Google SketchUp 3D buildings are a wowser

What do you get when you marry Google SketchUp with Google Earth?

Among all the free tools that Google produces, Google's 3D modeling software, SketchUp, has to be one of the best and most addicting. Here is a link to a slideshow of 10 models that were selected from Google's 3D Warehouse, its online library of thousands of models created by SketchUp users.

Some of these were made with Google's newest 3D modeling tool, Building Maker, launched on Oct. 13. With Building Maker, a user selects a building from one of about 50 cities and creates a 3D model of it using aerial photos in Google Maps and the 3D shapes in Building Maker. (Google promises it will be adding more cities soon.)

^{Click to see all 10 models.}

The user can fine-tune the model with SketchUp and then submit it to Google to be included in the 3D Buildings Layer of Google Earth. If Google likes the model, so it shall be. Each of the following 10 super cool models of structures worldwide can be viewed in Google Earth. With each, you can rotate your view of the building as if you were walking, or flying, around it. The whole effect is like going on a personalized sightseeing tour of exotic destinations from the comfort of your home.

According to this Google video on Building Maker, SketchUp is easy to use and master. Using it, you can add your favorite architectural marvels to Google Earth.

• Google
• 3D
• Google Earth
• Google SketchUp