Architectural Model Point of View. Miniature and Its Representation Beyond Words

Abstract

With this article, the author intends to reflect on the role of the plastic model and its representation through the use of photography and images as a means of narrating the architectural project, arguing that they are very often more effective than words. This reflection stems from the contemporary debate on the role of the model in the era of digitisation and its tendency to become an increasingly autonomous object. Moreover, with the progressive spread of digital technologies and the ease of access to software and devices for producing, storing, manipulating, transmitting and sharing images, the number of images in circulation has increased dramatically (Pinotti, 2016). The expressive capacity of the model is manifested not only through its materiality but also through two-dimensional visual representations, which contribute to further reflexive reading of the project. In this context, we intend to present a practical case concerning the creation of two-scale maquettes and the production of photographic images of preferential views of the model aimed at the dissemination of the project.

Keywords

• architectural model
• photography
• digital fabrication
• representation
• visualization