A bookend - and a 3D model of an Iconic Architectural Landmark

I've always wanted to make a model that showcase the beauty of this building. However, I also aimed to craft something more than just a mere ornament. In the end, I devised the idea of “cutting” the building and transforming it into a bookend. 

About the building:

Villa La Rotonda (1585, Vicenza - Italy) stands as one of the most renowned and replicated structures in the annals of modern architecture. Undoubtedly Palladio's most celebrated villa, it holds significance among all the Venetian villas. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, it definitely qualifies as a landmark!

About the model:

I designed this model with ease of printing in mind, aiming to minimize the likelihood of printing errors. The model is divided into pieces for easy assembly. Below is a list of the pieces along with some printing suggestions:

• Base: this is the bottom part of the building, separated to enable printing without supports when positioned upside-down.
• Main building: although it may initially seem challenging, I've simplified the process. Supports are only necessary under the "half-doors" and the hanging part of the beam above the column (see picture on the right). Some supports are optional, depending on your printer's bridging capabilities. Supports aren't needed for the roof as long as you set up at least 4 top layers.
• Stairs (2 pieces): printing these pieces on their sides will yield the best results. Note that the two stairs aren't perfectly identical and for this reason I made small marks on the bottom to indicate where they should be attached to the Base.
• Balcony: (the green part in the pictures) this piece might pose a challenge and risk during printing, so I've created a separate piece. If any issues arise, you won't need to discard a 10-hour print.
• Cornice: (the yellow part in the pictures) while a simple piece, I've separated it to achieve a sharp cornice without requiring supports. Printing it upside-down will prevent the need for supports.
• Dome: (the red part in the pictures) another potentially challenging piece that could compromise the entire model if printed with the rest. This piece could be printed vertically without supports, but for optimal aesthetic results, I recommend horizontal printing with supports. This approach ensures that the layer thickness closely resembles the dome's actual appearance. I suggest using 4 top layers for this piece too.

The STL files are already oriented to be printed as described above (and as shown in the picture on the right).

Print settings:

I printed this model with an Anycubic 4 Max Pro (0,4 mm nozzle).

As soon as I will have a Bambu Lab I will update a perfect profile… ;)  meanwhile, this is what I've used and suggest:

• 0,2 mm layer height (or less);
• 2 perimeter walls;
• 4 top layers for Main Building and Dome;
• 3 top layers for Base, Stairs, Cornice and Balcony;
• 3 bottom layers;
• 10% infill;
• 50 mm/s print speed: I know it is slow… but that ensured a high quality on my printer. Bambu Lab printers might be faster… ;)

Conclusion:

Despite searching extensively online, I never found a 3D printable model of this Villa, so I decided to create it myself. I'm excited to share this original model with you and I hope you'll enjoy it! Feel free to download, collect, print, assemble, and use it: just remember to respect the license. And give a like if you like it. Thank you!