Architectural model

An architectural model promoting a highrise condominium

An architectural model is a type of a scale model, tangible (also called sometimes physical)
representation of a structure built to study aspects of an architectural design or to communicate
design ideas to clients, committees, and the general public. Architectural models are a tool which
may be used for show, presentation, fundraising, obtaining permits, and sale purposes.
Rough study models can be made quickly using cardboard, wooden blocks, polystyrene, foam,
foam boards and other materials. Such models are an efficient tool for three-dimensional
understanding of a design, used by architects, interior designers and exhibit designers. For a
highly detailed presentation model, architects would employ a professional model maker, model
making company or students working for credit.
Purpose

A scale replica model of the demolished Capitol Theatre in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

A model by architect Lorenzo Winslow exploring the structure of the Grand Staircase at the
White House
Architectural models are used by architects for a range of purposes

Quick, ad hoc models are sometimes made to study the interaction of volumes, or to get
an idea of how they look from different angles. Designing a building using rough models
can be a very open-ended and practical method of exploring ideas.

Project managers discuss the plant development using an architectural model

Models are an efficient method for exhibiting and selling a design. Many people,
including developers and would-be house buyers, cannot visualise a design in three
dimensions (3-D) from two-dimensional (2-D) drawings. An architect may employ smallscale physical models, or digital computer models, to help explain the ideas.

A model may be useful in explaining a complicated or unusual design to the building

team, or as a focus for discussion between the design teams such as architects, engineers
and town planners.

Models are also used as show pieces, for instance as a feature in the reception of a
prestigious building, or as part of a museum exhibition (for example scale replicas of
historical buildings).

Types[edit]

Exterior model of the Royal Military College of Canada grounds

Model of a museum building.

Model of a building interior.

Model of a historic building

Ancient Chinese model of two residential towers, made of earthenware during the Han Dynasty
Some types of model include

Exterior models are models of buildings which usually include some landscaping or
civic spaces around the building.
Interior models are models showing interior space planning, finishes, colors, furniture
and beautification.
Landscaping design models are models of landscape design and development
representing features such as walkways, small bridges, pergolas, vegetation patterns and
beautification. Landscaping design models usually represent public spaces and may, in
some cases, include buildings as well.
Urban models are models typically built at a much smaller scale (starting from 1:500
and less, 1:700, 1:1000, 1:1200, 1:2000, 1:20 000), representing several city blocks, even
a whole town or village, large resort, campus, industrial facility, military base and so on.
Urban models are a vital tool for town/city planning and development.
Engineering and construction models show isolated building/structure elements and
components and their interaction.

Virtual modelling
Over the last few decades, detailed construction has been increasingly designed in computeraided design (CAD) systems. The technology is improving rapidly. Early virtual modelling
involved the fixing of arbitrary lines and points in virtual space, mainly to produce technical
drawings. Modern packages include advanced features such as databases of components,
automated engineering calculations, visual fly-throughs, dynamic reflections, and accurate
textures and colours.
While virtual tours are undoubtedly useful, they are still limited to images on a computer screen
and lack the sensory impact, or qualia, of a physical model.
Materials
Common materials used for centuries in architectural model building were card stock, balsa
wood, basswood and other woods. Modern professional architectural model builders are taking
advantage of twenty-first century materials, such as Taskboard, a variety of plastics, wooden and
wooden-plastic composites, foams, foam board and urethane compounds.

A number of companies produce ready-made pieces for structural components (e.g. girders,
beams), siding, furniture, figures (people), vehicles, trees, bushes and other features which are
found in the models. Features such as vehicles, people figurines, trees, street lights and other are
called "scenery elements" and serve not only to beautify the model, but also to help the observer
to obtain a correct feel of scale and proportions represented by the model. Increasingly, rapid
prototyping and solid freeform fabrication ('3D printing') are used to automatically construct
models straight from CAD plans.[1]
Scales
Architectural models are being constructed at much smaller scale than their 1:1 counterpart.
Standard architectural scales are different, although some of them are close to the standard scales
acknowledged in the model/hobby industry. Such similarities allow us to provide high quality
scenery elements for architectural models. Sometimes model railroad scales such as 1:160 and
1:87 are used due to ready availability of commercial figures, vehicles and trees in those scales,
and models of large buildings are most often built in approximately that range of scales due to
size considerations. Models representing 1-2 buildings and a modest piece of surrounding
landscape may be built at a larger scale such as 1:50 or even 1:24. Here is a useful *Scale Guide
to obtain more information about standard architectural scales and to help with scale selection.
The scales and their architectural use is broadly as follows:

1:1 Full (or real) size for details

1:2 Details
1:5 Details
1:10 Interior spaces/furniture
1:20 Interior spaces/furniture
1:50 Interior spaces/detailed floor plans/different floor levels
1:100 Building plans/layouts
1:500 Building layouts/site plans
1:1000 Urban scale for site or location plans
1:1250 Site plans
1:2500 Site plans/city maps

Architects usually employ a professional model maker or model making company to create such
models.
Paper architectural model

Paper Architectural Models of (left to right) a Bungalow, an Office and a House.

Today, printable architectural models exist and are like origami. This takes a high level of skill in
order to accomplish in a proper manner.