The making of architectural models is often seenas a highly skilled craft preoccupied with accuracy, andwhilst this may be relevant to presentation models it doesnot automatically result in a good model. It is eminentlypossible to make creative and provocative models withoutlaborious and time-consuming techniques, and a widerange
The selection of the materials to be used to make amodel depends on its purpose, the stage of the designprocess and how quickly it needs to be constructed. Inorder to determine which materials are appropriate, it isimportant, as described above, to think about the levelof abstraction and the scale required. If a model is to
All models, by the very nature of their existence, displaya degree of abstraction, as there would be very little point to a model if it represented reality in every aspect. Most importantly, this level of abstraction should be consistentas it would not make sense to model a building’s contextaccurately and
These basic and affordable tools will serve themodelmaker time and time again although more specificmachinery and tools may be required to enable a widervariety for materials to be handled effectively. Indeed,the majority of professional architectural modelmakershave the same workshop tools as carpenters including:handsaws, files, planes, chisels
There is a set of basic tools that a architecture model maker needs inorder to make models out of commonly used materialsincluding paper, cardboard, and wood. Clearly, themore elaborate the model under construction, thegreater the need for additional tools with which towork the materials. Therefore, it is worth mentioning
architectural model making now Why use physical models to describe and explore the qualities of architecture? This question seems even more pertinent given the significant rise of computers engaged in the architectural design process. The most obvious answer lies, of course, in the actual tangibility of such models that, unlike their cropped and flat counterparts,
From this point on, the scale model was re-established as a vital design tool for architecture. The design-development model was to have an important role in the conception and refinement of countless built and unbuilt projects of the Modernist era. For example, there was Gerrit Rietveld’s attempt to give architectural form to the ideas about
During this period, the proliferation and status of the architectural scale model grew significantly. It not only complemented drawings, but also frequently became the primary method for the communication of design ideas in architecture. In particular, specialized models were made as part of the design process for major building commissions. Two such important examples were
The first recorded use of architectural models dates back to the fifth century BC, when Herodotus, in Book V, Terpsichore, makes reference to a model of a temple. Whilst it may be inspiring to believe that scale models were used in the design of buildings from ancient civilizations, this appears highly unlikely. This is because
Why we make models? The representation of creative ideas is of primary importance within any design-based discipline, and is particularly relevant in architecture where we often do not get to see the finished results, i.e. the building, until the very end of the design process. Initial concepts are developed through a process that enables the