Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/45523
3D Printing•Architecture n n n n Anyone who was old enough on September 11, 2001, can re- call the events that transpired on that fateful day. Etched into their brain are images that, a decade later, remain vivid: the low-flying planes, the smoke-filled sky, the crumbling buildings, the debris- filled streets, the horror-struck faces. For most, the last glimpse they had of the Twin Towers was from footage immediately before the attack, with the majestic sky- scrapers visible in the distance against a bright-blue autumn sky. Ten years later, videos and still photos of the Towers before 9/11 became part of our vernacular still tug at our heartstrings. But this type of imagery can only give us a partial perspective of what that area looked like, due to the height and congestion of nearby structures. That is, until a 3D modeler specializing in architec- tural visualization applied his craft to this revered site, creating an accurate physical 3D architec- tural model of the neighborhood in stunning detail using 3D vis techniques and 3D printing. Not only did David Munson craft a model of the area (approx- imately seven blocks) prior to the attack, but he also made one of the site just days afterward, as well as one showing the rebuild a decade later. "There are many wonderful writings, photos, and artwork that interpret 9/11," says Munson. "[But] I think it's also important to document the total- ity of it as objectively, realistically, and completely as possible, with a minimum of poetic license and a devotion to detail, on a scale the average person can absorb. These are my strengths, and this is my small contribution to ensuring that people never forget." As owner of Munson3D.com, which specializes in architectural visualization, the modeler is no stranger to creating precise, com- plex representations of urban areas for architects. He started using 3D printing about five years ago to depict a structure in the Boston area, and found the process extremely worthwhile in From Ground Zero October/November 2011 Using architectural visualization and 3D printing technologies to re-create the World Trade Center site then and now BY KAREN MOLTENBREY 49