San Francisco Cistern

thingiverse

This is an artist's rendition of what one of the hidden San Francisco underground reservoirs might appear as. They're dispersed all over the city - around 170 in total. Part of the Auxiliary Water Supply System (AWSS) of San Francisco, this system stands alone, separate from both drinking water and sewage infrastructure. The challenge in creating a precise 3D model lies in capturing an element largely hidden from view with only limited access to images from within its structure. In designing a digital representation using Fusion 360, start by carefully examining reference photographs. Use the initial shape you discern to form a 2D profile on your modeling platform. Once defined, extrude this cross-section into a 3D volume by sweeping out its shape with Fusion 360's 'sweep' feature. Finally, enrich your model by adding textures and additional features that bring authenticity.