Two 1 metre long models for Finnish client.

We’ve produced many different satellite models over the years and recently completed two identical 1m long models for a client in Finland. The models have three removable hanging hooks because they’ve been designed to hang above an exhibition stand at an upcoming event. In one of the inset photos you can see how we used clear acrylic angle brackets to support the solar panels which weren’t strong enough to be self-supporting. The models were packed in two flight cases strapped to a pallet and arrived safe and sound in Finland last week.

Detailed models of three historic sites.

Back in 2021 we completed three models of megalithic tombs for a Heritage Centre in Northern Ireland (see Recent projects – May 2021) and they were so pleased with them they came back to us for three more models which we’ve just completed. As you can see from the photos above, they were three very diverse sites; a ruined church, a disused Water Mill and a landmark Cairn but hopefully we’ve captured the spirit and character of each of these three historic sites. All the models had to be interpreted from very limited information, chiefly consisting of images from reference books in conjunction with current site photos.

Detailed model with extending fold-down ramp.

At 1:25 scale this model of an aircraft boarding system was only 450mm long but as you can see from the photos we were able to include plenty of realistic detail including scaled down branding and and even a fold-down ramp. The finished model also came with a clear Perspex cover and a foam lined transportation case.

Mangled model restored to former glory.

If you’ve got a damaged model that looks beyond repair make sure you contact us before you throw it in the skip – we may be able to give it a whole new lease of life. This industrial model had been shipped to events all round Europe since 2015 (when we built it) before it got badly damaged in transit. The client asked if we could repair it and we were happy to oblige. Of course it helped that we’d made the model originally but even if your model was made elsewhere, as long as you’ve kept most of the broken pieces and can supply plenty of photos of how it looked before the damage, we should be able to restore it to its former glory at a significant saving compared with rebuilding it from scratch.

Topographical landscape model.

Featuring the site of a gas-fired power station on the Pembrokeshire coast, this large topographical model was built at 1:1000 scale which is an ideal scale option for a large spread-out site. At this scale 1 millimetre represents 1 metre so a 2Km long site fits onto a 2m long base which is big but still manageable, as long as you have space in your marketing suite. Even though the scale is small it still allows us to show a recognizable level of detail for any important buildings whilst any surrounding context buildings can be shown as massing blocks which helps to keep costs down.

Stylized model showing multiple industries.

The brief for this project was to create a physical model of an existing CGI created landscape showing all the various industrial sectors the company worked in. The only information they were able to give us was a set of still-frame images of the landscape so we had to create our own CAD from scratch before we could start constructing the model. The muted greys and greens are an exact copy of the CGI graphic but we feel they work very well for this stylized industrial landscape. As you can see from the photo above, we also incorporated LED lighting. The system allowed 16 zones to be individually controlled from the client’s laptop.

Cardiff city model relocated to Cardiff Castle.

We’ve just moved our 6.5m x 5.5m model of Cardiff city into the visitor centre at Cardiff Castle, an exciting new venue where it will become part of the organised castle tour. The model is fully interactive with a touch screen interface that provides onscreen information whilst lighting up the relevant building or area on the model. If you click on the left inset pic above you should be able to spot (despite the rain) the profile of the castle’s twelve-sided Norman Keep, one of the finest examples in Wales.

Roof terrace presentation for our 6.5m x 5.5m city model.

Four years ago when we built this giant masterplan model as the centrepiece for a Cardiff marketing suite, little did we know that it would become one of the most “travelled” models we’ve ever produced. We’ve set it up at numerous different local events, three locations in London and even a major property show in Cannes. This latest outing was for an important presentation on a roof top terrace of the new BBC headquarters in Cardiff city centre. The building was actually still under construction so we had to negotiate our way past all the different trades working on site when we brought the model in. Luckily for us, the weather was good, as you can see from the pics, and no seagulls came in to land on our scaled down version of Cardiff Bay. The model is now back in its usual location until the next time it has to go on its travels. We don’t know where that will be but wherever it is, we do know the sky’s the limit for our Cardiff City model!

…well, an event nearby, at least. .

We were asked to take our 6.5m x 5.5m interactive model of Cardiff up to London for an event that coincided with the London Marathon. As it happened, the venue was very close to the finishing line in Pall Mall which caused all sorts of problems with access for unloading and setting up the model. With some detailed advanced preparations, including advising the police that two white vans and a six man team would be arriving in the area, we were able to overcome all the issues and ensure the model was on site looking its best for the event. Our well-travelled model has been to many different venues including three trips to London and one to Cannes.

Our Cardiff model shines at Cannes Mipim

We’re just recovering from transporting our 6.5m x 5.5m interactive model of Cardiff all the way to Cannes and back for the Mipim 2015 property marketing event. We had to pack the model up in two large vans, drive for 2 days to Cannes via Eurotunnel, set the model up, hang around Cannes for 3 days (it wasn’t all hard work) and then do the whole process in reverse, getting the model reinstalled in its marketing suite in Cardiff for a VIP event last week. Fortunately the model was specially designed so that it could be taken apart and transported to different locations as this was a major requirement in our original brief. So far it’s been to Cannes this year, London Mipim last October, and a couple of local venues earlier last year. No doubt we’ll be off on our travels again soon – watch this space.