Modelroom
Architectural model makers for planning submissions and client pitches
A physical model is understood in seconds by people who will never read a set of elevations: planning committees, residents at a consultation, a developer's board. It has to be right at scale, ready for the date, and good enough to stand next to the money being asked for.
Choosing the model you need
Architectural models fall broadly into three kinds. Massing or concept models show volume and the relationship to the surroundings, often in a single material, and are the quickest and cheapest. Presentation models add facade detail, landscaping, figures and lighting, and are what most planning and pitch meetings call for. Large marketing models go further again and can sit in a sales suite for years.
Level of detail drives cost more than physical size does. A small model with every window mullion modelled can cost more than a larger one kept deliberately simple, so the brief should be clear about what the model has to explain.
If you are unsure, send the drawings and tell us who will look at the model and for how long. The right kind is usually clear from that.
Scale and materials
Scale follows purpose. A single building for a planning meeting often suits 1:100 or 1:200. A masterplan covering several streets may need 1:500 or smaller, so the model still fits through a door and onto a table. We agree the scale with you against the room it will be shown in.
MDF and foamboard are the economical materials, good for massing and context. Acrylic, plywood and hardwoods give a sharper, paintable finish for presentation work. Laser cutting holds accuracy to around a tenth of a millimetre at 1:50 and above, and fine detail such as balustrades or curved facades is often 3D printed and finished by hand.
Working to your date
Most architectural models are needed for a fixed day, so we work back from it: when the drawings freeze, when the base is built, when the facades go on, when the model is packed. You get a realistic render of the model before it is built, so the level of detail, the colour palette and the base are agreed before any material is cut.
Late design changes are normal in architecture. Tell us early which parts of the scheme are still moving and we build those last, or make them as removable sections that can be swapped.
Getting it there in one piece
A model that arrives damaged is no use on the day. Larger models are built in sections that join cleanly, with a crate or case designed for the journey, and we can deliver it and set it up in the room.
Once the meeting is over, the model still has a life. It can go on to a public consultation, a sales suite or the practice's own reception, and a base designed for moving makes that easy.
About architectural model making
What scale should an architectural model be for a planning meeting?
The right scale depends on what the model has to show and where it will sit. A single building is often shown at 1:100 or 1:200, while a masterplan may need 1:500 or smaller to stay a manageable size. Agree the scale against the table and the room it will be shown in.
Can an architectural model be updated if the design changes?
Yes, if it is planned for. Parts of the scheme that are still moving can be built last or made as removable sections, so a revised block can be swapped in without rebuilding the whole model. Tell the model maker early which parts are likely to change.
Can an architectural model include lighting?
Yes. Interior and street lighting can be built in with small LEDs powered from the base, which helps a model read in a dim presentation room or a sales suite. It adds cost and time, so decide early whether the model needs it.
Send us the CAD file.
Or the elevations, or photos of the object you want scanned. Tell us who will be looking at the model, and where.
info@stillroomcreative.com