Ayeffen's Showcase - Current Project: Redeveloping Willow Creek

Ayeffen

Hi there and welcome to my showcase!

I am a returning Simmer getting back into some more complex building projects. I am going to use this thread to share my exploits with you and the rest of the community. Each project I hope will have a theme and story behind it.

Redeveloping Willow Creek

Foundry Cove

• Farringdon & Partners - 03/11/2019
• No.2 Nuera Lane - 03/05/2020

Courtyard Lane

• No.1 Courtyard Lane - 09/02/2020

Pendula View

• Coming Soon

Sage Estates

• The Landgraab Collection - 26/04/2020

Willow Creek Commercial District

• Willow Creek Archive Library - 07/02/2020
• Movers & Shakers - 07/02/2020
• The Sun & Sombrero - 07/02/2020
• Willow Promenade - 15/02/2020

Magnolia Blossom Park

• Magnolia Blossom Park - Gallery Link (Post Coming Soon)

Other Builds

• Firehouse No. 140 - 09/02/2020

I will update this post later to include links to subsequent updates etc.

Finished lots will also be made available on my gallery page if I feel they are good enough!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ayeffen

Ayeffen

REDEVELOPING WILLOW CREEK

Willow Creek has become run-down and condemned. The verdant, sprawling region of lush bayous and rolling plantation land that was once home to aristocratic farmers, southern gentry, and swamp-dwellers now sits vacant due to the glitz and opportunities for young Sims in San Myshuno and Del Sol Valley.

Ambitious architect and developer, Frances Farringdon has arrived at Willow Creek to bring a new shine to the town which once sported a diverse blend of rich tradition, understated grandeur and true salt-of-the-earth hospitality.

A panel of local historians, restoration experts and former residents voted for the public amenity buildings and residencies of historic significance to be restored and sympathetically modernised. With the lower-end properties to be replaced out-right with low-energy affordable housing.

Early plans indicate that residencies such as Cypress Terrace, Oakenstead, Umbrage Manor, Parkshore and Ophelia Villa will be transformed into mixed-use developments including hotels, restaurants, health & beauty resorts along with luxury apartments and artisan business hubs.

Further consultations with the Sims community will determine the use of some of these important structures.

With ground-broken on the low-energy housing sites just this week, we are hoping to see the results of this phase very soon!

Ayeffen

UPDATE - 03/11/2019

Frances has established her architecture firm right in the heart of flagship development, Nuera Lane.

Farringdon & Partners has renovated and occupied a former warehouse, exploiting and celebrating the sturdy industrial building and celebrating its rugged features. The team members can enjoy the light-flooded work space, modern interior, and canal-side terrace on their lunch-breaks and much needed after-work social events.

"The community here is the heart of why we are transforming Willow Creek. Our base of operations here as a stepping stone to eventually re-fitting the warehouse to be used as a community and events space. In the mean-time it gives us easy access to all of our projects across the town. "

In the shadow of Farringdon & Partners lay the blank canvas of Nuera Lane. Works are nearing completion at No. 1 Nuera Lane, consisting of 6no. new build apartments. Frances invites us to see the progress.

"No.1 Nuera is the first in a scheme of new-build apartments. The brief for this site was a set of affordable, modern and eco-friendly homes. We wanted to make the entrance a warm and inviting space. The concierge will be on-hand to assist the residents day-to-day along with managing the wider site. Residents can also enjoy a coffee or freshly baked bagel on their way to work each morning from their own convenience store."

Ayeffen

Update - 07/02/2020

Hi guys

I had a bit of a break from simming over the Christmas/New Year period as one must sometimes.

This last week I've been back into revamping Willow Creek to the best of my ability. I started off with the Willow Creek Archive Library to help me dust off the cobwebs. I really enjoyed refitting this space as it's quite a bit bigger than I normally tend to allow myself.

I didn't change much at all about the exterior of the building to be in-keeping with my theme. But as you can tell the inside is very different and I wanted to incorporate some extra areas such as the museum/exhibition area, reception desk and the café towards the rear.

I think the result is a thoroughly modern space which accentuates the period feel of the building and decorations. Hope you enjoy. 😊

Willow Creek Archive

Willow Creek Archive Library has been the haunt of fiction lovers and scholars alike since Victor Goth founded it at the turn of the last century. F&P carried out an extensive remodel of the interior of the library, adding a bistro and coffee house in a new sun room to make it a haven for bibliophiles, students and caffeine addicts alike.

Download your own Willow Creek Archive here.

Ayeffen

Update - 07/02/2020

This one was also a lot of fun. Re-organising the floors to accommodate a more varied mix of activities along with the extra facilities. I was very pleased to include the hot tub which we received for the 20th anniversary!

Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers occupies two original shoppes in the Willow Creek commercial district.

With a grant from F&P, the owners of Movers & Shakers were able to upgrade the interior facilities, also adding a basketball and kick-boxing to the existing gym facilities, along with pool and spa facilities for their members who want to relax after a hard gym session. A new juice bar has been added on the upper floor for members to get their important nutrient fix (or something stronger if they need it!) after a workout.

Swimmers can also enjoy day-time and late-night entertainment from Willow Creek's finest up and coming performers, transforming Movers & Shakers into a destination fitness and well-being hotspot.

Download your own Movers & Shakers revamp

Ayeffen

Update - 07/02/2020

This one was a big project for me. I came across an image set on Tumblr of a lot very similar to the look of this build and instantly wanted to try and make it myself, purely as it incorporated lots of building features which I simply didn't use, or some unique combinations of decorative objects to give it such a distinctive interior.

What I ended up with is a hybrid bar/restaurant/club named The Sun & Sombrero (chosen so based on the signage that I ended up with. 😂)

The ground floor boasts "The Sun" spacious bar and restaurant with a rich, inviting atmosphere and industrial-chic decor. The mezzanine features the "Sombrero" club/party space. (Those with Get Together could swap the karaoke machine for a proper DJ booth).

Seemingly two different buildings encompass this one community lot. I really enjoyed experimenting with columns and other building elements which add decorative touches and enhance the character of the building.

My own personal touch included the "Victorian" style glass-house/orangery which features a garden and al-fresco terrace dining area. My thoughts were this could easily be converted into a nice wedding venue as well.

The Sun & Sombrero



Download your own Sun & Sombrero

** Please note since taking the below images, content from Dine Out has been incorporated and the restaurant is now functional. Other minor adjustments have been made to the surrounding decor/layout.

rosemow

Your redevelopment of Willow Creek is great! Each of the builds are lovely! You have designed and furnished them so very well!There are many special details in each build! It is nice reading the background details of each of them.

Ayeffen

Thanks @rosemow that means a great deal

I've tried to give myself a bit of a thread, like a longer term project.

I have a VERY large promenade of shops and market in progress so hopefully will have that to share soon.

Ayeffen

Update - 09/02/2020

I came across an image on Tumblr of this super-small but super-special house, converted from an old fire station. I just had to try and create this for one of my Sims and below is the outcome. A tight space at 86 tiles but all the added benefits of a Small Home. Hope you like it and feel free to download and make your own.

Firehouse No. 140

Download Firehouse No. 140

rosemow

The Firehouse home is lovely! You have reflected the inspiration home so very well in sims gameform! Very nice exterior design, brick texture and pretty flowerbox window and balcony! The windows used suit the build type well. Very nice furnishing and open plan layout of the interior! The wall texture gives a great old style look and feel to the home. Very nice sofa seat sitting area to enjoy watching tv, reading and listening to music. The loft bedroom with glass roofing is very nice! Sims will enjoy waking up to sunlight through the roofing. The wall pictures in the rooms through the home is very nice. Very nice window easel art area for Sims to enjoy painting in the sunlight. Very nice kitchen nook and dining area.
It is a very nice converted old Firehouse home!

Ayeffen

Update - 09/02/2020

Rindle Rose Reborn

This was a fairly speedy refurb of the existing Rindle Rose property. I completely disregarded the original appearance of this house. Fictionally it was decided that it was "beyond saving" therefore went ahead with a modern look. Again I am probably enjoying the industrial chic kind of look a bit too much lately! 😂 I'll try something different next I assure you.

The biggest change I suppose was moving the entrance-way decking into the nape of the L shaped building to enable entry into the middle of the home rather than one end. I really prefer open plan. I almost went with a loft style however opted to place the sleeping space in its own room in the end instead.

The Sim occupying this lot is an aspiring musician so it has lots of space to practice guitar and a nice open plan for when he's entertaining friends etc.

No.1 Courtyard Lane

Download No.1 Courtyard Lane

Original Design


Refurbished

Ayeffen

rosemow wrote: »

The Firehouse home is lovely! You have reflected the inspiration home so very well in sims gameform! Very nice exterior design, brick texture and pretty flowerbox window and balcony! The windows used suit the build type well. Very nice furnishing and open plan layout of the interior! The wall texture gives a great old style look and feel to the home. Very nice sofa seat sitting area to enjoy watching tv, reading and listening to music. The loft bedroom with glass roofing is very nice! Sims will enjoy waking up to sunlight through the roofing. The wall pictures in the rooms through the home is very nice. Very nice window easel art area for Sims to enjoy painting in the sunlight. Very nice kitchen nook and dining area.
It is a very nice converted old Firehouse home!

Thank you @rosemow I really appreciate all of your praise/feedback! It was enjoyable to build. Now that you've mentioned the skylight I wonder whether I'd like to be blinded each morning especially in the summer! Haha 😂

rosemow

No.1 Courtyard Lane is a very nice modern industrial home! The windows used are great! Very nice wall texture and open plan layout! The kitchen design is very nice! The industrial style cabinets and counters look great! Very nice windows dining area to enjoy eating meals in the sunshine. Very nice nook area to enjoy sitting watching tv and playing music. The purple and pink colour is very pretty. Very nice canopy bed!
It is a very nice home!

Ayeffen

Update - 15/02/2020

Shopping Arcade receives loving restoration

This build was a labour of love. 😂 I really wanted to create something which offered a variety of spaces along with unique and characterful buildings that also all worked together as a whole.

I was inspired by the kind of market squares you can find in London where I live which are vibrant places where any lots of different experiences can overlap at any moment.

This lot has been set as a retail lot which can be run as such however it could also be used as a restaurant lot as this has all been included - with all of the optional spaces still available to the Sims to explore as they wish. There are plenty of other activities to be enjoyed besides these two elements.

Please let me know what you think and if you decide to download and play yourselves.

Willow Promenade

On the site of the former Municipal Muses Museum, a careful and detailed reconstruction has taken place to restore the once renowned retail district to its former glory. Not only have a number of exciting retailers moved into Willow Creek as part of this project, but the legendary Landgraab & Co department store has been re-built in meticulous detail offering Sims a range of products for their homes and lifestyle.

Joining Landgraab & Co are popular chains like SBC (Simoleon Banking Corporation), Caliente Fashion, Cassandra's Cakes, and world famous chef Daniel Pleasant's new restaurant, 'Fredesche Wompf'.

The courtyard market is an original feature of the old shopping district and has been restored for use by the artisan creators and makers of Willow Creek to share their gift and stunning works with the rest of the neighbourhood.

Games, music and public art can be enjoyed in the market square between retail therapy sessions.

Download Willow Promenade




Street & Market

Landgraab & Co

Simoleon Banking Corporation

Caliente Fashion

Cassandra's Cakes

Fredesche Wompf

rosemow

Willow Promenade is such a very lovely and very detailed build! You have designed and furnished each of the areas so very well! Very lovely street market area with the nice colourful lantern string lights and the exterior design of the building and each area is very great! Very nice balconies, flower boxes and planter boxes! Very lovely interior furnishing and design of the department store, the bank with money symbol signs on the exterior and interior, the lovely fashion store to buy clothing, the bakery to enjoy a drink of coffee and some cakes and the restaurant with bar is lovely! It is very nice that there is both indoors and outside dining areas.
It is a very special and detailed build!

Ayeffen

Update - 26/04/2020

Historic creative hub re-opens to Willow Creek and the world.

Hi fellow simmers! Hope you're all doing well in these uncertain times. I've had a bit of a break from building since I last updated. I think the promenade exhausted all of my building reserves. We all deserve a rest now and again to re-charge those creative juices!

Today I felt like firing up TS4 with a view to completing a project I started back in February to bring an arts centre and gallery back to Willow Creek. I know it isn't my best work but I had to get it out of the way. I think we all get the odd one like this!

Anyway please have a look at the images below and download if you'd like to explore it yourself. 😄

The Landgraab Collection

Willow Creek's arts centre was founded by Malcolm Landgraab I and has been a creative hub for generations. Following a loving restoration, Willow Creek can again enjoy everything that TLC has to offer.

Your Sims can take in the sights of artworks all over the world and some produced right here in Willow Creek.

Take a break from critical thinking in the gallery nectar bar before beginning your own masterpiece in the upper-floor studios.

Download The Landgraab Collection




Galleries

Gallery Nectar Bar

Upper-floor Studios

Gardens

rosemow

The Landgraab Collection is a lovely Arts Centre! Very great exterior design, weathered brick wall texture, very nice glass dome roof entrance area and the row of trees is very nice! Very nice gallery displays of wall art and sculptures! Very nice bar area for Sims to enjoy sitting on the sofa or stools having a drink from the bar. The patterned flooring is very nice. Very nice studio areas where Sims can enjoy painting on the easels, do crafting on the woodwork tables or enjoy taking photos using the photo studio. Very nice waterfountain pool area!
It is a very nice Arts venue for Sims to enjoy vIsiting

Ayeffen

rosemow wrote: »

The Landgraab Collection is a lovely Arts Centre! Very great exterior design, weathered brick wall texture, very nice glass dome roof entrance area and the row of trees is very nice! Very nice gallery displays of wall art and sculptures! Very nice bar area for Sims to enjoy sitting on the sofa or stools having a drink from the bar. The patterned flooring is very nice. Very nice studio areas where Sims can enjoy painting on the easels, do crafting on the woodwork tables or enjoy taking photos using the photo studio. Very nice waterfountain pool area!
It is a very nice Arts venue for Sims to enjoy vIsiting

Ah hi @rosemow - thanks so much for your kind comments. I struggled with this one and I think it could have been better, but sometimes you just need to get it done and move on!

Ayeffen

Update - 03/05/2020

Returning to Nuera Lane - this is intended to be the "new/from-scratch" part of the Willow Creek re-build, over in the Foundry Cove neighbourhood.

Here I decided to build some typical terraced style houses and left them fairly plain. I figured until I want to play some Sims on this lot myself, I didn't want to spend a lot of time giving them loads of personality and that other Simmers might enjoy styling them themselves.

Who knows in the future I might be updating this and they will be fully decorated. 😂

No.2 Nuera Lane

A trio of 2 bed properties boasting off-street parking, social kitchen/lounge spaces and private roof garden terraces. Each a blank canvas for the new owner to splash their own personality onto.

Download No.2 Nuera Lane

Ayeffen

Update - 03/05/2020

I really wanted to capture a bit of a typical street scene here. A community hub for the surrounding area to gather at weekends for brunches or to share a bottle of nectar and a game of cards etc.

This lot features a small and sweet florist and plant shop. The unit is complete with a florist table, till and both interior and external stock space. The neighbouring building consists of a lounge complete with tables, bar, games table, sofas, books, performance space and alfresco area. Upstairs are a few WC's and some faux-apartments to retain that real-street-feel.

The lot has been uploaded as a Lounge but can easily be switched to a retail space if you wish for your Sims to trade or shop at the florist - enjoy!

Flora & Fauna, Nuera Lane

Flora & Fauna are two of the dozens of new and revitalised businesses opening in Willow Creek. Flora, a bijou local favourite for all things foliage and floriferous. Fauna, a chilled lounge for locals to mix, talk, play and enjoy the talents of home grown performers on open-mic nights.

Download Flora & Fauna, Nuera Lane

rosemow

No.2 Nuera Lane is a lovely build of three homes! Very nice exterior design! The windows are very nice. Very nice rooftop garden for Sims to enjoy growing plants in the planters. Very nice open plan interior layout.
Flora & Fauna, Nuera Lane are a lovely combined flowers and plants shop and lounge venue! The indoors and front patio outdoors plants areas are lovely! The floral hedging is pretty! The Lounge is a lovely place for Sims to enjoy coming to and sitting at the tables or on the stools having a drink from the bar. They will enjoy listening to comedy routines whilst sitting there. The candles are pretty on the tables. Very nice outdoors dining patio, to enjoy having a drink in the outdoors air. The string lights are pretty!

Ayeffen

Thanks so much @rosemow for your kind words as always. I felt that No.2 Nuera Lane was a bit half-hearted but as I said, helping me fill the street with other homes.

Interestingly the game seemed to cope with the 3 houses being on one lot quite fine and filled the lot with 3 Sims who were all going about their lives seperately in their respective homes, despite being all on one lot!

Bloosmoo

Wow, I love your community builds and I agree the area you've built Nuera Lane was screaming for industrial builds. I've really enjoyed looking around these, so please, keep sharing!

Ayeffen

Bloosmoo wrote: »

Wow, I love your community builds and I agree the area you've built Nuera Lane was screaming for industrial builds. I've really enjoyed looking around these, so please, keep sharing!

Aww thank you so much! That's really nice to hear.

You know that's how it started but I have gone off-brief a bit down in that area 😂 - you know how it is, what you start out with turns into something completely different when building. I think I might end up changing some of the lots down there to look more industrial again. I still have a lot to do over in the Pendula View part. The size of those lots scare me though. 😨