Data centre energy scale model for BMC

BMC wanted its green initiative told in one model: a data centre on coal power on one side, on sun and wind on the other.

Client: BMC
Service: Scale Models
What BMC brought: Its own first design, which we refined
Effects: Changing lights, a glowing cooling tower and chimney mist

Brief us on a model Send a brief

Sides on one base, for today's power and tomorrow's: 2
Fans in the lit cooling panel over today's data centre: 6
Wind turbines on the future side: 6
Fabrication time, after design approval: 8 to 10 weeks

What we brought

What we can do
We build your whole story into one model
A coal-fired power station on one side; solar panels, wind turbines and a roof park on the other.
How we look after you
We build on your design and keep it growing
We add features and propose effects on top of your own design.
What you get
Your message lights up and moves
Level lights, a colour-changing data centre, a red-lit fan panel and chimney mist make the comparison clear at a glance.

Gallery

The whole project at a glance. Drag or swipe to browse; tap a picture to enlarge it.

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The finished piece
Today's side, powered by the coal-fired station.
The lit fan panel over the server racks.
Mist rises from the chimneys like smoke.
The future data centre changes colour.
A building wrapped in plants.
A park on the data centre roof.
Circuit-patterned panels, glowing blue.
Transformers, pylons and the glowing cooling tower.
The briefThe future side, run on sun and wind.
Design & fitmentRenderThe future side, as drawn.
RenderToday's side, with racks under the fan panel.
RenderBoth sides, back to back across a wall.
RenderThe roof park's rolling levels, as drawn.
FabricationFans going into their printed frames.
The six-fan panel, assembled.
Build and assemblyThe panel lit red on the bench.

The build

How we built it

5 steps, from the brief to the finished piece. Pick a step to jump to it.

The brief

Step 1 of 5

At Additive Inn, our 3D printing studio in Singapore, we built BMC a two-sided scale model comparing a data centre's power today with a greener future. BMC wanted its existing design made more detailed and eye-catching.

Rows of solar panels on green grass in front of white wind turbines and a planted building, with the future data centre glowing blue behind — The future side, run on sun and wind.

Design & fitment

Step 2 of 5

We built on BMC's design with extra features and a refined layout, and drew both sides in 3D. We proposed the chimney mist and the glow inside the cooling tower, and BMC approved both.

Render of the future side: six wind turbines on a raised green, rows of solar panels, a planted building and a data centre in a clear case beside a road — RenderThe future side, as drawn.

Render of today's side: two striped chimneys, a cooling tower and a power station beside server racks under a six-fan panel — RenderToday's side, with racks under the fan panel.

Render of the whole model from the future side, with the tall wall down the middle and the chimneys and cooling tower showing behind — RenderBoth sides, back to back across a wall.

Render of the green roof terrain for the future data centre, with rolling levels and a curving path — RenderThe roof park's rolling levels, as drawn.

Fabrication

Step 3 of 5

We 3D printed the power station, chimneys, wind turbines, buildings and server racks. The cooling panel over today's data centre was made as its own unit: six fans behind metal grilles, each set in a printed frame.

The six fans being fitted into white printed frames on the workbench, wires loose, with printed parts for the model behind — Fans going into their printed frames.

The cooling panel on the workbench before lighting: six fans behind metal grilles in a white frame on a black base — The six-fan panel, assembled.

Build and assembly

Step 4 of 5

We lit the fan panel red, fitted colour lighting in both data centres and the cooling tower, and set the mist in the chimneys. Clear acrylic cases went over both data centres, with scenic grass, model trees and picture backdrops around them.

The same six-fan panel switched on in a dark room, its white frame glowing bright red around the fans — The panel lit red on the bench.

The final build

Step 5 of 5

The finished model, lit and running on both sides.

Today's side of the finished model: the glowing cooling tower, red and white chimneys and power station beside server racks with coloured level lights in an acrylic case — Today's side, powered by the coal-fired station.

How it works

Here is the finished model with its lights and effects running.

Mist rises from the chimneys like smoke.

The future data centre changes colour.

The details

Each side holds up both close up and from across the room.

Close-up of the planted building on the future side, its floors wrapped in green foliage, with model trees at its foot — A building wrapped in plants.

The park on the roof of the future data centre: rolling grass, a curving stone path, model trees, grey boulders and a small bench — A park on the data centre roof.

Close-up of the clear panels patterned with circuit lines, glowing blue on black stands, with small robot figures either side — Circuit-patterned panels, glowing blue.

The cooling tower glowing warm from inside, beside the power station's transformers, pylons and red pipework — Transformers, pylons and the glowing cooling tower.

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Data centre energy scale model for BMC

What we brought

We build your whole story into one model

We build on your design and keep it growing

Your message lights up and moves

Gallery