New client commissions first sales model.

After a run of industrial models we were happy to return to our roots with an architectural sales model for a nationwide house builder. This project was for their upmarket division who hadn’t traditionally used sales models in their marketing suites but wanted to “give it a try” for this compact development of detached executive homes in the north of England. Time will tell but hopefully they’ll discover, like our regular housing clients, what an effective sales tool these models can be and will come back to us for further models in the not too distant future.

Educational models for two different clients.

We’ve produced a few house section models, or what might be termed “dolls house” models, over the last few years but they don’t come up very often so it was quite a coincidence when two unrelated clients ordered these very similar models within a few weeks of each other towards the end of last year. Both models were to be used as educational aids; one for a London based university and the other for a South coast county council. We delivered the models earlier this month and both clients were delighted with the finished results.

Fourth model this year for national developer.

One of the UK’s largest housing developers has come back to us again for a 4th sales model this year. They’ve been coming to us for many years for their sales models because of the consistent high quality and value we deliver every time. This model was particularly challenging because of the steep topography of the site which meant that virtually every plot was on a different level. As a sales tool it was important that we accurately modelled every step, retaining wall and embankment across the site so that purchasers could easily understand the levels and contours around whichever house they were looking to buy.

Third project this year for South of England developer.

As with the previous post, this is one of three sales models we’ve produced this year for another of our regular clients who keep coming back to us for high quality sales models for their marketing suites. This model was at 1:150 scale which is the ideal scale option for smaller housing developments. Larger developments typically need to be at 1:200 scale or even 1:250 scale just to keep the model base to a manageable size. We were planning to post photos of all three projects this month but two of the almost completed models have gone on hold at the last minute due to some late design changes on site. It’s probably going to be a couple of months before the other two models can be fully completed but hopefully we’ll be able to post finished pics towards the end of this year.

Third sales model this year for major UK house builder.

This is the third sales model we’ve produced this year for one of the UK’s biggest housing developers. We’ve been supplying high quality sales models for their marketing suites for over 12 years and have another very large project for them booked in later this year. An important feature of this site was the sloping topography which had to be very precisely modelled so that the gardens with retaining walls and steps could be accurately represented. If you click on the right inset pic above you can see a close up example of these level changes.

Our Latest Projects | Modelmakers | City model

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.