News and Events

Top students put campus on Google Earth

17 July 2008

Two BU students have used their creative flair, initiative and technical expertise to win a top 3D design award.

Phil Hazleton (BA Business Studies) and Alex Geeves (BSc Digital Media Development) wowed judges from the world of IT, architecture and design with their model of Talbot Campus at this year’s Google ‘International Model Your Campus Competition’.

They used Google SketchUp to create BU's campus buildings, which they geo-referenced in Google Earth and uploaded using the Google 3D Warehouse application.

Commenting on the entry, the judges said: "They captured the right level of detail to efficiently reflect the character and complexity of the campuses they represented. The photo-texturing was exceptional – people, cars and vegetation were removed so that the building textures were plainly visible.”

Phil is over the moon with his success. He said: “To be one of the winners feels great. It’s great for BU too, as it will appear in Google Earth automatically whenever anyone is looking around the area.”

BU is among seven winners worldwide, which include Peking University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stockholm University and Cardiff University.

All 29 students behind the winning entries won an Apple iPod Touch, a Nintendo Wii console, and Google merchandise.

> BU's winning campus in Google Earth External Link