Blender HowTo: Model A SkyScraper

 

Welcome to the second Blender how to ( here is the first ), a series of quick step by step tutorials showing you how to accomplish a specific task using Blender.  Today we will look at a way of quickly modeling a high rise building.  It assumes you know the basics of using Blender.  If you don’t, no worries, I have tutorials for that!

 

First, start with the default cube, like so:

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Now enter edit mode(TAB) and  loop cut (CTRL + R) it about the center, like so:

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Select all the faces of the top half and separate them (P->Selection)

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In object mode move the newly separated top portion up along the Z axis (G + Z + mouse)

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Select the bottom box, make a copy (SHIFT + D), then move it up along the Z axis.

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Select the middle piece, switch to edit mode, select the bottom face and delete it (x –> faces), like so:

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This face is going to represent the various floors of your building.  Keep the top and bottom edges the same size as the top/bottom box and start carving it up to match your floor.  I generally start by doing a pair of loop cuts along the entire length, like so:

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This can be accomplished by doing a loop cut (Ctrl + R), then before clicking to commit, scroll button once to perform multiple evenly spaced cuts at once.  Next I move them up and down the mesh simultaneously by simply scaling along the Z axis (S, Z, mouse move)

Now lets do several more loop cuts for windows using the same process (Ctrl + R, Mouse wheel multiple times):

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Next select every other edge created (alt + shift click to select multiple) like so:

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We now want to edge slide the selected edges (G,G)

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Now select the inner faces like so:

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Then hit E to extrude them

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Repeat the similar process on all 4 sides to define your building.  Obviously you would arrange as you saw fit.

 

Now that we have our floor defined, it’s time to make a lot of them.  Switch to object mode then go to the modifiers tab and select Array:

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Now we need to make sure we set the axis to array along ( set Z to 1 in the relative offset area ) and the number of times to duplicate under the count section.

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When satisfied, click the Apply button.  Finally move your top and bottom pieces so they cap the building on each end, like so:

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Select all 3 shapes and merge them together (Ctrl + J) like so:

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Now we just need to weld our objects together.  Box select (B) the overlap area between the bottom and middle boxes in edit mode, like so:

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Now select Remove Doubles in the Tool menu(T), then manipulate the Merge distance

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Until you see

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Repeat for the top portion.

 

TADA, a building in Blender.  An ugly building mind you, but a building none the less.

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Art


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