Where it all began.
Some builds come from an idea.
This one came from instinct.
The / Estate is the original world.
The first place where imagination turned physical, long before Man/Cave had a name.
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THE / ORIGIN
This build started in 2008, while I was in architecture school.
I was working on conceptual projects during the day, but at night I kept circling back to something else. Using leftover materials, I began building a house — not for a class, not for credit.
No plan.
No assignment.
No expectations.
Just imagination, working itself out through my hands.
THE / INSPIRATION
The Estate was shaped by an early vision of the California dream.
Shows like The OC and Beverly Hills 90210 made that lifestyle feel tangible. The architecture, the light, the way indoor and outdoor spaces blended together. There was a Mediterranean-tropical energy to it all that stuck with me.
That atmosphere became the foundation.
Even before I knew what I was doing.
THE / YEARS BETWEEN
Like most long-term projects, this one didn’t move in a straight line.
The build evolved in phases, changed directions, and slowly grew — until 2013, when it was packed away in an attic and left behind.
Life took over.
Career became the focus.
Responsibilities got louder.
Somewhere along the way, personal creativity slipped into the background.
THE / RETURN
When the world slowed down in 2020, space opened up again.
That’s when I came across the model.. still there, still intact, waiting. Not as a reminder of the past, but as an invitation to start again.
The / Estate came back into the light, and the build picked up where it left off.
THE / BUILD
This world was built by hand, piece by piece, changing as my skills, tools, and perspective changed with it.
Build Details
- Years: 2008–2022
- Scale: 1:64
- Footprint: 2’ L × 4’ W × [Height]
- Materials: Foam core, DAS modeling clay, mixed textures
- Featured Brands: Woodland Scenics, [others]
Features
- Expansive grounds
- Infinity pool
- Full RV hook-up
- Boat house
Main House
- 6 bedrooms
- 7.5 bathrooms
- 3-car garage
- Specialty rooms including a ballroom, movie theater, and library
Nothing here was rushed and each detail stayed only if it earned its place.
THE / MEANING
The Estate isn’t just a house.
It’s proof that imagination doesn’t disappear when life gets busy...
It waits.
And when you come back — even years later — it meets you where you are and keeps going.
THE / WHAT’S NEXT
This build was the beginning.
More worlds are coming. More stories. More places to step into.
All of it connecting into something bigger, the full Man|Cave Experience.
