I want to develop a rather detailed but flexible model for the terrain in a project I’m working on. I’m leaning towards meshes as I’d rather not have to have to deal with seams and I want a combination of hard and (perceivably) soft forms. I’d also like to keep the model as light as possible and as easily modified on the flyas possible.
So I guess my question is to all my architecture / landscape / civil friends and other Rhino savants. What is your process for developing and designing a landscape proposal in 3D? I’m particularly interested in methods using meshes or even workflows that incorporate other software packages that are more effective at dealing with this.
I’ve been trying to find out a better/the best way to download topography from Google Earth (or anywhere else) without having to go through Sketchup. As of right now you have to trace… at least Rhino is fast like this.
I have a really messy (really really messy) GH script that outputs contour elevations. I used it for my sample house’s site plan: Sample House Project | Food4Rhino. It did require clean-up/post processing. But… I remember working with Civil 3D back in the day, at it wasn’t perfect either.
Semi-related: I’ve successfully used Rhino for calculating civil quantities. This was while taking an online Civil Estimating course. I found some serious issues with the very dated methods they were using. Unfortunately I fell behind in the course while going down that rabbit hole. But the course sucked anyways.
