Just wonder why nowadays, most architecture firms do not make physical models? While in school, we need physical models to study spatial relationships, programs, etc.,... Is it the budget thing? Or is it just better to experience through digital models?
Computers make kids lazy. Much easier to pump out 50 versions of something using copy-paste and ctrl-z than it is to dedicate 30hrs to a nice wood model and figuring out the spaces using your hands and pencils.
Computers don't make kids lazy, they make owners and clients cheap. Why pay an entire department + rent all that extra square footage for a model shop when one hourly intern can crank out 50x more "deliverables" in sketchup?
sorry, read OP's question as "why in school". I must have skipped a whole sentence. Blame the sun. Yeah, I've build a total of one physical model outside of school... and that was back in 2006.
A few firms still maintain model shops, and some independent model fabricators still exist, but for the most part it's not something a client is willing to pay for. My office has been 3D printing a lot for study models very early in concept design, but the old model shop is gone and the laser cutter was sold. It's just not cost effective anymore. I miss it.
I found that the firms that actually have the interns/time to make study models for actual design iteration comes in two packages. Either they’re famous or they’re independently wealthy.
There are some commercial offices that still use modelmaking as a design aid - not many but they exist. Pretty models are always a great presentation tool as well, even for typical developers.
Yup, they’re used quite rarely these days. Pretty models for presentation is definitely still the norm, but they’re mostly made after the fact rather than used as a design tool. Not that this trend isn’t bad, back breaking model making had very low efficiency, and we have much better design and visualization tools like interactive walkthroughs that better showcase the project.
Jun 9, 21 2:21 pm ·
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Model Making - School & Career
Hi All,
Just wonder why nowadays, most architecture firms do not make physical models? While in school, we need physical models to study spatial relationships, programs, etc.,... Is it the budget thing? Or is it just better to experience through digital models?
Computers make kids lazy. Much easier to pump out 50 versions of something using copy-paste and ctrl-z than it is to dedicate 30hrs to a nice wood model and figuring out the spaces using your hands and pencils.
-yelling at clouds over.
Computers don't make kids lazy, they make owners and clients cheap. Why pay an entire department + rent all that extra square footage for a model shop when one hourly intern can crank out 50x more "deliverables" in sketchup?
sorry, read OP's question as "why in school". I must have skipped a whole sentence. Blame the sun. Yeah, I've build a total of one physical model outside of school... and that was back in 2006.
You're both right. Plus computers make people stupid.
Pffft. Lead holders and mechanical pencils have made architects lazy. If you're not designing on parchment with quills and ink you're a lazy punter.
chunks of raw coal of birch back.
A few firms still maintain model shops, and some independent model fabricators still exist, but for the most part it's not something a client is willing to pay for. My office has been 3D printing a lot for study models very early in concept design, but the old model shop is gone and the laser cutter was sold. It's just not cost effective anymore. I miss it.
I like making model too, it's just a disappointment less and less clients care about design or take it seriously
I found that the firms that actually have the interns/time to make study models for actual design iteration comes in two packages. Either they’re famous or they’re independently wealthy.
There are some commercial offices that still use modelmaking as a design aid - not many but they exist. Pretty models are always a great presentation tool as well, even for typical developers.
Yup, they’re used quite rarely these days. Pretty models for presentation is definitely still the norm, but they’re mostly made after the fact rather than used as a design tool. Not that this trend isn’t bad, back breaking model making had very low efficiency, and we have much better design and visualization tools like interactive walkthroughs that better showcase the project.
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