Analog Despite Digital: The Significance of Architectural Model Making in a Digital World
A large part of our work today is digital and virtual—we design with CAD, enhance plans with BIM data, and visualize projects in 3D. Still, sometimes the tried and true methods prove their worth. Take model making, for example, which continues to play a significant role in architecture. Surprisingly, this might seem counterintuitive given the indispensable tools like 3D renderings and simulations, making physical model making appear almost outdated. However, as in life, the magic often lies in the mix: combining digital and analog methods unlocks unique potential. Why Analog When Everything Is Digital?
Anna Stärk
09. December 2024
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Architectural models are tangible and intuitively comprehensible, making them an effective communication tool not only for architects but also for laypeople. They allow for an intuitive grasp of proportions, light, space, and scale—qualities particularly appreciated by those less experienced in interpreting technical construction drawings. Models help convey complex concepts without requiring technical expertise, which is why physical models continue to hold a prominent place in presentations and architectural competitions.
Beyond their tactile and spatial experience, physical models offer more. They serve as a critical tool for identifying errors early in the planning and design process. The three-dimensional representation clarifies how a design functions in real-world space, enabling the adjustment of problem areas before construction begins. The model maker—a recognized profession, by the way—must carefully plan the assembly of components and their sequence, effectively simulating a prototype construction process.
Analog and Digital – Working Hand in Hand Even when the final product is a handcrafted model, digital technologies are often integral to its creation. Laser cutters enable precise cuts and engravings that are nearly impossible to achieve manually. Delicate details such as façade textures, patterns, or railings can be rendered efficiently and precisely. The integration of laser cutting with CAD software saves time, reduces material waste, and opens new creative possibilities.
Similarly, 3D printers are particularly useful for experimental shapes, complex geometries, and situational models. These digital tools complement traditional craftsmanship rather than replacing it, allowing architects and professional architectural model makers—still a relevant profession in our industry today—to deliver precise results.
Conclusion Architectural model making remains an indispensable part of the creative process, even in a digital age, demonstrating how tradition and innovation can harmoniously coexist. Architectural models often serve as cultural artifacts, documenting projects and their development processes over the long term. They frequently find their way into archives or exhibitions, telling stories that inspire not only architects but also viewers.
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Anna Stärk
09. December 2024
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What actually is... amock-up?Sketches, drawings,floor plans, 3D models - the language used by architectural designers tocommunicate visually is not always easy to understand right away in reality -after all, visualizations often only offer a perspective view and plans, gridsand the like must also be able to be read. And even if digitalization has longsince found its way into the field of construction (planning) and architecture,the implementation of a project and the end result is still a highly analoguematter that involves sensory perception. So what helps to illustrate ideas andpossible projects in the best possible way and to give clients, but also thecontractors, tradespeople and suppliers involved, a comprehensive picture ofwhat the future could look like? Exactly, a mock-up, i.e. a modelrepresentation on a scale of 1:1. The term mock-up has its origins in French(maquette) and means something like preliminary model, sketch or draft.
On May 9, 2025, the Industry Night Regio Basel will take place – a unique event where companies open their doors. Blaser Architekten has taken the initiative and brought together seven companies from the region to provide a joint insight into the diverse aspects of construction projects.
The topic of green roofs and biodiversity conservation in inner cities has gained increasing importance in recent years and is becoming a key component of sustainable urban planning. As an architectural practice, we regularly engage with this subject, for example through our work on the Stücki Park project on Hochbergstrasse. This provides good reason to take a closer look. In line with our credo “sharing experience,” we aim to gain deeper insights into why urban greening and bird conservation are so important and what role Basel plays in this context. We spoke with two experts on the subject. In the second part of the interview, we exchanged views with Dr. phil. Monika Schaub from the Department of Building Applications, Trees, and Plant Protection.
Pinterest, digital mood boards, Instagram, ChatGPT and other AI-powered research tools – the number of digital information platforms is vast, and they’ve become an integral part of our daily workflow.
And yet, our analogue architecture library possesses a unique power of its own. As a tactile archive of architectural history and a source of inspiration for future thinking, it remains a constant presence in our studio – sometimes used more, sometimes less, but always accessible.
Our new blog format REVISITED takes a retrospective look at completed projects, offering an assessment of architecture as it is lived over time. We begin with a single-family home in Witterswil, completed in 2012. Situated at the edge of the building zone, the one-storey residence was realised as a densification of an existing plot and includes, in addition to the customary living areas, a slightly recessed studio space. The house was originally occupied by a couple to whom we have returned for a visit 13 years after their move-in.
DEEP DIVE – Auseinandersetzung mit Branchen-Themen: Bauindustrie zwischen Politischem Mikromanagement und Europäisierung
Rückblick auf unser Podiumsgespräch im Klybeck Areal am 3. September 2024. Am 3. September 2024 fand im Klybeck Areal ein spannendes Podiumsgespräch statt, das sich mit der Frage beschäftigte, wie die Bauindustrie den Spagat zwischen politischem Mikromanagement und Europäisierung meistern kann. Gastgeberin auf dem Klybeck Areal war Anita Fetz, alt Ständerätin und Verwaltungsrätin der Rhystadt AG. Auf dem Podium waren Hans Peter Wessels, alt Regierungsrat Kanton Basel-Stadt, Gabriela Theus, Geschäftsführerin Immofonds Asset Management AG Zürich sowie Christian W. Blaser, Blaser Architekten Basel. Moderiert wurde das Podium von Manuel Hutter, Verwaltungsrat der Kontur Projektmanagement AG. Anlass für uns, das Gespräch und die Gedanken dieses Abends noch einmal Revue passieren zu lassen...
The topic of green roofs and biodiversity conservation in inner cities has gained increasing importance in recent years and is becoming a key component of sustainable urban planning. As an architectural practice, we regularly engage with this subject, for example through our work on the Stücki Park project on Hochbergstrasse. This provides good reason to take a closer look. In line with our credo “sharing experience”, we aim to gain deeper insights into why urban greening and bird conservation are so important and what role Basel plays in this context. We spoke with two experts on the subject. We begin with Dr. phil. nat. Jean-Pierre Biber from the Advisory Office for Bird Issues, Department for Nature and Landscape Conservation of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
Participation, collective ownership and self-governance – these three principles form the foundation of housing cooperatives. Unlike private real estate companies, the focus is not on maximising returns, but on the long-term preservation of housing, stable cost-covering rents and social responsibility.
Press Release. After 20 years at the helm of the Board of Trustees of Architektur Dialoge, Christian W. Blaser has stepped down as President. With the transition to a rotational chairmanship within the board, the foundation is reorganising its structure while continuing its established event series and maintaining a focus on the foundation’s future development.
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