Why build a model? Sightline Architectural Models

Why build a model?
Most people find it difficult to visualize the three-dimensional reality of an architectural design presented to them in two-dimensional drawings. Even architects, who read drawings every day, make use of models as the most reliable way to visualize three dimensional forms as they will actually appear. An accurate model can be the best way to communicate design ideas in a way that enables the viewer to appreciate all aspects of a design: the massing of forms or the effect of important details; the functionality of spatial arrangements or the organization of sight lines and views; the nuances of forms and materials, or the overall elegance of a design solution. A model is an effective way to analyze functional as well as visual relationships between the components of a design, and will often reveal potential problems before they are poured in concrete and become expensive to fix. A model can render the most complex design concept clearly and dramatically understandable, and enable the designer, client, or general public to visualize the possibility of even the most ambitious projects. Models also tend to give even simple ideas a certain appeal, and foster a faith that the project can actually be built. The following describes some of the ways that our models have been used:
	Design development: Architects and designers have used our models as an integral part of the process of developing a design from initial concept to final form, and as a crucial method of communication with clients.
	Presentations: Architects, builders, developers, and real estate companies have used our models for presentations to clients, zoning boards, builders, and potential buyers.
	Site models: It is particularly difficult to visualize the way new construction will look on its site, or in relation to existing structures. A model can include as much detailed landscaping as necessary to give a complete and appealing impression of the project.
	Visualizing a dream home: Many of our clients are homeowners who have used a model to make design and decorating decisions about both the exterior and the interior of a house while it is still on the drawing board. Designers have found our models indispensable in convincing anxious clients that a proposed house would be both beautiful and livable, appropriate to both their tastes and their needs.
	Advertising and Sales. A model can be an indispensable tool in the sales office of a condominium complex or planned unit development, particularly when one is trying to sell property before any ground has been broken. Photographs of models can also make convincing additions to brochures.
	Public displays: It is often important to generate public interest and support for a project. An attractive and impressively detailed model can inform the public and sell your idea in a way that two-dimensional drawings or even an artist's rendering cannot. Our models have also been used as museum displays.
	Fund raising. Non-profit organizations have used our models for fundraising campaigns, enabling potential donors to visualize the completed project. A model not only communicates ideas, but generates interest in a project and builds faith in a project's feasibility.
A custom-built model can be constructed to fit unusual as well as commonplace purposes. The staff at Sightline is happy to work with closely with clients to insure that the result is tailored to any particular needs.