The Proposed Winter Garden

[Steve Olguin]

There has been much speculation over there being no Parisian Cafe on the Britannic and it was suggested at www.hospitalshipbritannic.com in a great article by Remco Hillen that suggests a new location for the Cafe would be on the Starboard A-deck Promenade between the Forward Grand Staircase and the Lounge. The whole article can be found at http://www.hospitalshipbritannic.com/rms_adeck.htm

The bulkheads are similar to those found in Olympic and Titanic's Cafes, but are also influenced by the bulkhead design of the Palm Courts. I avoided using too many arches (as is the design in the Cafe Parisian) as it becomes to busy with too many arches... The color I chose is a green that was popular of the era and is similar to the color was that was used to redecorate the Grand Staircase on the Olympic. I have yet to alter the tops of the windows in this shot, but the windows are the same size as those found on the O and T.

I have dropped the ceiling down to hide the Boat deck girders, pipework etc... I opted for a flat trellis ceiling to give the room cleaner lines and convey the feeling that it was more a room than part of the Promenade Deck.

The tables and chairs are obviously not of the period but I wanted to give an impression of this area with furniture. I would place the same style wicker chairs as found in the reception room, the foyers and the Palm Courts in place of the modern ones... I did not include a window into the lounge as is included in Remco's article, due to the fact that no window is seen on any builders plans that I am aware of.

If anyone knows the average size of the enlarged "Ismay screen" on Britannic this would be helpful as I do not want to create the outer bulkhead with the wrong window sizes.

 

[Steve Olguin]

A close up of the detail work of the bulkhead.... the windows are still not changed in this shot, nor is the floor pattern corrected. The paneling in the hallway is rendered after the paneling in James Cameron's grand staircase set.

Another view....

 

[Remco Hillen]

Hello Steve,

Amazing to see such images of the Promenade Cafe, certainly didn't think that would happen when I did that little article!

Anyway, I believe the Lounge window was added because Titanic might have had one there, though I don't remember seeing it confirmed. But with two public spaces next to eachother I agree that a window is not very logical.

In general I wanted to mention that the idea for this Café is purely based on one quote from Shipbuilder, and that no references are known about this feature being installed on Britannic.

Are you planning on doing more rooms on Britannic? Looking forward to updated images!

Regards,
Remco

 

[Steve Olguin]

Hello Remco,

Good to see you around. I am very flattered that you found the time to respond. I think your article makes a lot of sense, and I believe such a feature would have been included on Britannic had she ever been completed.

I wasn't aware that such a window may have been added to Titanic's lounge.... very interesting. I did a version with the window into the lounge, but it became too busy looking.

Yes I am aware that this is all based on pure speculation from the Shipbuilder quote, but I believe this feature may have been added because the ship would seem rather lacking without it.

I would love to do more renderings of the public rooms, Especially of the enlarged Reception Room on B-deck, The Childrens playroom on the boat deck, and The Boat Deck and A Deck sections of the Grand Staircase. I would do the smoking room, but I feel that would be nearly impossible due to the complexety of it.

ANYWAYS>>>>
Here are 2 updated shots, but be reminded that its still a work in progress.

 

[Steve Olguin]

Here is what will probably be more or less the final version of the cafe, as I have now moved on to other areas of the RMS Britannic.

 

[Steve Olguin]

promenadecafe_copy1.jp

 

[Trevor Powell]

Very impressive work, Steve. I am looking forward to your future updates.

 

[Chris Mazzella]

Great work. Just a thought, dont the chairs look too 60s or 70s?

 

[Matthew Newman]

LOL I was wondering the same thing about the chairs. The rest of it is great though!

 

[Steve Olguin]

LOL yes, sadly the program I use does not allow me to change the style of the chairs, just the material used on them. I am thinking of investing in some better software now that I am getting the hang of this more.

Another...

 

[Steve Olguin]

Looking Starboard.

 

[Steve Olguin]

A bigger version of the above render.

 

[Matthew Newman]

Those really are super!

Do you plan to do a Grand Staircase? Will the program that you're using allow? How about a Smoking Room? hehe. Now you've got me wanting to see more!

 

[Steve Olguin]

Hello Matthew,
In the same model for the Winter Garden and A deck forward promenade I have been toying around with the grand staircase since I already have the proper dimensions and outline for the room present. I am afraid that my program is too limited to complete the entire Boat Deck and A deck sections of the foyer.. I am going to attempt to at least create certain sections of the area discussed to outline the changes on Britannic (such as the pipe organ, etc). My program will not allow me to create proper see-through ornate railings, so I will use altered colorized images of Olympic's staircase.

 

[Matthew Newman]

Interesting! I very much look forward to seeing what you come up with next. I'd love to see a rendition of the pipe organ like what you're talking about. Going by those two illustrations must be a challenge though! They really don't offer much close detail of the pipe organ, but rather the landing below where the clock would go. Anyway, thanks for getting back to me on that!