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Models and Party Planning

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In the very near future, we are going to throw a party at my office to recognize and celebrate a myriad of milestones, achievements, and honors. It’s been just over four years since we relocated to our new office and it was our intention then to through an “Open House” party where we would invite our friends over to check out the new space. Well, we got busy and put things off and here we are … 4 years and no-party later.

I have taken it upon myself to force this issue and in addition to all the other things I’ve got going on, decided that I would put on my party planning hat and get to work preparing for a party this coming fall and now that I’ve let that cat out of the bag, it’s got to happen (or I’ll give myself a bad employee review).

How to deal with all the models we have lying around the office is among the tasks that I’ve set for myself. I don’t want to throw them away (yet) but something has to be done – they are everywhere and are taking over the place. I am in the process of having a 20′ long steel shelf fabricated so that we can start placing them up on the walls, but we know that as soon as they start getting moved around, stuff will start to break off. So that’s why we decided the first time we move them will be to take record pictures.

I love models and wish that I still had some of mine left from my time in college – a time when I made so many that I had a semi-permanent callous on the first digit of my pointer finger from holding down an X-Acto blade. To that end, I thought I would share some of the photos that were taken last week of our models – they’re certainly a lot better than the ones I took with my cell phone.

Enjoy!

Project – Janmar Residence (Under Construction)
Model built by Danielle Anderson, Amy Miller, and Erin Hackler

Janmar Residence

Janmar Residence

Janmar Residence

Project – CHouse Modern (Completed 2014)
Model built by Travis Schneider and John Charbonneau

CHouse Modern

CHouse Modern

CHouse Modern

Project – Modern Cabin (Completed 2017)
Model built by Anna Halepaska

Modern Cabin

Modern Cabin

Modern Cabin

Modern Cabin

Project – Oklahoma Ranch (project on hold)
Model built by Tyler Shafer

OK Ranch

OK Ranch

OK Ranch

Project – Tohl House (project on hold)
Model built by Anna Halepaska and Jenab Camara

North Dallas Residence

North Dallas Residence

Project – KHouse Modern (Completed 2014)
Model built by Ellie Hopen

KHouse Modern

KHouse Modern

Project – Fitzhugh Avenue Townhomes (Under Construction)
Model built byAnna Halepaska

Fitzhugh Townhomes

Fitzhugh Townhomes

Fitzhugh Townhomes

Project – Maple Avenue Office Building
Model built by Nik Kinnaird

Maple Avenue Office

Maple Avenue Office

Maple Avenue Office

Lookin through all the photos that were taken, it’s probably the casual macro images that I enjoy the most – which was surprising because up close … you can see all the material gaps and crooked bits. All of the model photos from today’s post were taken by Greg Blomberg, a long-time friend, and collaborator of the firm. Now that Greg’s done his job, it’s time for me to get on with mine … which is planning our first open house event at the firm. I can tell you that there will be all sorts of take-home gear, BBQ which I will be making myself, and beer from a keg! At least that’s the idea so if this sounds like your sort of fun and you think you’d like to attend, just let me know and I’ll put your name on the list and send you out an invitation.

Cheers,

Bob signature FAIA

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  • Querido Mies

    The detail of your models is insane! The beams only are just fantastic. As recent graduates we still have our University models. On another note, life is short, you have to party while you can!

    • I think my models from university lasted about 8-10 years until I finally wondered “why am I keeping these?” While I wish I still had them, the truth is that models seem to slowly fall apart even when they are lovingly stored. They look far better in my mind’s eye than how they would if they were still sitting on the shelf.

      We do need to party more often!

  • Michele Grace Hottel

    I have never been a very good modelmaker or maybe I have just not been a very expedient one but either way, I can really appreciate looking at nice ones.

  • Tom Rogers

    Hey Bob, In reviewing your models it is neat to see the progression of the different ones in technique and skill. Also a good follow up would be how models relate (especially if done as a study) compare to the final built project.

    Also was disappointed in not seeing a picture of the infamous Oculus on the KHouse model

  • Jon Donhy

    Hi Bob,
    Of course I want to attend your party! If your list is not too long, I will bring a roll of drawings from my days in
    Houston at CRS. We used models as photo presentation material and printed the photos for binding w/ the drawings.
    One feature I have not seen used since and will have to be disclosed as a party surprise!
    Do you remember using a “model scope?” A few students owned them and had some success poking
    holes in their models, so they could take interior shots. Lighting was a challenge, but it was great fun.
    More later, for the party.
    John Donaghey AIA-E
    UT grad ’67!

    • Love to have you come – just email me your mailing address and I’ll get on you the list.

      I do remember model scope! It never worked that great for me so it was a tool I pretty much ignored, but I have a lot of memories of people bring their model outside into the sunlight to try and get interior daylighting shots! It’s a bit ridiculous when I think about it now just how far we’ve come from those days.

  • I’ve said this before, but models are cool and people know it. People that can build a good model are cool too.

    I know there can be spirited discussion about whether they yield the project experience or come off as precious objects, yet flat 2D images tell a different and larger set of lies. There is an instant ability to perceive the project in it’s scale, mass and experience. One can quickly spin it and see the project in its immediacy where an image is static. If one builds it correctly, some pieces can come off to see the interior.

    The benefit for the designer is a level of understanding that can rarely come from any other study method. Do I sound biased? This was the best part of my education and I’d build a model over a drawing any day of the week. Let’s say I had callouses, but the residual effects of model building is what is not there than what was left behind – don’t take that too dramatically.

    • I don’t think there’s an architect alive and practicing at the moment that isn’t fully aware of how digital perspectives can be manipulated to help tell the story. For example – we are doing a really amazing interior architecture job at the moment and we presented a lot of perspective views to the client just yesterday. It’s rather difficult to show interior space in perspective and contain yourself to just the field of vision … so what do we do? We expand the view extents in an effort to tell a better story – but we have to be careful because the space starts to distort and what appears to be a generous gathering space is in actuality a 4′ wide corridor.

      Models don’t lie (at least the inanimate versions) unless you build them incorrectly.

  • AlmostJane

    Wow – VERY impressive. I wish there was info on how many hours of work went into each one. No doubt I’d be even MORE impressed. Dumb question from a devoted [but clueless] architecture fan – is there any possibility of models being “built” by 3-D printers in the future? Hey, for all I know, that’s going on right now? Have a great week.

    • Hi AJ –
      I can’t speak to all of them, but I can tell you that the Modern Cabin model took about 8 work days to build. That task was accomplished by one of the summer interns we hired (and which we pay) and once I added up her employee expense and the cost of materials, the whole thing came in just under $1,500 to build.

      The 3D printing is already happening for a lot of folks – but not us. The material to print 3D models is still pretty expensive and since we like to build our models at 1/8″ = 1′-0″ scale, the price is still out of reach.

    • Fabrik8

      I’ll add my spin on this from outside the architecture industry, with some intuition about what would apply to architectural models. I am a MechE in the racing industry and do quite a lot with 3D printing in plastics and metals.

      There are various materials and processes that are being used in architectural models from my understanding, although the traditional tradeoffs still exist between cost and surface finish, etc. The cheaper/faster processes don’t generally produce great surface finishes, although at larger scales that might not be an issue.
      Smaller scale models can actually be made quite cost effectively at very high levels of detail, and I’ve seen some stunners used as examples on rapid prototyping vendor’s sites.
      There are very well understood methods to take a CAD model and apply “coring” software to them, such that internal solid areas become a low density core of cross-hatching (or honeycomb or some other fill shape) to dramatically reduce the amount of un-seen material, which both reduces the material volume and printing time (time, material volume, and machine volume are the 3 biggest cost drivers). Because the models are static (strength is not important), they can also be made in multiple pieces and bonded together to make larger models or different colors, etc.

      You wouldn’t want to 3D print anything but the building most likely, as it wouldn’t be remotely cost effective compared to the standard topographic lines made from sign stock or whatever materials.

      Interestingly, one of the very early rapid prototyping processes was actually layers of paper that were laser cut and then stacked/bonded to make a 3D object, which is actually pretty close to cutting things with an X-Acto by hand.
      There’s also laser cutting of balsa wood, which is how a lot of assemble-yourself wooden model kits are made. The easily recognizable dark brown edge is the laser cut edge.

  • David Conley

    Love the models! The attention to detail blows my mind. Makes me want to up the ante on my builds. And I would like to come to the open house. I think it would be a unique experience to see the workings of an architectural firm.

    • Hi David – if you want an invite just sent me an email or go through the contact form on the site. At the top of the site there is a category titled “Questions / Contact” and that’s where you’ll find the form.

  • Ondřej Slunečko

    Those models are really stunning. So much love and manhours put into them, don’t you dare to put them away Bob !

    • Thanks Ondřej – right now the plan is to simply move them up onto the wall so they’re safe … for now. Eventually we’ll have to make room for new models and our office simply isn’t large enough to accommodate what we have. I suppose as far as problems go, “too many models” is a good one to have.

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The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

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