are afoot here at Archetype 3D. I have hired Bob Castellino as my marketing manager who immediately took it upon himself to change how we do things. The most apparent change to those who care about model making is the new look to our website. I was told that the home page of our old website did not pass the 10 year old test. That is, my web guru showed our home page to his 10-year old and asked him to explain what we do for a living. His answer might have been "they build condos?" but it sure wasn't "Cool, they build models!"

Now when you look at our website "Archetype 3D" We I am hoping that model making jumps immediately to your mind. Let me know if it doesn't because the other nice thing about our new website is that it is easily changeable. The site is not complete by any means. Hopefully we will be updating it constantly and we are currently reorganizing the portfolio pages so that samples from our vast collections of models will be easier to access. The purpose of these changes are two fold. We are making it easier for our existing clients to see samples of our work and progress on the projects that are in our shop. We also are raising our status with the search engines to broaden our appeal and introduce us to a whole new market of designers and developers. I welcome any feedback from our clients, send me any compliments that you have and feel free to forward any criticisms to Bob Castellino, bob@archetype3d.com or dial direct 303-449-0878 (he has thicker skin than I have). I hope you all are having a great summer.

Bob Castellino
                                                                                                                                                                           

Hello,

Welcome to the Archetype 3D blog, offering news, events, articles and expert opinion related to 3D architectural models, engineering models and prototyping. 

Thanks for visiting!

-Archetype3D Team.