About Kouse’s Sanctum
Kouse Singh came to me in December as I was wrapping up the Material Squirrel build. She was thinking castles and fantasy, and showed me her main store in Avilion. It was built by Serenity Sieyes and Malakh Giles, and if you’ve been to Avilion you know those two have got a lock on fantasy! Kouse was looking for something larger, but wanted to avoid the “big ole box with 2 floors. She told me she loved the vibes of an old gothic castle as well as fairytale palaces, and asked if I could come up with something to fit her unique vision and fill a 1/4 sim.
The Design
I researched the design of castles, learning about baileys and moats, cathedral ceilings, and more, and built a quick model of my ideas to show Kouse. My initial idea was to have a large main room and couple side rooms for more specialty items, and a cathedral ceiling.
Initial design
As the design progressed, however, I decided first on the concept of an inner bailey and outer bailey. While not strictly baileys, that was the genesis of my final design. I did not like the direction the cathedral ceiling was heading, but loved the soaring structural support – and so decided to keep that aspect of the design to add a sense of space, and of fantasy. I used a rough-cut two-tone stone texture to give that weathered look and polished marble for the columns to add a more refined element to the mix.
The overhead view below shows the inner and outer baileys…
Inner and outer bailey design
…while this picture shows how the rough-cut stone and exposed cathedral supports add a lot of visual appeal.
Kouse's Sanctum at night
To further enhance the fairytale appearance (and to provide an arc to Avilion) I made the floor highly “reflective,” the only way you can in SL – essentially building a mirror image of the store underneath, and making the floor slightly transparent. Until the Lindens develop true reflection (and it will happen), this is the best way to accomplish such a thing.
Reflections
We All Shine On
Of course a fairytale castle without a crystal chandelier would be unthinkable, so using curly elements I know Kouse is partial to, I created a deliciously extravagant lighting fixture that eats prims for breakfast!
Chandelier
Final Notes
In situ, Kouse’s Sanctum rests high on a motte, surrounded by mountains on all sides, save the southeast corner – isolating it from whatever neighboring land owners might erect. All this combines to make Kouse’s Sanctum a delightful and relaxing place to visit and peruse Ms. Singh’s prodigious offerings of clothing and jewelry.
Kouse's Sanctum
Great working with you, Kouse!
-AJ
