Teen brings area landmarks to life with 3D models

JASPER COUNTY, Mo. — It’s a fresh perspective on local landmarks with deep roots in Jasper County.

“I remember when I was I’d say 12-13, I painted a mural of the courthouse on my grandparents’ crawl space. It’s still there,” said Brady Cloud, 3D image creator.

It was just the beginning for Brady Cloud of Carthage.

“Architecture is a beautiful thing. It shows mankind’s creativity. It leaves an impact on the city. You don’t just look at a building, you live in a building. You work in a building,” said Brady Cloud, 3D image creator.

Now, the 19-year-old is taking his interest to the digital world.

Brady has created dozens of 3D images of historic Jasper County buildings.

“I’ve done the entirety of the Carthage Square. I’m actually working on an updated version right now. I’ve done the talk from Union Depot, the Olivia Apartments, the Connor Hotel,” said Cloud.

He’s put countless hours into his portfolio – researching historic pictures and taking some of his own.

“The Connor Hotel is definitely my favorite. It took the longest to make, mostly just because of the lack of historical imagery. There were only, like, two or three angles in the building, like, I can’t go and look at it. That’s definitely one of the saddest losses of Joplin architecture,” said Cloud.

He’s shared some of his images on Facebook – but ultimately the project just makes him happy.

“This is something that I love. Everybody has their hobbies. Some people love to collect baseball cards. Some people like to play pickleball. But I love to do this. I love to make 3D models of buildings,” said Cloud.

It’s a chance to peek into the past in a unique way.

“I remember on a Facebook post I made about the Connor Hotel, someone said that they got their haircut there when they were young, and that just really made my day, seeing somebody tell me their story and tell me, like, their history and connection with the building,” said Cloud.

He plans to eventually pursue a degree in architecture and hopes time spent on this hobby will help with those courses.

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