Ocotillo desert camp recreation

David · Post by **David** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:40 pm

I just started a new model: Ocatillo desert camp, another FLLW project of which there arenÂ´t color photographs. Once we finish it, we will see images of this camp at twilight

This time I will share here the entire process of creating the images. I think it can be interesting and with your help I will not have to go through the suffering of having to remake all my images.

I started from this drawing floor plan:

Note that there are several chimneys of which there is no trace in the photographs of the constructed work.

And I've redrawn it in Autocad:

Since the published drawings floor plan have no scale and taking the beds as an approximate measure of reference, I have superimposed a grid of 4ft x 4ft (if someone has some more accurate data I will incorporate it into my model)

Then, following a method suggested by SDR, I have raised a still very rudimentary model and compared it with a photo of a model which exists in Taliesin West (apparently quite accurate):

I have pointed out in this picture the inaccuracies.

Everything indicates that the drawings of the published drawing floor plans are a previous version and not definitive with respect to what was built.

After this process the drawing floor plan is thus:

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 3:06 pm

Well, okay ! I hope we'll have several sets of eyes on this work; maybe someone here has spent time with the Ocatilla camp, just as Jim M has concentrated on Taliesin North, for instance, and will have useful input.

I notice that you've reversed the openings of the garages (lower right, original plan); on the plan they're open to the east (bottom), or downhill, while you have them opening uphill, to the west ?

SDR

goffmachine · Post by **goffmachine** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 3:29 pm

This is great.
dont knoe if this helps but some images are here:https://es.pinterest.com/julianabarton/research/
and a threadhttp://www.savewright.org/wright_chat/v ... b6738c8428

Rood · Post by **Rood** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:09 pm

The actual site of the Ocatilla camp is still in existence, although crowded by houses on all sides, but if you use Google maps you should be able to find it. It's my understanding that the housing development was designed by a former apprentice, and that he deliberately left part of the site untouched.

Google "Map of Ahwatukee", blow up the map and scroll down a bit.

The narrow, angular site is south of the major streets of Chandler Boulevard on the north and Pecos, located a mile south ... It's located just west of 32nd Street, wedged between 31st Street on the east and 32 Place on the west ... Wildwood Drive on the south, and East Mountain Vista Drive on the north. Vista Canyon Park is a small open area just to the west of the development.

There might also have been topographic maps made of the area, prior to development. The only topographic map I have is a 1967 update of a 1952 map, but the scale is 1:24,000, with a contour interval of ten feet. The actual site rises just over 20 feet from its immediate surroundings, but that's important, because while the model might be based on the actual design ... in no way does the model give the slightest idea of the true conditions at the site.

The title of the map in question is Lone Butte, Arizona, SE/4 15' Quadrangle. N 3315 ... W 11200/7.5. The site is in the SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 35, Range 3 East, Township 1 South.

Note: The site of the San Marcos Hotel is located almost exactly 1 1/2 miles straight north of the site of Ocatilla, in the extreme SE corner of Section 23.

There is an older thread, here, devoted to Ocatilla, which includes at least one photograph taken in the 1960's ... looking roughly northeast toward the hilltop.

Rood · Post by **Rood** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:16 pm

goffmachine wrote:This is great.
dont knoe if this helps but some images are here:and a threadhttp://www.savewright.org/wright_chat/v ... b6738c8428

The topographic map is a fairly accurate representation of the site ... The contour interval is undoubtedly two feet, which indicates a rise of about 16 feet (more or less) from the desert wash to the top of the hill. The map indicates north is to the right and south to the left.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:46 pm

This is going to be great!!
Thanks David.

For some reason I thought you'd be doing the base drawings in REVIT.
Didn't think AutoCAD was that strong in 3D

Looking forward to learning your method.

EJ · Post by EJ » Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:03 am

This is kind of a dumb question, but....

What did they do for water at this camp? Well? Tower of some sort?

Anyone know?

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:52 pm

Other related Chat threads:
http://savewright.org/wright_chat/viewt ... t=ocatilla

http://savewright.org/wright_chat/viewt ... t=ocatilla

David · Post by **David** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:10 pm

Tom: I'm an old school guy who still uses Autocad, though I'm learning Revit.

SDR: The parking lot is not yet open from any side, the model is nothing more than an extruded polyline

Rod: It is not essential to know the exact location but it will be of help. I will follow your indications to see if I find it in google maps

Did the wood have any type of varnish or paint on the outside?
In the interior photos it seems bare wood but in the photos outside is not very clear.

One of the less documented elements is the tent which served as a parking, the only image I have found is this:

Had the fence some kind of door?

David · Post by **David** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:10 pm

Rood:

https://www.google.es/maps/place/3099+E ... 12.0177682

Is this site?

The automatic link does not work, you have to copy and paste the whole link

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:11 pm

I do not have access to my books this week, but I seem to recall Wright describing the camp in his autobiography, noting a rose color stain. I'm not sure if this was on all wood or selected pieces.

DRN · Post by **DRN** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:20 pm

David, the site is the narrow Coke bottle shaped desert strip to the east of Vista Canyon Park, between E. Wildwood Drive and S 31st ST. This is best seen on a Google Earth view.

David · Post by **David** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:55 pm

DRN: Okay, I have it, thank you

David · Post by **David** » Mon Jan 02, 2017 3:56 am

FLLW tent.

Vertical walls are created using the Railclone software

Everything else is modeled with Autocad.

Work in progress, there are small problems which I have to solve as the size of the planks of the vertical walls.

And I have to find a piano ...

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Mon Jan 02, 2017 2:09 pm

I don't have any measured drawings of Ocatilla, and possibly none exist; it was a sort of seat-of-the-pants construction. However, in Mono 10/153 and Taschen 2/185 there are drawings for the Chandler Cabins done around the same time, and in a similar style, which state that the boards are 11.5".