Site Model Experimentation
The beginning of my third year of studying required the creation of yet another site model for our design module. The project (which is still underway) is to design a master plan within a group of 5, then to individually design one of the separate buildings in greater detail, taking into account the master plan. We were required to create a model at a scale of 1:500, which would be used for the charette and for our own work. When we started planning the group model we decided we wanted to do something different from the normal. Lets get rid of the foam board, cardboard and the lazer floor plans of the buildings stacked on top of each other.
Above is what we created. We decided within our group that we wanted to go down the route of an industrial pallet of materials. We started out with lazer cutting the base board. This is pretty standard, but it allows you to accurately layout the surrounding buildings, so it was necessary. For the water, which is one of the key elements of the site, we decided upon using metal. This was something new to all of us. We went for a tarnished plate of 2 mm steel, and used a large clamp to cut out a piece to sit below the lazer cut layer. Next for the trees, the idea of using just nails was our first idea. However on talking to the workshop technicians he suggested that we use screws and vary the types of nails. This created an effect that echoed the spread of various types of trees. The buildings were created from a bunch of scraps of a high density modeling material (not entirely sure what is was called), this allowed us to create the required intricate shapes which would indicate the surrounding buildings.
Placed on the model was the scheme we created during a day long charette, which forced us to design a scheme for the entire master from scratch and then present it at the end of the day. A great exercise even if it did take its toll within the group as it got the project started, something which can often be hard in group work.
That's all for now,...