Texture of Home
Digital Fabrication
A geographically and texturally accurate topographical map
For my Fabrication: Bits and Atoms class, we were challenged to create an heirloom with a focus on utilizing a CNC router. For me, there is no better heirloom than my family’s tree farm, or as we call it, The Cabin. Initially formed by my great uncle Joe, The Cabin and its landscape have held stories and memories for countless individuals over the years. My goal for this piece was to create a physical piece that would be able to tell some of these stories.
2D Process
The map was formed by layering black and white images to create a workable 3D height map. I used Illustrator to create a gradient of the elevation contour lines, and Photoshop to manipulate an image of the property from Google Earth, creating the texture of the trees and fields. Then I layered these with the property line, using the pond and roads to keep everything in scale.
3D Modeling
I used Cinema 4D to create the height map of the black and white image. Once the model had been cleaned up, I used RhinoCAM to generate the CNC CAM file.
Fabrication
For the final cut, I planed and glued reclaimed pine from the Cabin itself. Using a ShopBot CNC machine, I was able to run the roughing and the finishing cuts.
