Chapels are quite fun to model, because I spend plenty of time in and around them and they have more striking lines than most homes and office buildings. They are also large enough to look impressive in Google Earth. And when they are completed, there are many uses for the models.
Temples are visually superior to most chapels, and they are more challenging to model because I don't get complete access to every nook and cranny, nor can I take internal pictures for dimensional references later while I model. Many popular temples have internal pictures from the open house, but I'm not going to bring a tape measure for window and door measurements, neither do I wish to display sacred places too intimately. The external façades are enough for me.
After sketching out a few chapels, I've decided that the best method is following architectural drawings, which I have had access to as a Ward Clerk. I wish the Church would provide access to all basic plans for some member hobbyists to model.
Safety Issues with Modeling Public Chapels
My first chapel model included complete floor plans and room labels which I intended to use for our ward directory. When I placed the model into Google Earth, I removed the rooms, but left the hallways for effect (visibility through windows). I feel cautious of providing internal floor plans for chapels on the internet.
But there are also benefits in providing visual orientation for new and visiting members with chapel floor plans and classrooms.
[Models to come]
