12 Preface Why build a model out of wood,acrylic,or metal,when you can render it digitally with remarkable realism?What is there to be gained from this ancient craft?In this book I hope to give readers not only a better understanding of the value of models-for the designer,the designer's audience,and model makers themselves-but to inspire in them a passion for the physical and intellectual pleasures of the craft,a love of making While many architecture students and young practitioners know models mainly as a challenging and time-consuming task to be fulfilled after the design process is completed,models are in fact first and foremost a means for investigation,for carrying an idea forward.As such,physical models are a uniquely revealing and compelling tool.More forcefully than any other way of visualizing a building-apart from its actual construction-models represent ideas,as opposed to images.Embedded in the model is the concept of the design,which the model translates into matter and time.And each of these worlds-the material and the temporal- imposes itself on the designer's investigation.Physical models make the invisible visible:the rules that apply to matter and time become evident to the model maker and thus become filters for his or her design explorations. Suddenly,the designer is faced with both the limitations of the material and its opportunities in the real world. Imagine,for example,exploring an idea about a cylindrical building element.As long as you are merely thinking about or drawing it,it is simply a geometrical form.Once you build it in physical space,however,it must be a rubber cylinder,a tiny cylinder,a rigid cylinder,an opaque cylinder, a smooth cylinder,or a rough one.In other words,you have to commit to many other qualities beyond the geometry. And yet,while requiring such decisions,the model does not demand particular ones,allowing for exploration.However tangible,it is not the building itself.It maintains a degree of abstraction that affords you the freedom to entertain and explore various options.You are not restricted to a particular process for a particular outcome.If you're interested in achieving translucency,for example,you can begin by investigating that quality through the selection of a material,a specific tool,a particular modeling technique,an applied technology,or any combination thereof. Similarly,if you are composing a building's surface in a particular pattern,coupling that pattern with a material and making it three- dimensional leaves you with many important questions.How deep is the pattern?How is it distinguished from the field on which it appears? Is the pattern a reveal or is it part of a three-dimensional element?A conversation begins between the model and the concept,demanding that you deepen your original idea,that you fill it out. Time has an impact as well,but it comes with more opportunities than constraints.While two-dimensional renderings and drawings force you to compile a totality out of discrete images,models allow a real-time view of your idea within one visual frame.The model helps you locate yourself in space.You are active in time around the object,and you can dissect it in time.Model making also lengthens time.While you are making something
Why build a model out of wood, acrylic, or metal, when you can render it digitally with remarkable realism? What is there to be gained from this ancient craft? In this book I hope to give readers not only a better understanding of the value of models—for the designer, the designer’s audience, and model makers themselves—but to inspire in them a passion for the physical and intellectual pleasures of the craft, a love of making. While many architecture students and young practitioners know models mainly as a challenging and time-consuming task to be fulfilled after the design process is completed, models are in fact first and foremost a means for investigation, for carrying an idea forward. As such, physical models are a uniquely revealing and compelling tool. More forcefully than any other way of visualizing a building—apart from its actual construction—models represent ideas, as opposed to images. Embedded in the model is the concept of the design, which the model translates into matter and time. And each of these worlds—the material and the temporal— imposes itself on the designer’s investigation. Physical models make the invisible visible: the rules that apply to matter and time become evident to the model maker and thus become filters for his or her design explorations. Suddenly, the designer is faced with both the limitations of the material and its opportunities in the real world. Imagine, for example, exploring an idea about a cylindrical building element. As long as you are merely thinking about or drawing it, it is simply a geometrical form. Once you build it in physical space, however, it must be a rubber cylinder, a tiny cylinder, a rigid cylinder, an opaque cylinder, a smooth cylinder, or a rough one. In other words, you have to commit to many other qualities beyond the geometry. And yet, while requiring such decisions, the model does not demand particular ones, allowing for exploration. However tangible, it is not the building itself. It maintains a degree of abstraction that affords you the freedom to entertain and explore various options. You are not restricted to a particular process for a particular outcome. If you’re interested in achieving translucency, for example, you can begin by investigating that quality through the selection of a material, a specific tool, a particular modeling technique, an applied technology, or any combination thereof. Similarly, if you are composing a building’s surface in a particular pattern, coupling that pattern with a material and making it threedimensional leaves you with many important questions. How deep is the pattern? How is it distinguished from the field on which it appears? Is the pattern a reveal or is it part of a three-dimensional element? A conversation begins between the model and the concept, demanding that you deepen your original idea, that you fill it out. Time has an impact as well, but it comes with more opportunities than constraints. While two-dimensional renderings and drawings force you to compile a totality out of discrete images, models allow a real-time view of your idea within one visual frame. The model helps you locate yourself in space. You are active in time around the object, and you can dissect it in time. Model making also lengthens time. While you are making something, Preface 12
13 you are in process mode,and your ideas have time to develop,moving between the brain,eye,and hand.Once you start building the model, other ideas will begin to flow,and you will find inspiration as you become comfortable translating design concepts into three dimensions. This book will help the reader take the leap to fully integrate model making into your design process.The following pages present thirty-three concept blocks whose abstract nature and isolated conditions allow the reader to learn about various ways to investigate his or her own design ideas in three dimensions.The simple distilled form of each block isolates one or more modes of physical investigation,taking the complexity out of the making process and amplifying specific aspects or conditions of conceptual and representational design ideas.Each block is described in seven categories,including material,tools,tips and techniques, applied technologies and alternate methods,architectural concepts, a related existing model,and suggested alternatives.These categories are expanded in the corresponding appendices following the concept blocks.Here you will find supplemental information about materials,tools, and applied technologies,as well as a glossary of design concepts and additional tips and techniques. Readers can peruse the book in whatever order they find most useful. They might want to flip through the concept blocks looking for inspiration, or read the appendices for information.Above all,I hope the book will encourage the reader to explore the many possibilities model making can bring to the art of design
13 you are in process mode, and your ideas have time to develop, moving between the brain, eye, and hand. Once you start building the model, other ideas will begin to flow, and you will find inspiration as you become comfortable translating design concepts into three dimensions. This book will help the reader take the leap to fully integrate model making into your design process. The following pages present thirty-three concept blocks whose abstract nature and isolated conditions allow the reader to learn about various ways to investigate his or her own design ideas in three dimensions. The simple distilled form of each block isolates one or more modes of physical investigation, taking the complexity out of the making process and amplifying specific aspects or conditions of conceptual and representational design ideas. Each block is described in seven categories, including material, tools, tips and techniques, applied technologies and alternate methods, architectural concepts, a related existing model, and suggested alternatives. These categories are expanded in the corresponding appendices following the concept blocks. Here you will find supplemental information about materials, tools, and applied technologies, as well as a glossary of design concepts and additional tips and techniques. Readers can peruse the book in whatever order they find most useful. They might want to flip through the concept blocks looking for inspiration, or read the appendices for information. Above all, I hope the book will encourage the reader to explore the many possibilities model making can bring to the art of design
14 Acknowledgments Model making is at its core a collaboration.Similarly,this book is a group effort,greatly enriched by the contributions of people within my community who I have worked with and learned from over the past three decades. The ideas presented in this book emanate from my life's involvement in architecture and design,starting with my education at Virginia Tech,which evolved into my business,zDp models,and my teaching position in design at California College of the Arts(CCA). Thank you to the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech and to my professors and mentors there:Lucie and Olivio Ferrari, Gene Egger,Hans Rott,and Ellen Braaten,who taught me to see the world through a making lens.I would also like to thank CCA for supporting the book with a faculty development grant and my students at CCA,who provide me with constant inspiration.I am also continually stimulated by the creative community in the building where my shop is located,the American Industrial Center,home to many creative minds. I especially want to thank Clare Jacobson,formerly of Princeton Architectural Press,for so enthusiastically responding to an AlA lecture on craft and technology I gave in San Francisco in 2009 and approaching me to write this volume.Clare's immediate understanding of the concept and structure for the book was instrumental in getting it off the ground. Additionally.I would like to thank my editor,Nicola Bednarek Brower,for taking the book on and guiding it to its completion. I am grateful to Emily Abruzzo for writing the preface,framing the emotional side of model making. I would also like to recognize Dina Dobkin for assisting with the coordination and production of the manuscript.Dina also generated the instructional illustrations accompanying the Tips Techniques.Brian Fong ably assisted in the production and postproduction of the photographs and illustrations.Thank you to Joanna Howser for jumping in toward the end to edit the text. Thank you to the crew at zDp models,Eric Paulson,Ania Wagner,and Tudlik Moerk,for your invaluable help.Thanks also to Tim Culvahouse for translating my ideas into prose and Gerry Ratto,whom I have had the pleasure of working with for over a decade,for translating my ideas into images.I would like to acknowledge Kyle McDonald and Sarah Cohen for introducing graphic clarity to the initial book proposal. I am grateful to Charlie Sheldon and Link Studios for allowing us to use their space for photography. I would like to thank my parents,Tom and Jan Werner,and my sisters, Ann and Gail,for their support and love in all my creative endeavors. Last but not least,I would like to thank my husband,Matthew Millman, not only for taking most of the beautiful photographs in this book but also for supporting me throughout the entire process
14 Model making is at its core a collaboration. Similarly, this book is a group effort, greatly enriched by the contributions of people within my community who I have worked with and learned from over the past three decades. The ideas presented in this book emanate from my life’s involvement in architecture and design, starting with my education at Virginia Tech, which evolved into my business, zDp models, and my teaching position in design at California College of the Arts (CCA). Thank you to the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech and to my professors and mentors there: Lucie and Olivio Ferrari, Gene Egger, Hans Rott, and Ellen Braaten, who taught me to see the world through a making lens. I would also like to thank CCA for supporting the book with a faculty development grant and my students at CCA, who provide me with constant inspiration. I am also continually stimulated by the creative community in the building where my shop is located, the American Industrial Center, home to many creative minds. I especially want to thank Clare Jacobson, formerly of Princeton Architectural Press, for so enthusiastically responding to an AIA lecture on craft and technology I gave in San Francisco in 2009 and approaching me to write this volume. Clare’s immediate understanding of the concept and structure for the book was instrumental in getting it off the ground. Additionally, I would like to thank my editor, Nicola Bednarek Brower, for taking the book on and guiding it to its completion. I am grateful to Emily Abruzzo for writing the preface, framing the emotional side of model making. I would also like to recognize Dina Dobkin for assisting with the coordination and production of the manuscript. Dina also generated the instructional illustrations accompanying the Tips & Techniques. Brian Fong ably assisted in the production and postproduction of the photographs and illustrations. Thank you to Joanna Howser for jumping in toward the end to edit the text. Thank you to the crew at zDp models, Eric Paulson, Ania Wagner, and Tudlik Moerk, for your invaluable help. Thanks also to Tim Culvahouse for translating my ideas into prose and Gerry Ratto, whom I have had the pleasure of working with for over a decade, for translating my ideas into images. I would like to acknowledge Kyle McDonald and Sarah Cohen for introducing graphic clarity to the initial book proposal. I am grateful to Charlie Sheldon and Link Studios for allowing us to use their space for photography. I would like to thank my parents, Tom and Jan Werner, and my sisters, Ann and Gail, for their support and love in all my creative endeavors. Last but not least, I would like to thank my husband, Matthew Millman, not only for taking most of the beautiful photographs in this book but also for supporting me throughout the entire process. Acknowledgments
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Concept Blocks
Concept Blocks