Architects models

[Daxxie]

I worked as a Architectural modelmaker for a bit and i think you underestimate the costs involved in creating something that looks good enough for a window display.

It is very easy to spend £150+ in materials alone on an average detailed model so maybe its worth upping the budget or include material costs.

You said that you are happy with student level work, is it worth asking the local Architecture courses if any part 1 architect students want to do a 2 week work exp in which they will work on this model. Doesn't have to be paid work, most students are pushed to get cv filler work.

I would personally would go down the foam board route and not bother with printing out textures or colours as it usually ends up looking crap. just nice and simple white model.

Finally models that spend time in front of windows don't tend to last too long so expect to be re glueing bits on.

(also clients absolutely love being able to pick up their house and actually see a physical model of it)

[MitchT]

Thread resurrection time!

Is there typically an accepted scale that architectural models are made to?

I am not an architect, nor an architectural model maker, however, I'm a big fan of "grand designs" style residential architecture and I'd like to make some models of concepts I've dreamed up which would address certain possible client criteria on the basis of certain topography existing on available land.

I'd like to make models to a scale of 1:148 as this is the same as British "N" gauge for model railways, meaning that certain useful props such as people, vehicles and trees, etc. are in abundant supply, plus, the models will be small meaning it won't be a hassle for me to store them.

It's likely to be a hobby but I'd be delighted if it resulted in some commissions happening. I've done some Googling and seen that models seem to be made at various levels of quality - mostly stuff I could easily achieve, hence why I wondered if I should make them to a certain scale or if my desired 1:148 is fine.

For example, I'd be more than capable of making something like this...

Edited by MitchT on Sunday 8th March 14:37

[marcg]

Metric scales:
1 to
1/2/5/10/20/50/100/200/500/1000/1250/2500

Typically a concert hall will be at 1:200 and a house at 1:50.

You need a scale you can bend down, close one eye and look inside and imagine yourself in.

Otherwise, there's a bit of a market for cute external models of houses at a small scale. But I think that's more 3d printing than card.

[MitchT]

Thanks - that's really helpful.

I'll probably indulge my hobby for conceptual models by sticking with 1:148 but also make one or two at 1:50 as a means of demonstrating to anyone interested that I am open to commissions.

[Equus]

marcg said:

Metric scales:
1 to
1/2/5/10/20/50/100/200/500/1000/1250/2500

Those are the standard metric scales for drawings, but sometimes you tailor the scale of models to readily available materials.

Typically, foamboard is 5mm thick and mountboard 1.5mm thick, which conveniently gets you very close indeed to the 'nominal' thickness of an external cavity wall and an internal wall, respectively at 1:72 scale... and of course gives you access to a vast range of OO gauge components from the model railway world (actually 1:76 scale, but you won't notice the difference) for 'dressing' your model.

These days, if you draw the designs in CAD, you can scale and print for whatever scale you like very easily.

[dudleybloke]

You might find this interesting.

https://youtu.be/fvwwYeDVAqk

A visit to an architectural model factory in China.

[MitchT]

Equus said:

These days, if you draw the designs in CAD, you can scale and print for whatever scale you like very easily.

CAD is way out of my league but having been a graphic designer for 25 years I can easily do scalable drawings in Adobe InDesign to print out and use as templates. In fact, I already have an InDesign document full of floor plans for ideas I've had!

dudleybloke said:

You might find this interesting.

https://youtu.be/fvwwYeDVAqk

A visit to an architectural model factory in China.

Thanks, I'll check that out in full tomorrow as I'm knackered now but, based on a quick look at the first five minutes - ha ha - trust the Chinese to turn a craft into an industry!

[Yertis]

MitchT said:

Thanks, I'll check that out in full tomorrow as I'm knackered now but, based on a quick look at the first five minutes - ha ha - trust the Chinese to turn a craft into an industry!

Mitch there's an article in a recent issue of Railway Modeller (I walk from the newsagents with it wrapped in a copy of the Telegraph) about a guy who will laser cut your elevations, window frames etc in card, then MDF, ply or whatever. You just send him your eps files.

I'm drawing up my own house as an experiment, in 1/76 in my case.

[yellowjack]

Yertis said:

Mitch there's an article in a recent issue of Railway Modeller (I walk from the newsagents with it wrapped in a copy of the Telegraph) about a guy who will laser cut your elevations, window frames etc in card, then MDF, ply or whatever. You just send him your eps files.

I'm drawing up my own house as an experiment, in 1/76 in my case.

I used to make railway buildings to 1:76 scale for my kids when they had a Hornby 00 gauge Thomas The Tank Engine set. Not fancy stuff, really, and just using old cardboard packaging with brick paper applied. They were kids so it didn't matter if it was super-accurate or every detail was correct. I used to use the clear plastic windows on packaging as windows in the buildings. I even built a version of the Maranello Ferrari dealership in Egham for my youngest's Hotwheels Ferrari cars. They didn't last well (there's a reason why toys are made from plastic or wood generally) and didn't take much playing with, but it made a nice display on his shelf. I never thought to make a model of our house though. Maybe it's time to crack out the drawing board again, and have another go at this model making lark? I've watched this thread with interest for a while now, and I can sense a stirring of interest in getting the craft knife out once again...

[Zad]

The jump from 2D CAD to 3D isn't huge, as you know your way around the way tools work and most of the terminology. Especially when you are designing largely rectilinear stuff like the images above, it is just lots of scaled cubes. Before you know it, you will be adding light sources and doing radiosity renders. Depending on the software you can probably just import the 2D models and extrude them into walls, which saves a load of time.