FAQ
Brian Powers shares answers to frequently asked questions about recreating old Comiskey Park:
Q: Why did you decide to build the model of old Comiskey Park?
A: When I visited old Comiskey Park before the final season in 1990, I was somewhat surprised there was nothing being done at the time to physically preserve the legacy of what was then the oldest baseball park in the country. I figured if no physical piece of the structure was being preserved, maybe (with my background in architecture), I can do it through drawings or even digitally, such 3D or in virtual reality. Little did I know, I would embark on a 30-year odyssey to pull together what I can find of the old ballpark through old drawings and photos and creativity share it with people of similar interests.
Q: How long did it take to digitally construct the Comiskey Park model?
A: The ballpark took about 1 year to model, spending about 10 hours a week. I initially drew most of the ballpark in 2D cad, so that helped immensely with the modeling process. The silver-lining with the 2020 pandemic is it allowed me a little more flexibility and time to complete this project.
Q: What software did you use to build the model?
A: Autodesk Revit. It is a 3D building information software used extensively in the architecture/engineering industries. The renderings, fly-throughs and 360 images were generated by Enscape. I’m also experimenting with other simulation and VR software. The original 2D drawings were done in AutoCAD. The final size of the Revit model is about 372MB.
Q: Where did you get the information to build the model?
A: Nearly all aspects of the Comiskey project was modeled using the original blueprints. To assure true accuracy and experience, I only model with verified documentation. If drawings are not available for a particular area, then photographs or verbal (written or oral) are used. Photos were paramount to verify color and signage schemes. Extensive research goes into finding proper documentation including searching local archives, repositories, city records, libraries, professional network and plain old luck.
Q: Do you plan on doing other projects?
A: Yes. The feedback from Comiskey has been amazing and I’ve received requests to do other ballparks. I’m already pulling together information for my next project. I have not revealed it yet, but it will be another first-generation ballpark. I plan to continue to expand my website with additional projects and drawings I have generated over the years.