This is my first major architectural undertaking in Blender. I usually do better with organic forms, so it's been a challenge for me to model in a more precise manner. I'm learning to love arrays parented to empties, the spin tool, and using basic math to make sure arrays meet up correctly at the edges.
The materials are definitely not there yet (copper is quite a challenge), and there is a lot of modeling left to do: Corinthian capitals atop about a hundred columns at the base will be a big undertaking.
After modeling the dome, I've used the Open Source Map import add-on to get the silhouette of the base, and will use it as a guide for building the wings on the lower level. For fun, I also grabbed a lidar scan from USGS and used it as a reference for the grounds around the building. I used a progam called CloudCompare to view and export the LAS files from USGS to PLY format to get the point clouds into Blender.
