Author: Lexi Lai
Date: Summer 2025
Activity: ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Program, CU Denver
Medium:
Cardboard, card stock, balsa wood
Inspiration
Blocking
Initial blocking of the building called for half of a city block. I started with several designs and landed on a mixed-use commercial building with retail store fronts in the bottom first floor, and the hotel resting on top.
3D Vizualization
Final iterations introduced some curvature in the balcony and an interior atrium.
Rendered Image
I relied on AI renderings (Google Gemini) to mock up the final rendition of the design, allowing for me to introduce coloration and trim models, along with landscaping. In architecture school, I hope to build the 3D architectural models manually as well as using robotic systems to aid in the creation.