Echo House Benchmarking

Appropriate research into the site provides insight into colours, textures and materials that in conjunction with technical drawings, CAD models and benchmarking allow the Modelmaker, client and colleagues to begin envisioning what the model might look like before construction begins. This is an extraordinarily important part off the process in order to produce a model accurate to expectations providing preliminary information that helps the maker to produce other support documentation such as time plans. Greatly streamlining the making process in a professional and orderly manner.

Whilst all of this information makes for excellent resources benchmarking perhaps gives the most insight as to what you can expect the final outcome to look like. Hinting at potential scale scale, technique and material / colour palette. It is an excellent source of inspiration. One book I have found particularly useful when researching for this project and others in the past is Architectural Modelmaking by Nick Dunn providing excellent insight into the materials proposed for model construction and how to visually compose them without distracting from the building and its wonderful architecture.

As seen in the first image detailing descriptive models (presentation models) I feel this best suits my aim to produce a model signifying 'the culmination - of the design process.' (post design phase). This will in turn provide me with a show piece helping to support my portfolio and demonstrating the progression of my skills as an architectural modelmaker. 'Illustrating the complete and fully detailed arrangement of an architectural solution, often within the context of its immediate surroundings.'

The Duggan Morris Architects model shown above, shares certain benchmarks in terms of a presentation model with emphasis on the façade, colour palette and material representation. This was useful for the planning of my own model, such as acrylic with a cellulose paint spray and a lighter + darker version of the same colour to hint at the other tones you would expect to see on brickwork. I will also control variables such as the thickness of the paint and spray gun settings to add texture, contributing to an accurate representation materials on both a conscious and subliminal level. Also helping to break up the visuals creating another level of detail whilst paying attention to the tones and how they complement the surrounding building and street.