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 Voidgamers Home :: Hirst Arts Terrain Building :: Hirst Arts Design Derby 8 Printer Friendly Version  

 The Royal Greenhouse  

By MARKIZZT_DO - Dec. 31, 1969

Molds Used:
#42 Gothic Arena Accessories Mold (lots of the small buttress arches)
#43 Gothic Panel Accessories Mold(trim, bench and statue pieces)
#45 Gothic Dungeon Builder Mold (basic blocks)
#46 Gothic Graveyard Mold (monument base and gate post pieces)
#53 Bridge Mold (decorative trim and lots of railing)
#54 Gothic Church Mold (decorative caps and base trim)
#56 Tomb Mold (sculpted pillars and decorative capitols)
#57 Octagon Tower Mold (brick edged window and small circle piece)
#61 Turret Mold (domed roof)
#201 Floor Tile Mold
#205 Gothic Floor Tiles Mold (border tiles and herring bone brick tiles)
#230 Clay Tile Roof Mold
#235Gothic Roof Mold (ornamental trim and drainage spout pieces)

Other Items Used:
Large thin sheet of plastic for the “glass” panes cut into strips for the roof.
Miniature wooden flower pots
Various styles and colors of plastic floral stems
HO scale black fencing
Decorative leaf trim from Push Molds

Everything that was used in this project other than Hirst blocks was found at Hobby Lobby, with the exception of the fence pieces, which I picked up at the local Planes & Trains store.

I really didn't have to create any custom blocks. I did modify some of the standard pieces, primarily on the gothic roof mold pieces.

Measurements:
Height 9.5 inches
Length 24.0 inches
Width 16.5 inches

Description of Construction:
As with any of of my larger projects, the original concept was relatively modest in scope. The idea was to make a simple greenhouse to showcase the different styles of plants I was creating off on on over the last few years. After I got started I realized my collection was larger than I thought and I needed a bigger building to accommodate them all. That's when my greenhouse went from a one tier to two tiers. The idea was to make the building appear very light and open, allowing as much sunlight in as possible, but still looking structurally sound. I struggled with what kind of material to use for the glass roof.. Did I want a darker, thicker look? That would probably be more realistic considering the time period most people associate a gothic building to. In the end I went with a very thin, clear plastic that allows the viewer to see into the greenhouse without opening it up, enabling all the details of the interior to be seen easily While I was finishing up with that, I started hearing about the HADD contest coming up. I've been around since HADD1, but for one reason or another I have never entered. The timing was right, but I still thought I could improve my greenhouse, so that's when I added the third tier. Each time I added a tier, I basically had to split the building in half and build up from there. I struggled with the entry ways. That part alone took as much time to work out than the rest of the building, and went through several changes and modifications.

My plan is to make a large, wealthy looking palace with a huge courtyard, complete with fountains, gardens, gazebos, etc. But that's for a different HADD.

OK, on to the pictures. I'm a visual learner, so for me pictures are more helpful than a narrative of what tool I used where and how this and that was done. Hopefully these are descriptive enough. I tried to include all the nooks and crannies.

Average Rating: 4 out of 5  15 Ratings      

 Public Comments Please log in to post a comment 

 Created  Comment
 Aug. 30, 2007, 04:04AM
 By: ABAROTH
A very inspired piece. Innovative design and use of the blocks. Well finished and presented. All those plants must have taken ages to make. I particularly like the oak leaves on the arches. Victorian gothic at its best :-)
 Aug. 22, 2007, 05:37PM
 By: NOLSEN
As a gardener myself, boy would I love to see this in life size. What a nice idea for an entry and great photographs. I like the overall design and the use of so many plants.
 Aug. 20, 2007, 01:59PM
 By: STORMY
Excellent build. The interior shots from a miniature's perspective are great.
 Aug. 19, 2007, 08:55PM
 By: DUKEDREAL
What a great building to have created. It reminds me of the Crystal Palace built in Paris for the Worlds Fair. A light an airy model that really does capture the feel of a greenhouse. The plants are all wonderful and add so much to the display. The only thing that you need in there is a Century Plant. Overall a great build.
 Aug. 18, 2007, 05:22AM
 By: BOSSMAN
Impressive build of grand proportions. The interior shots are stunning and the colimns and arches create a beautiful cathedral look. The join down the axis of the buiding has been very well done as this is, in some ways, a fragile contrsuction (prior to basing).

My only critisism is the symmetry, which though I think is an important element is some buildings (particularly cathedrals), can offten be embellished with some non-symmetrical feature. Though as a building which you would traverse from one end to the other it does make sense.

Good work!


 Aug. 16, 2007, 11:55PM
 By: PDMINI
Evoking vivid memories of the greenhouse at the Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen that we found simultaneously intense in design but peaceful and serene in experience, this greenhouse is anything but puzzling.

See what I mean about the Copenhagen greenhouse (a mere 400km from Friesland) here: http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/bota/cph.asp.
 Aug. 16, 2007, 07:15PM
 By: TAR_ELENDIL
I was also puzzled by the design at first, but I like it all the more. It almost look like a cathedral, and I can perfectly imagine such a building in the gardens of an Oriental potentate. The idea is very original, too.

There are some slight misadjustments on the top of the building, but they don't really matter. And the look from the inside is really impressive.

Overall, I am not sure whether I a more impressed by the design or by the number of flowers and plants inside...
 Aug. 16, 2007, 01:03PM
 By: IMAHILUS
It is a very nicely executed project and such.
I cannot point out any bad bits in the construction, at all.
Nicely assembled, painted, the works.

But.. the design kind of puzzles me.
All the arches and such make it quite an intense project.. but I thought greenhouses were supposed to more.. serene, and peaceful places.
I just find it a bit mismatched to be quite honoust.


Just some constructive criticism, ignore it if you want, it is still a nice project regardless of that point.
 Aug. 16, 2007, 12:07AM
 By: KEEBLERORC
Absolutly Beautiful...........need I say more.

john

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