What is this course about?
From concept and sketches to 3D modeling and collage presentation. In 8 weeks, you will master SketchUp, progressing from basic tools to modeling a complete series of custom street furniture pieces, and assembling your first portfolio project.
The outcome of the course will be a signature urban furniture collection consisting of seven objects of varying scales, integrated into a real-life location.
Who is this course for?
— For beginning landscape architects who wish to improve their skills in SketchUp and conceptual design— For architecture/environmental design students who want to take an introductory course in MAF technology and theory— For interested individuals from other fields who wish to start working in landscape architecture or learn to model in SketchUp
Course Duration: 8 Weeks
Format: In-Person
Contact Hours: 98 hours (64 hours of instruction and 24 hours of consultation)
Course Prerequisites
— Basic computer proficiency
— Ability to translate ideas into physical sketches or other convenient formats.Technical Requirements:
Operating System: Windows; MacOS is not recommended.
Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5 / Intel Core i7 or equivalent
RAM: 16–32GB.We recommend using SketchUp 2023 for ease of use with plugins and current modeling tools not available in older versions. Installing plugins may be difficult on later versions.
What will participants learn?
— Selecting various types of street furniture (MAFs) for a given use scenario, basing decisions on manufacturers and contemporary trends. — Modeling 3D objects of urban furniture of varying complexity in SketchUp. — Utilizing plugins to accelerate and simplify the modeling of architectural forms. — Developing original concepts for street furniture and their usage scenarios. — Integrating a series of street furniture into a specific location, taking into account context and landscaping standards. — Preparing SketchUp graphics for export and composite editing in Photoshop. — Presenting the concept series to the class, defending design decisions, and participating in professional discourse.
Practical Assignments
Introduction to Standard Outdoor Furniture (MAF)
Create a comparative table selecting standard outdoor furniture from various manufacturers, justifying the selection based on specific site conditions (this is an individual assignment for each student).Urban Furniture Modeling
Create a 3D model of urban furniture based on a reference, starting with primitive rectangular forms and gradually transitioning to complex and curved shapes.Original Concept for Outdoor Furniture (MAF)
Develop an original concept for outdoor furniture: describe the idea, structure, materials, and 2–3 usage scenarios, supporting these descriptions with hand sketches.Prepare the Model for Presentation
Create the scene and styles, and render the views into 2D graphics for later compilation into a collage in Photoshop, incorporating refined materials, shadows, and environment, using your specific series of outdoor furniture as the example.Integrating Outdoor Furniture into the Environment
Place the series of outdoor furniture on a specific site chosen by the student, focusing on where the selected MAF concept will look most impactful, taking into account the context and location.Project Presentation
Present the final concept for the series of outdoor furniture to the class (5–7 minutes), providing argumentation for the decisions made and participating in a general discussion Q&A session.
Thematic Plan
01. Introduction. What is a МАФ, and how to distinguish it from a permanent structure
— What is a МАФ, differences from a permanent structure
— МАФ typology
— Material science
— Analysis of analogues, manufacturer companies
— The importance of visual literacy and knowledge of current industry innovations
— Trends: inclusivity, sustainability, anti-vandalism, modularity, scenarability.The module concludes with selecting preferred МАФ references, accompanied by an explanation of the choices.
02. SketchUp. Basic modeling tools
— «Large Tool Set» section
— Workflow hierarchy, Groups and Components
— Scenes and Tags
— Hotkeys. Customization
— Model Units, Properties
— Materials, working with textures
— Shadows and Fog, Styles
— WarehouseThe module culminates in assembling an abstract composition from primitive forms, organized by layers and featuring configured scenes.
03. SketchUp. Complex geometry
— Follow me
— Intersect faces
— Solid Tools
— Sandbox, creating simple landscapes and smooth planes
— Protractor and interaction methods
— Axes, working with flat rotating components.
— Entity InfoThe module concludes with creating a simple furniture series (bench, table, planter, urn) based on a reference.
04. SketchUp: Simple Plugins
— Fredo6 PushPull
— Fredo6 RoundCorner
— Fredo6 Curviloft
— Fredo6 Curvizard
— Fredo6 Scale
— TT Edge Tools
— Selection ToysThe module culminates in the creation of a simple pergola, pavilion, and bridge based on a reference.
05. Developing the Concept for an Author’s Public Art Series (MAF)
— How to work with a concept— Seriation and unifying elements
— Analysis of good and poor examples of author’s MAF
— Creating drawn sketches of the MAF, focusing on individual elements that demonstrate seriation
— List of MAF options for a series of 7 objects:
Required: Bench, Table, Art Object, Pergola/Canopy
Optional: Urn, Planter, Lamp (Bollard, Lantern), Bike Rack, Shelter, Fountain, Entrance Group, Amphitheater, StageThe module culminates in the students presenting their concept for the series of 7 author’s MAF objects of various scales to their peers, followed by a group discussion. Along with the presentation, students submit their MAF sketches.
06. SketchUp Workshop: Project Work
— Modeling a complete series of 7 original MAF pieces.
— Advanced materials, textures, and Architextures and UVsketchy plugins.
— Scene optimization, template configuration, and quick selection tools.
— Camera angles, projections, and assembling the model in a single file.
— Animations and GIF creation.The module culminates in the creation of a model featuring 7 original MAF pieces, complete with configured textures and presentation scenes.
07. Environmental Design Work
— Integrating the MAF series into a specific location, and layout planning.— Urban design standards and placement of city furniture.
— Scenarios for location interaction: noisy and private zones.
— Creating the location model using CadMapper.
— Components featuring surroundings and trees, and detailing the model.The module results in the student selecting a specific location for their MAF series. Once chosen, this location will be modeled and styled in SketchUp.
08. Finalizing and Submitting the Final Product
— Styles and Style Builder in SketchUp— Analysis of examples of strong, stylized collage project presentations
— Exporting auxiliary maps for Photoshop
— Working with layers and interface
— Masks and transformations
— Staging and simple textures
— Exporting the final series of collages and formatting the final presentationThe module culminates in the final presentation of the project series: authorial urban furniture designed using collage techniques.
Final Project
Author’s series of urban furniture (MAF) consisting of 7 objects of varying scales, designed in a collage technique
