Tutorial: Concept Design with LEGO Architecture Studio, LDD Digital Designer and Trimble SketchUp
In this quick tutorial, we can see how to model simple buildings from LEGO bricks up to the professional rendering in SketchUp. To start we need the LEGO Architecture Studio Set (21510) but is not strictly necessary. There are two examples: Theatre Zippo and House Giulia, check the list of the pieces in the free building instruction PDF file.
Contents
Quick Tutorial and Gallery
- Start by creating a simple structure with LEGO Architecture Studio (21050);
- When the model is finished use the free software LEGO Digital Designer – LDD – (http://ldd.lego.com/) for digital implementation of creation;
- In the LDD is possible align automatically the blocks for steps, choosing pieces from the updated library of LEGO’s bricks;
- The standard format of Lego Digital Designer is LXF-Files (*.lxf);
- It is also possible in LDD to work in Building Guide Mode (button F7);
- In “LDD-BGM” export BOM in Microsoft Office Open XML Workbook (*.xlsx);
- Export with the LDD the model in LDraw-File (*.ldr);
- Open the exported LDraw-File (*.ldr) in LDraw (http://www.ldraw.org/) or LDView (http://ldview.sourceforge.net/);
- Export the model in 3D-Studio File (*.3ds);
- Open SketchUp Make (http://www.sketchup.com/) and import the 3D Studio File;
- Wait Building mesh for 3ds entities Imported;
- Start professional rendering with Styles: “Straight Lines”.
The next step is near. Stay Tuned!
- Original LEGO Models
- LDD Open
- LDD Start Screen
- LDD
- LDD Export LDraw
- LDD Export LDraw
- LDD Building Guide Mode
- LDD Export BOM (*.xlsx)
- LDView Export (*.3ds)
- LDView Export (*.3ds)
- SketchUp Import (*.3ds)
- SketchUp Styles
Theatre Zippo
- Cover Building Instruction
- Sketch
- Prospective
- Front/ Back View
- Left/Rigth View
- Front Prospective
- Top View
- Sketch Model Plane Section
- Model Plane Section A
- Model Plane Section B
- LEGO Model
Download building instructions
Building Instructions: Theatre Zippo Brochure
Building Instructions: Theatre Zippo Brochure (1523 download )
House Giulia
- Cover Building Instruction
- Sketch A
- Front Prospective
- Retro Prospective
- Front View
- Right View
- Left View
- Retro View
- Lego Model
Download building instructions
Building Instructions: House Giulia Brochure
Building Instructions: House Giulia Brochure (1472 download )
Special Thanks
- ShareX (https://getsharex.com/)
- PDFill (https://www.pdfill.com/pdf_tools_free.html)
- Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/)
- Gimp (https://www.gimp.org/)
- LibreOffice (https://www.libreoffice.org/)
- Scribus (http://www.scribus.net/)
Insights and Software Download
- LEGO Digital Designer: (http://ldd.lego.com/)
- LDraw: (http://www.ldraw.org/)
- SketchUp Make: (http://www.sketchup.com/)