Roof-off view of Porter’s Lodge refurbishment, St John’s College, Oxford.

Whilst the majority of the models we produce are about external appearances, occasionally we get a project like this where the main purpose is to show internal views. Often the best way to do this is to create a model with a “roof-off” view like this recently completed model showing the planned internal refurbishment of the Porter’s Lodge at St. John’s College, Oxford. We’ve shown the new proposals in full colour to differentiate them from the existing buildings which are stylized and painted white. Part of the refurbishment proposals include a new front courtyard with an arched colonnade entrance feature which is why these areas are also shown in colour. The courtyard retains all the existing trees, some of which are close to 300mm tall at 1:50 scale. We actually custom-made all the trees to reflect the shape and characteristics of the real trees.

White styled model showing internal room layout.

We produced two conventional housing models last month but this small model was a bit different, showing the internal room layout of the four standard designs on offer in a large apartment block. The stylised internal modelling is considerably less expensive than realistic colour and detail but still gives a clear indication of room function and spatial organization within the apartment. At 1:50 scale the model base is less than a metre long so doesn’t require too much space in a sales office.

Two 1:400 scale models of parcel handling depot

UK Mail ordered two identical site models of their huge new facility at Ryton because they needed an overview model at either end of the site, one in the offices and one in the main warehouse building. Constructing two models at the same time enabled us to offer them a significant saving on the second unit. 1:400 scale is a good option for a site model because it keeps the base size down but still allows us to show a recognisable level of detail. We were even able to show a good representation of the parcel handling conveyors through the cut-away roof (click on the inset pic above to see the detail).

with tailored flight case for model on the move.

The client for this project wanted a demonstration model that could be safely transported and easily set up in potential customer’s premises. Our solution was this 1:15 scale model which was designed as a set of individual units that could be packed into a specially tailored travel case (see image above). The units are only 140mm tall but are made with realistic detail so that their function is instantly recognisable. To complete the picture we also created a “flat-pack” room setting made from white acrylic panels.

 Industrial model with cut-away internal view

The client for this project was actually the supplier of the oil that goes inside the transformer who wanted to show a typical application of their product in use. That’s why the model shows a cut-away view with a representation of the transformer being full of oil inside. The contained oil is represented by 0.5mm clear acrylic with a pale, slightly rippled amber lacquered finish. It was important that the volume of oil was visible to the eye but clear enough to allow slightly distorted views of the transformer’s internal components. The model was supplied with a purpose-built, aluminium framed flight case because its first use was to be shipped overseas to a trade exhibition.

Fully detailed sales model for the retirement homes sector.

The client for this project got in touch after we were recommended to him by one of our other clients who we’ve worked with for many years. In fact, quite a bit of our work comes via this route and it’s always gratifying to know that our customers are happy to recommend us to other organisations. This model is at 1:150 scale which, as you can see from the photos, allows us to show a high level of architectural detail. It’s an ideal scale choice for mid-sized buildings or compact developments comprising several smaller buildings.

Phase 2 buildings added after first phase sells quickly.

When we originally delivered this model in March last year the phase 1 buildings were all fully detailed but the client (Enterprise Retirement Living) only wanted grey massing blocks for the phase 2 buildings, three new-build apartment blocks, which were still in the design process. Seven months down the line and with the model helping generate strong sales, the client asked us to add detailed versions of the apartment blocks which we completed before Christmas. The main image above shows the three new detailed buildings we’ve just added. The right hand smaller image shows how the model looked back in March with the three grey massing blocks visible in the background.

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.

Large illuminated model for marketing suite.

We recently completed this illuminated sales model for a Thames-side housing development in East London. At approx. 2m x 1.4m it is a larger than usual model but the client had allowed plenty of space for it as a centrepiece of their on-site marketing suite. The lighting effects include the option to light up four separate phases individually, controlled by the buttons visible on the front edge of the model. If you click on the right inset image above to enlarge it you can see the high level of detail we can achieve, even at 1:250 scale which is the smallest scale option suitable for this type of sales model.

Illuminated model for horse therapy product.

The client for this project wanted an eye catching model they could use as a promotional tool at an event in Saudi Arabia. They wanted to showcase their product, a vibrating floor system, in a typical high end stables setting and asked us if we could come up with a design. As a starting point they gave us a hand drawn floor plan for the stables and we took it from there. We developed this fully realised 3d representation including battery powered lights to bring the model to life. We also provided a sturdy travel case with customised foam inserts to protect the model in transit.

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.

Fully interactive model for Notting Hill Sales.

One of our existing clients recommended our services to Notting Hill Sales which lead to us producing this fully interactive sales model for one of their major developments in London. The interactive element allows touch-screen controlled illumination of individual apartments with floor plans visible on screen and various filter options such as number of beds, aspect, availability, etc. Due to limited space in the marketing suite, we had to use a smaller than usual scale for this type of model which made it much more tricky to build in the wiring and individual apartment lights. The client asked us to create a “ghosted” but recognisable representation of an existing on-site building so our solution was to model it in clear acrylic, but still replicating a lot of the building’s architectural features – you should be able to pick this up in the photos.