presentation model architecture

Presentation Model

Represent the state and behavior of the presentation independently of the GUI controls used in the interface

Also Known as: Application Model

19 July 2004

This is part of the Further Enterprise Application Architecture development writing that I was doing in the mid 2000’s. Sadly too many other things have claimed my attention since, so I haven’t had time to work on them further, nor do I see much time in the foreseeable future. As such this material is very much in draft form and I won’t be doing any corrections or updates until I’m able to find time to work on it again.

GUIs consist of widgets that contain the state of the GUI screen. Leaving the state of the GUI in widgets makes it harder to get at this state, since that involves manipulating widget APIs, and also encourages putting presentation behavior in the view class.

Presentation Model pulls the state and behavior of the view out into a model class that is part of the presentation. The Presentation Model coordinates with the domain layer and provides an interface to the view that minimizes decision making in the view. The view either stores all its state in the Presentation Model or synchronizes its state with Presentation Model frequently

Presentation Model may interact with several domain objects, but Presentation Model is not a GUI friendly facade to a specific domain object. Instead it is easier to consider Presentation Model as an abstract of the view that is not dependent on a specific GUI framework. While several views can utilize the same Presentation Model , each view should require only one Presentation Model . In the case of composition a Presentation Model may contain one or many child Presentation Model instances, but each child control will also have only one Presentation Model .

Presentation Model is known to users of Visual Works Smalltalk as Application Model

How it Works

The essence of a Presentation Model is of a fully self-contained class that represents all the data and behavior of the UI window, but without any of the controls used to render that UI on the screen. A view then simply projects the state of the presentation model onto the glass.

To do this the Presentation Model will have data fields for all the dynamic information of the view. This won't just include the contents of controls, but also things like whether or not they are enabled. In general the Presentation Model does not need to hold all of this control state (which would be lot) but any state that may change during the interaction of the user. So if a field is always enabled, there won't be extra data for its state in the Presentation Model .

Since the Presentation Model contains data that the view needs to display the controls you need to synchronize the Presentation Model with the view. This synchronization usually needs to be tighter than synchronization with the domain - screen synchronization is not sufficient, you'll need field or key synchronization.

To illustrate things a bit better, I'll use the aspect of the running example where the composer field is only enabled if the classical check box is checked.

Figure 1: Classes showing structure relevant to clicking the classical check box

Figure 2: How objects react to clicking the classical check box.

When someone clicks the classical check box the check box changes its state and then calls the appropriate event handler in the view. This event handler saves the state of the view to Presentation Model and then updates itself from the Presentation Model (I'm assuming a coarse-grained synchronization here.) The Presentation Model contains the logic that says that the composer field is only enabled if the check box is checked, so the when the view updates itself from the Presentation Model , the composer field control changes its enablement state. I've indicated on the diagram that the Presentation Model would typically have a property specifically to mark whether the composer field should be enabled. This will, of course, just return the value of the isClassical property in this case - but the separate property is important because that property encapsulates how the Presentation Model determines whether the composer field is enabled - clearly indicating that that decision is the responsibility of the Presentation Model .

This small example is illustrates the essence of the idea of the Presentation Model - all the decisions needed for presentation display are made by the Presentation Model leaving the view to be utterly simple.

Probably the most annoying part of Presentation Model is the synchronization between Presentation Model and view. It's simple code to write, but I always like to minimize this kind of boring repetitive code. Ideally some kind of framework could handle this, which I'm hoping will happen some day with technologies like .NET's data binding.

A particular decision you have to make with synchronization in Presentation Model is which class should contain the synchronization code. Often, this decision is largely based on the desired level of test coverage and the chosen implementation of Presentation Model . If you put the synchronization in the view, it won't get picked up by tests on the Presentation Model . If you put it in the Presentation Model you add a dependency to the view in the Presentation Model which means more coupling and stubbing. You could add a mapper between them, but adds yet more classes to coordinate. When making the decision of which implementation to use it is important to remember that although faults do occur in synchronization code, they are usually easy to spot and fix (unless you use fine-grained synchronization).

An important implementation detail of Presentation Model is whether the View should reference the Presentation Model or the Presentation Model should reference the View. Both implementations provide pros and cons.

A Presentation Model that references a view generally maintains the synchronization code in the Presentation Model . The resulting view is very dumb. The view contains setters for any state that is dynamic and raises events in response to user actions. The views implement interfaces allowing for easy stubbing when testing the Presentation Model . The Presentation Model will observe the view and respond to events by changing any appropriate state and reloading the entire view. As a result the synchronization code can be easily tested without needing the actual UI class.

A Presentation Model that is referenced by a view generally maintains the synchronization code in the view. Because the synchronization code is generally easy to write and easy to spot errors it is recommended that the testing occur on the Presentation Model and not the View. If you are compelled to write tests for the view this should be a clue that the view contains code that should belong in the Presentation Model . If you prefer to test the synchronization, a Presentation Model that references a view implementation is recommended.

When to Use It

Presentation Model is a pattern that pulls presentation behavior from a view. As such it's an alternative to to Supervising Controller and Passive View . It's useful for allowing you to test without the UI, support for some form of multiple view and a separation of concerns which may make it easier to develop the user interface.

Compared to Passive View and Supervising Controller , Presentation Model allows you to write logic that is completely independent of the views used for display. You also do not need to rely on the view to store state. The downside is that you need a synchronization mechanism between the presentation model and the view. This synchronization can be very simple, but it is required. Separated Presentation requires much less synchronization and Passive View doesn't need any at all.

Example: Running Example (View References PM) (C#)

Here's a version of the running example , developed in C# with Presentation Model .

Figure 3: The album window.

I'll start discussing the basic layout from the domain model outwards. Since the domain isn't the focus of this example, it's very uninteresting. It's essentially just a data set with a single table holding the data for an album. Here's the code for setting up a few test albums. I'm using a strongly typed data set.

The Presentation Model wraps this data set and provides properties to get at the data. There's a single instance of the Presentation Model for the whole table, corresponding to the single instance of the window. The Presentation Model has fields for the data set and also keeps track of which album is currently selected.

class PmodAlbum...

PmodAlbum provides properties to get at the data in the data set. Essentially I provide a property for each bit of information that the form needs to display. For those values which are just pulled directly out of the data set, this property is pretty simple.

The title of the window is based on the album title. I provide this through another property.

I have a property to see if the composer field should be enabled.

This is just a call to the public IsClassical property. You may wonder why the form doesn't just call this directly - but this is the essence of the encapsulation that the Presentation Model provides. PmodAlbum decides what the logic is for enabling that field, the fact that it's simply based on a property is known to the Presentation Model but not to the view.

The apply and cancel buttons should only be enabled if the data has changed. I can provide this by checking the state of that row of the dataset, since data sets record this information.

The list box in the view shows a list of the album titles. PmodAlbum provides this list.

So that covers the interface that PmodAlbum presents to the view. Next I'll look at how I do the synchronization between the view and the Presentation Model . I've put the synchronization methods in the view and am using coarse-grained synchronization. First I have a method to push the state of the view into the Presentation Model .

class FrmAlbum...

This method is very simple, just assigning the mutable parts of the view to the Presentation Model . The load method is a touch more complicated.

The complication here is avoiding a infinite recursion since synchronizing causes fields on the form to update which triggers synchronization.... I guard against that with a flag.

With these synchronization methods in place, the next step is just to call the right bit of synchronization in event handlers for the controls. Most of the time this easy, just call SyncWithPmod when data changes.

Some cases are more involved. When the user clicks on a new item in the list we need to navigate to a new album and show its data.

Notice that this method abandons any changes if you click on the list. I've done this awful bit of usability to keep the example simple, the form should really at least pop up a confirmation box to avoid losing the changes.

The apply and cancel buttons delegate what to do to the Presentation Model .

So although I can move most of the behavior to the Presentation Model , the view still retains some intelligence. For the testing aspect of Presentation Model to work better, it would be nice to move more. Certainly you can move more into the Presentation Model by moving the synchronization logic there, at the expense of having the Presentation Model know more about the view.

Example: Data Binding Table Example (C#)

As I first looked at Presentation Model in the .NET framework, it seemed that data binding provided excellent technology to make Presentation Model work simply. So far limitations in the current version of data binding holds it back from places that I'm sure it will eventually go. One area where data binding can work very well is with read-only data, so here is an example that shows this as well as how tables can fit in with a Presentation Model design.

Figure 4: A list of albums with the rock ones highlighted.

This is just a list of albums. The extra behavior is that each rock album should have it's row colored in cornsilk.

I'm using a slightly different data set to the other example. Here is the code for some test data.

The presentation model in this case reveals its internal data set as a property. This allows the form to data bind directly to the cells in the data set.

To support the highlighting, the presentation model provides an additional method that indexes into the table.

This method is similar to the ones in a simple example, the difference being that methods on table data need cell coordinates to pick out parts of the table. In this case all we need is a row number, but in general we may need row and column numbers.

From here on I can use the standard data binding facilities that come with visual studio. I can bind table cells easily to data in the data set, and also to data on the Presentation Model .

Getting the color to work is a little bit more involved. This is straying a little bit away from the main thrust of the example, but the whole thing gets its complication because there's no way to have row by row highlighting on the standard WinForms table control. In general the answer to this need is to buy a third party control, but I'm too cheap to do this. So for the curious here's what I did (the idea was mostly ripped off from http://www.syncfusion.com/FAQ/WinForms/). I'm going to assume you're familiar with the guts of WinForms from now on.

Essentially I made a subclass of DataGridTextBoxColumn which adds the color highlighting behavior. You link up the new behavior by passing in a delegate that handles the behavior.

class ColorableDataGridTextBoxColumn...

The constructor takes the original DataGridTextBoxColumn as well as the delegate. What I'd really like to do here is to use the decorator pattern to wrap the original but the original, like so many classes in WinForms, is all sealed up. So instead I copy over all the properties of the original into my subclass. This won't work is there are vital properties that can't be copied because you can't read or write to them. It seems to work here for now.

Fortunately the paint method is virtual (otherwise I would need a whole new data grid.) I can use it to insert the appropriate background color using the delegate.

To put this new table in place, I replace the columns of the data table in the page load after the controls have been built on the form.

class FrmAlbums...

It works, but I'll admit it's a lot more messy than I would like. If I were doing this for real, I'd want to look into a third party control. However I've seen this done in a production system and it worked just fine.

12 Tips on Architecture Presentation (for Beginners)

No matter how great your design is, it is ultimately only as valuable as others determine it. This assessment is not based solely on your design’s inherent characteristics but also on how you prompt others to see it.

In other words, improving your presentation skills will be an incredibly valuable skill, not just in school but in the professional field of architecture.

The design itself is important, and while there is nothing you will read here that will negate that, it is crucial to know that your work does not end when the drawings are complete.

While it is undoubtedly appealing to utter that classy phrase, “My work can speak for itself,” it is not always true. Your work can say a great deal, certainly, but you are there to build it up even higher so that your audience cannot easily overlook it.

If you are a student, you may want to be aware of some useful tips for architecture presentation, along with some things you should include.

1. Get a Grasp of Your Audience

Interest levels are going to vary between audiences based on the context of your presentation. If you are a practicing architect, your design is the keystone of the presentation.

In this scenario, your professional success depends not just on how good your designs are but how well you can sell them to clients.

If you are a student, you are unlikely to be selling your design as much as you are trying to get a grade. It would help if you considered why your audience is sitting in front of you at that time.

Chances are students who, like you, are also trying to get a grade and ultimately will spend more time in their heads going over their own talking points than paying attention to you.

It is hard to entertain everyone in such a situation (although you will reap benefits if you manage to do it), so you will ultimately want to target the ones giving you a formal review.

So, focus on demonstrating your knowledge, dedication, and creativity. Prove that you worked hard on the presentation, and you will draw respect.

2. Plan and Structure Your Presentation

Unless you are incredibly gifted (maybe you are), you are not likely going to be able to ‘wing it’ with an architectural presentation without jumping unmethodically from point to point like an inebriated cricket.

It would help if you had a plan.

More specifically, you need an outline.

If you have ever taken a writing class, you should already be familiar with what an outline is and the purpose of doing one. Get a sheet of paper or open a word document/sticky note on your computer or phone and lay it out.

Have a series of steps that break down what you are going to present in which order. For example:

• Introduction
• Define criteria
• Present design

Keep in mind, the above is only a rudimentary example, and you should structure your presentation appropriately to make it relevant to any given requirements.

Add additional details that could help you more comfortably present your design in an informative and easy-to-follow manner.

3. Structure the Visuals as You Would Telling a Story

You are an architect, after all. Words are your wheels, but compelling visuals are the car you are driving.

You want to present your design in a way that involves your audience’s eyes more so than their ears – like how you’d structure your architecture school portfolio , in a way.

If all you do is stand up there and talk, you will quickly find yourself in a room of bored faces in any presentation. This is especially true in a visually dominant subject like architecture.

Lay out your design in easily digestible chunks, which could include significant freehand sketches , artistic 3d renderings, and the study models you spent nights building.

Arrange them on the presentation board where you start with the macro-view or overarching concept on the far left; progress with other visuals as you explain and reveal details that support your ideas.

Whatever you do, base your presentation on those visuals and use your words to enhance them, don’t just add them in as a distraction from your persistent rambling.

4. Speak Clearly and Confidently

It is so blatant it’s cliché. But don’t overlook it.

Practice if this is an area in which you struggle. Your design is great, so speak clearly and confidently to back it up.

If you mumble your way through a presentation of the next Eifel Tower, but nobody understood enough of what you said to recognize that, you are not going to score very well.

Appearing unconfident during the presentation will likely attract more negative critique than if you sounded self-assured.

The concept is your brainchild; stand by it; defend it.

You need to relax because anxiety will ruin you if you let it – okay, that statement might not help.

Nevertheless, being comfortable when you have the floor will enable thoughts to flow through your head more clearly by blocking out potentially stressful outside stimuli and make the situation just about you and the design you are presenting.

It may be hard for you to get to this point, but once you do, you might find yourself looking forward to sharing your brilliant work rather than dreading it.

Easier said than done, but research deep-breathing techniques and meditation practice if you need to – find something that works for you.

Another method to train yourself in this regard is grabbing every opportunity during presentations and crits to get involved (even when it is not your turn to present) – ask questions, participate in discussions, and be an active participant.

6. Rehearse

Practice, identify weaknesses, and practice more to correct those weaknesses; recognize more areas for improvement and practice some more.

You cannot over-practice; the only thing you can gain from rehearsing is confidence and clarity, which will help with the presentation and achieve relaxation.

7. Dress Nice

For a practicing architect, a snazzy suit is a tool of the trade when presenting to clients because it demonstrates a nod to professionalism and conveys sincerity.

If you are a student, you may consider investing in high-quality garb for when you present your final project because, ultimately, putting effort into presenting yourself only aids the effort you put into presenting your project.

Should you always wear a suit when presenting a design?

Casual clothing is usually sufficient, but it certainly does not hurt to have something stashed away for those special occasions.

8. Be Concise

Short-and-straightforward beats long-and-convoluted when you consider that people seem to be developing shorter and shorter attention spans these days.

You will want to include all of the pertinent information that pertains to your design and your purpose in creating it.

But if you have to ask yourself whether or not the audience needs to know blatant fact 1 and useless detail 2, chances are you can leave them out for your presentation’s betterment.

9. Include Humor

It is entirely optional, so if you don’t have the humor gene, do not force it because that will backfire.

However, if you have a habit of making others laugh easily through your wit, it is not unprofessional to bring some of that humor to your presentation to add extra depth and color.

Also, people are more likely to remember experiences that make them laugh.

10. Be Personable

You are not a design machine; you are a human being who is creative and methodical.

If people see that you worked hard to put your presentation together, being open and sharing your experience will not bring you down.

Some people might even find the obstacles you faced and overcome as a test of your character and a tribute to your hard work. So, don’t be afraid to share your moments of weakness, observations, or whatever else that applies to human nature.

It adds a dimension of entertainment to your design project, and it adds a layer of likeability to yourself.

11. Recognize Imperfections

It does not matter how many times you revise, rehearse, or plan – if you are a student, it is virtually impossible for you to achieve perfection at such an early point in your architectural endeavor.

You need room to grow no matter how long you have been designing buildings because it is that opportunity to get better that ultimately keeps you engaged.

As an architect, if you know it all, you won’t be driven to innovate and whoever is judging your presentation is likely to know this.

All you have to do is what you can, and do not expect any more than that. If someone viewing your presentation calls you out on something or questions a component of your design, respond openly to the criticism, and don’t beat yourself up.

12. Include a Chance for Questions

The iconic last words of a solid presentation are “Any questions?”

You cannot expect to cover everything the human mind could contemplate asking, so inserting a brief Q&A as you wrap things up provides you an opportunity to cover anything you could have left out.

When you take on the challenge of encouraging questions – even if nobody asks any – it is a credible way to state that you know, in detail, everything you presented. Well enough to talk about it even when torn away from a guiding outline.

Furthermore, while it is no guarantee, you should anticipate questions if you have intrigued your audience enough with your design for them to want to dig deeper.

So, before any major design presentation, up your question-and-answering game by getting friends, colleagues, or anyone interested to ask you some impromptu questions so you can optimize how you respond to the unexpected.

You may also consider asking yourself questions, and in doing so, you may further understand your purposes in creating your design.

What is an architectural model?

Architectural model making is a tool often used to express a building design or masterplan. An architectural model represents architectural ideas and can be used at all stages of design. The model shows the scale and physical presence of a proposed design.

The architectural model is a 3-dimensional replica or expression of the design, usually at a scale much smaller than full size. Being able to physically construct and interact with models not only helps architects get a better understanding of their designs and test ideas, but it also helps them make informed decisions before moving on to the time-consuming construction phase.

Traditionally, architectural models were made exclusively by hand using materials such as foam board, balsa wood and card, but more recent developments in technologies have seen the use of digital methods such as laser cutting and 3D printing.

The architectural model can be seen in many forms, created out of a multitude of materials and traditional or modern techniques. These modern techniques allow for faster and more detailed model production, with fast model making becoming a strong requirement.

Despite the development of 3D modelling and photo-realistic rendering, there is still a firm place for the physical architectural model in the design process.

As an architecture student, it is likely you will be asked to build a model at least once, and it is a great skill to develop and embrace during your studies. Not only will architectural model making serve to improve your design critique but give you new skills in critical thinking and spatial awareness.

In this post we will be exploring the uses and different types of architectural models, along with how they can be used to enhance your design process. You will also learn about the essential materials and tools needed for model making, as well as how to select the appropriate scale and plan your model effectively. So, read on till the end!

Don’t forget you can download this post as a handy pdf, just scroll to the end to get the guide!!

What is an architectural model used for?

Model making has many uses in the architecture industry and its related fields.

Let’s explore some of these key uses:

Design Process An architectural model is used to help architects and students physically represent their architectural designs, convey ideas, communicate concepts, and explore spatial relationships throughout their design process.

Architectural models play a pivotal role in the design process, serving various functions that can be classified into three distinct categories.

• Ideation and Experimentation The first type of model is the conceptual model. This is used at the initial stage of design to generate and test out potential forms and shapes.

• Development The second is the use of the architectural model to inform and develop a design, the working model. This type of model is not seen by the client or the public but used to develop ideas and work on solutions.

• Final resolution The third type of model is the presentation model, which is used to present your final design ideas to the client or public.

We will look at all of these types of models in more detail in the ‘What are the different types of architectural models?’ section.

Apart from aiding in the design process, architectural models can be used for the following:

Client communication They help clients or investors envisage the design and are an effective communication tool between the architect and client, stakeholders, or perhaps even the general public. They allow non-experts to visualise the proposed building and provide feedback.

Sales and Marketing Architectural models can be used as a method of marketing developments. It is quite common to see a scale model of a new housing development, or mixed used development in the sales and marketing area while the project is under construction. This allows potential purchasers to imagine the project as a completed development.

Public information Sometimes architectural models are used to provide information to the public. These could be a 3d map that allows visitors to navigate more easily, or perhaps a site map with buildings that displays historical information like in a museum or historic exhibition. It could also be providing the public with a visual sense of an urban planning development that is under progress.

Planning For larger developments architectural models are sometimes used to demonstrate the scheme in order to win planning approval or win the confidence of the public. It allows people to understand the project better than looking at 2d drawings, particularly when under public consultation, as often people find it far more difficult to read plans and elevations than they do a physical model.

Education and Research Architectural models are valuable tools for teaching and learning architecture. They are used in architectural schools and universities to help students understand key design principles, construction techniques, materiality, and spatial relationships.

Now that we have covered some uses for architectural models, let us explore their different types.

What are the different types of architectural models?

Architectural models can come in various shapes, forms, and scales.

Here are some common types of architectural models:

Conceptual Model The conceptual model allows the designer to develop initial concepts and ideas using basic models and shapes to develop a form. It is an early approach to the design, describing an idea in simple terms. Although sketching is often used as a starting point for development, the physical model allows us to explore our ideas in 3d form. The materials used for this type of model tend to be more basic, and a looser approach is taken to the construction process. They are usually made quickly, and easy to adjust and tweak as the design progresses.

Working model Working models go a step further in developing design ideas and solutions. The working model will have higher quality materials that reflect specification in design. They help us understand and communicate scale, form, and materials. The physical model has a presence, and texture that is difficult to represent in drawings or digital work and allows for exploration of its materiality and form. At this stage it is possible that the client will be able to see these early models and they will be used as a communication device for the early design.

Presentation Model

The presentation models are far more detailed than the previous models and reflect the proposed materials of the scheme. The context of the site and surroundings are often included in presentation models to demonstrate how the design fits with the context of the surrounding architecture and landscape. In some cases, the presentation model is illuminated, which creates an impressive effect and is often used to highlight particular areas of a scheme. The illuminated model is particularly popular for demonstrating schemes that will be predominantly used at nighttime (restaurants, theatres, bars etc). The presentation model has numerous functions.

Some other types of architectural models include:

Massing Models (can come under conceptual) Massing models give a general idea of the shape and volume of the building devoid of any details. They are great for testing and experimentation as multiple iterations can be produced in short amounts of time.

Site or Context Model These models depict the wider context a building will be situated in. They are great to test different concept models and help to see how the different iterations interact with the surrounding buildings, vegetation etc.

Topographic Model Topographic models show the terrain and contours of a site. These are typically used when designing on sites that are on a slope or gradient or are perhaps situated on some uneven land. They can come in handy when planning how to access these tricky sites.

Landscape Model These models focus on the site’s vegetation and green spaces. They are often used to study how landscape features interact with architecture and how the spaces can be enhanced to have harmony with nature.

Case Study Model Case study models are typically replica models of already existing or famous architectural buildings. They are used by students and architects to analyse the specific details, features, and components of a particular building. These could include building materials, structural systems, internal layouts and more.

Cross-sectional Model These help give an understanding of the internal workings of the building. They typically focus on a part of the building that has some special intrigue, for instance a large atrium space. They can also be used to show the interior space set up, building structure and materials.

Detail Model Detail Models provide a close-up representation of a select part of a building that may require further resolution and refining. They are often used by architects and students to understand how building materials come together and to explore the building’s structural systems.

All the types of architectural models mentioned above have unique applications and can be used to produce different outcomes. You also have the opportunity to create variations by combining two or more types of architectural models.

Ultimately your project requirements will determine the best choice of architectural model or models for you to create.

What are the benefits of making physical architectural models?

Physical architectural models are quite unique and advantageous in this highly digital world of ours. From providing a better understanding of scale and proportion to delivering a tactile and interactive experience, there are several benefits to making physical architectural models.

Let’s dive into them:

Spatial Understanding Physical models can give a sense of scale and help the client envision what the built space would look like. Since you get to see different angles and perspectives, they are great for understanding how different spaces connect with one another.

Iteration As mentioned earlier in this post, physical models are awesome for testing out ideas. They offer a more flexible way of getting ideas out thus helping the creative process to flow. You are also not confined by the limitations of digital modelling.

Interaction As these models exist in the real world they can be interacted with and this tactile experience that they provide can be used to keep the client engaged and interested.

If a model has some special intrigue, like a dynamic moving part showing let’s say a retracting roof, the clients will be able to build a better connection with the design. The interactive elements could even be sensory relating to lighting, acoustics, and materiality.

Not only do you get the chance to highlight the design you worked hard to develop but you also help the client build a deeper understanding of it.

Problem solving Producing a model physically helps you envision how it would exist in the real world. This makes it easier to spot any design flaws or issues that may raise concerns in the construction phase.

Collaboration Physical models can be used by teams to generate ideas and refine details in a collaborative manner. As the model is perceived by various members of the team, there will be different perspectives and angles to explore that will in turn lead to better discussions to help progress the design.

Material exploration With physical models, you get to use real materials and understand their physical properties. Depending on the finish and aesthetic you are opting for, you can experiment with different material choices.

We will expand a bit more on materials in the ‘Materials for architectural models’ section of this post.

Deciding on your model style and scale

One of the key factors to ensuring a successful architectural model is the preparation. Some of the following questions will lead to some important decisions about your model’s style.

• What is the model for?
• What am I trying to communicate?
• What is the budget for the model?
• What is the time scale?
• Do I want to show proposed materials?
• Is the context and surrounding site important?
• Do I want to show the whole model, or a section?

Scale The scale of your model will depend on what you are representing. If you are looking to demonstrate the interior of one room, then the scale would need to be something like 1:10 in order to allow the viewer to see the detail of the room.

However, if you are demonstrating an urban plan, then the scale would need to be quite different, at about 1:1000 or up to 1:2500 depending on the scope of the project.

In some cases, models will be produced at scales of 1:2 or 1:5, which usually look at very detailed components or material details.

Sometimes your project brief will dictate a scale, but if not, have a good think about it. Also remember you don’t always have to produce the entire building and context, sometimes a section through the building can work really well.

We recommend making use of your entourage elements like scale people and trees to really emphasise the scale and show the relationship between your design and its context.

The following table gives a good indication of recommended scales for architectural models.

Materials for architectural models

Materials play a vital role in model making as they affect the model’s final presentation. Different materials will offer different finishes and outcomes.

The material selection for your architectural model will depend on a few factors:

• Are you making a conceptual model, or final presentation?
• Will you want to represent the materials of the design?
• Do you want to produce a more neutral model that represents the building’s form?
• Is budget important?
• Is time a determining factor?

Materials used for an early concept model do not need to be quite so robust. However, materials used for presentation models will need to be relatively durable, stable and not fade when exposed to sunlight.

It is important you take the time to understand the materials and tools you chose to work with. Spending the time to explore the opportunities and limitations of each material will help you make the best choices for your model.

Learning to work with a variety of materials will teach you the various techniques to bring out the best from each material. For instance, in our experience, using sharp blades helps create super clean cuts when working with foam boards. Additionally, to seamlessly bond acrylic together, you will need to use a solvent based glue. There will be many more things like this that you will pick up on during your model making journey.

Common materials

Neutral materials are often used to represent a building design. They typically have a simple appearance and allow the main focus to be on the architectural concept.

If you are building a neutral style model, consider whether to differentiate the proposed scheme with the surrounding context by using two different materials.

Some options for materials are listed below:

Card and cardboard Cardboard and card are available in many different weights, colours, and finishes. It is a relatively cheap option for model making and a versatile choice for making both conceptual models along with working models too.

Cardboard is often used to show roads, paths, and terrain by building up layer upon layer of card. Given the strength of cardboard it is also able to support itself well.

Foam board Foamboard is a piece of foam that is sandwiched between two thin pieces of card. It is usually white (although can be found in different colours) and comes in a variety of weights and thicknesses. It is a very useful material for creating a clean white context model.

It is easy to cut, and the nature of the build-up allows for very neat junctions and corners. It is also a pretty sturdy material and can support itself well. It is very lightweight, which is great when modelling anything large as it is easy to transport.

Foam and polystyrene Foam and polystyrene are often used to create massing models or topography. They are lightweight and easy to cut and shape. The foam can be quite fragile and easy to damage so generally is not used for presentation models.

Wood There are a few wood options used in model making:

• Basswood Basswood has a good workability and finishes well. It is light and has a fine grain.
• Balsa Wood Balsa Wood is probably the most popular wood product for model making. It has a good finish and is available in varying weights and dimensions. It is easy to cut and creates a very accurate model.

Cork Cork is sometimes used to give surface finishes; it is easy to cut and work with but can stain and is susceptible to damage. It is also quite lightweight.

MDF (Medium-density Fiberboard) This works as a really sturdy material for the base of a model due to its density. It has a smooth surface and can be used in a laser cutting machine.

Metal Metal can be used to demonstrate building finishes using a sheet form. Sheets can be obtained in aluminium, copper, brass, or steel. You can also get metal in wire form to create conceptual designs and entourage like trees.

It is a material that has strength, durability, and malleability and has the ability to represent detailed structural elements, facades, and even interior features.

Modelling Clay This is a very pliable material that you can shape and form quite easily. It does tend to dry out when left in the open, which can be used to your advantage.

Transparent Materials Perspex and acrylic are used to create transparent materials, to good effect. It is possible to get coloured and semi opaque acrylics which can also be quite effective. They create sleek and visually appealing models.

Entourage Materials

Adding entourage and landscaping elements to the model can be the finishing touch that elevates the model to presentation standard. It allows the proposed scheme to look more natural in its surrounding context.

Landscaping It is possible to get bags of course turf, which is like a green sand to give the effect of grass and general ground cover. You can also get trees, bushes, and shrubs. Flocking is another option for the grass effect. Another option is to use green felt.

Scale people and vehicles You will find these come in various colours and materials. We would suggest selecting something that complements the other materials you have used quite well. You even have the option to spray paint them in the colour of your choice.

Furniture and accessories You can include street furniture, such as benches, streetlights, mailboxes, trash cans and street signs. If working with an interior space you can include the appropriate furniture such as tables, chairs, sofas, and desks.

Lighting You can use LED lights, tea light candles, fairy lights etc to illuminate your model and simulate realistic lighting. You will also be able to play with shadows and highlights. Test with both warm and cool light to see what creates the effect you are trying to achieve.

You can experiment with these as much as your imagination will allow! Introducing elements such as these allow the viewer a concept of scale which otherwise might be lost.

Model Making Tools​ and Methods

Some commonly used model making tools and methods include:

Cutting tools

There are a few different cutting tools available, and people tend to have their favourites. The key here is that the blade is sharp and precise. If you are new to using sharp blades and cutting tools, take some careful practice getting used to working with the cutting tool. It is important you replace the blades often to ensure easy cutting, accidents often happen with blunt blades because unnecessary pressure is put on the blade, and it makes it easier to slip.

Scalpel This is our blade of choice when working on models. It is super sharp and accurate allowing for really intricate and detailed cutting. Be careful with this!

Olfa Knife For a more all-round utility knife use the Olfa knife. Not quite so dangerous as the other two, and the blades can be snapped off when blunt to reveal a nice sharp new one.

X-Acto Knife Another popular choice for precision cutting, sharp like scalpel and easy to get extra blades.

Cutting mat A cutting mat is essential for protecting your desk or table from scratches and cuts, but also prevents the blade from becoming blunt quickly.

Cutting ruler A metal ruler is useful for cutting straight lines. A cutting ruler usually has grooves that help protect your fingers. Worth investing in one particularly if you are accident prone.

Hot wire cutter This is best used to make clean and precise cuts on foam and polystyrene. If you wish to go for a more jagged and carved out look, you should stick to a blunt knife.

Guillotine cutter You can use this to efficiently cut stacks of paper or card.

Wire cutter A wire cutter helps you precisely snip wires.

Shaping tools

Sandpaper Sandpaper comes in handy when your model has rough edges that you would like to smooth down. You can also intentionally sand parts of your model down to highlight certain surfaces of your design.

Files These can be used to shape metal, wood and even plastic.

Pliers Pliers are useful when you wish to bend, twist, and cut wires or pliable metals with ease.

Sculpting tools These come in kits that have a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be used to carve, smooth, etch into materials like clay, wax, or stone. They are great for adding intricate details and textures to your model.

Glue and adhesives

There are different adhesives available for the different materials you may be using. Selecting the incorrect glue for a material could result in the material not sticking properly or worse, the glue can even dissolve some materials. Some glues dry clear, while others have a white semi opaque finish.

Acrylic resin glue – sometimes known as superglue This is a very fast acting glue, very strong bonding, and not the kind of stuff you want on your hands. Care needs to be taken when using this glue, which isn’t suitable for paper or card.

Wood glue There are various types of wood glue available which works well for the woods mentioned above, with some wood glues being suitable for card, foam, and paper. Wood glue tends not to be suitable for metal or plastic.

PVA PVA is an all-purpose glue, not as strong as wood glue but works well with card, paper, and foam board.

Solvent based glue This is best for materials like clear acrylic, where you would want the glue to dry clear and leave no residue for that clean and professional finish.

Clear synthetic resin – like UHU This glue dries clear and is suitable for paper, card and foam.

Spray mount Used for card or paper, this is a sprayable glue that makes for easy fixing of card onto card. It is possible to peel off and reposition with care. This can get everywhere so be careful where it is used, ideally in a workspace or outside.

Glue syringe Sometimes your glue may come in a large bottle, which doesn’t lend itself to precision gluing! The syringe allows you to have just a smaller amount as you work and make it easier to work on more intricate areas of the model.

Glue Gun Glue guns allow for quick drying, not suited to metals. Not my favourite, tend to be a bit stringy and messy unless you have a real skill for using them.

Masking tape Perfect for conceptual or sketch models. It can also be used to hold the model in place when the applied glue is drying.

Double sided tape This can also be useful for bonding pieces together while the glue dries. Be careful when using it with card or paper as it will tear away if you try to remove it.

Digital methods

With the advancement of technology, you can take your virtual 3D models and convert them into physical ones. This is especially beneficial for architects and students as they allow for faster prototyping, design exploration and communication.

Laser cutting If you have the facility, it is worth giving laser cutting a try. The laser cutter can cut wood, cardboard, paper, foam, polystyrene, acrylics and many more materials. It allows for very accurate cutting very quickly, meaning you can focus on the assembly of the model. There is some preparation required as you develop your cad drawing for the laser cutting machine. You can use a 2d cad drawing to essentially lay out the pieces of the puzzle that will need to be cut out.

For more information on laser cutting we found a useful tutorial walking you through the process of preparing your design for laser cutting from the Instructables website: https://www.instructables.com/id/Architectural-Model-Making-Using-A-Laser-Cutter/

3D printing 3D printing is an exciting new world for architectural models. The technology has already been adopted by professional model makers to provide clients with fast, accurate, cost effective models. The output is clean and contemporary, extracted from CAD.

This video demonstrates some of the types of 3D printing and finishes that can be obtained.

You can also incorporate these methods into your physical model making workflow to make a hybrid workflow that will help you speed up the production of your model.

General tips for architectural model making

Make a base Don’t forget to use a solid base for your model, one that is clean and has neat edges. Also make sure it is a good size relevant to your model, it could be difficult to trim or extend it once you have a half completed model stuck to it!

Plan Make sure you plan plan plan! Especially if you are new to model making, it is well worth taking some time to plan out each section of the model, how you are going to assemble it and what is the quickest and cleanest way to do so. Your model will always take longer than you think. So, try to get the scale of your model, materials and tools you will be working with all planned out for a smooth modelling process.

Keep it clean and bright Firstly, keep your hands clean as much as possible! Gluey hands make for messy models. Make sure your workspace has good lighting so you aren’t straining to see the details of the model.

Safety Make sure that when you are working with tools and materials, you take the appropriate safety precautions. Check that you have the appropriate protective gear, such as safety glasses and gloves. We recommend you are extra cautious when using sharp tools and cutting materials. Additionally we suggest that you work in a well-ventilated area when using adhesives and paints.

Take shortcuts where possible with templates Creating templates and guides is a great way to avoid measuring the same thing again and again. Anything repetitive in your model can be templated in some way. For example, you could create a template for sill heights, or for doors, for regular spacing perhaps. You could create a template for cutting out curves, or specific details that will need to be cut out numerous times. It is a big time saver to do this, and also makes your model more precise.

Print materials You can print materials to scale and stick to your foam board or card to give a representation of material without spending too much.

Architectural model making resources

Videos: From Eric at 30×40 Design Workshop, this video is a really great walkthrough of architectural model making – I would highly recommend a watch, plus subscribe to Eric’s YouTube channel as his videos are excellent.

Books: Architectural Model Making – Nick Dunn https://amzn.to/3uZhUY5

This book is great for giving you ideas on styles and materials that you can use for your model making. It is a good introduction and starting point. I would suggest having this book to hand when you start to consider the 3D representation of your design studio models.

Folding Techniques for Designers https://amzn.to/3r5cSIH

Although this isn’t really a model making book, it is an interesting look at shape and form, and structures created through folding. It can encourage us to think outside the model making box….

Model-making: Materials and Methods

https://amzn.to/3plQ61z

Model Making (The Architecture Brief Series)

https://amzn.to/3puUjQu

Architectural Model Building: Tools, Techniques & Materials

https://amzn.to/3CR9czN

Modelmaking – A Basic Guide (Norton Professional Books for Architects & Designers)

https://amzn.to/3CTLUZS

Advanced Architectural Modelmaking

https://amzn.to/3JCLwCJ

A History of Architectural Modelmaking in Britain: The Unseen Masters of Scale and Vision

https://amzn.to/3PCwNLT

Modelling Grassland, and Landscape Detailing: Featuring Weeds, Wildflowers, Hedges, Roads & Pavements, Mud, Puddles and Rivers

https://amzn.to/3pwatcs

Landscape Modelling

https://amzn.to/3NVgEAf

Websites: For a little inspiration take a look at some of these professional model maker websites. They show you a good variety and hopefully will give you some ideas on how to approach your own model making. RJ Models https://www.rjmodels.com.hk

Model makers Ltd http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/scale-model-buildings-illuminated

Architectural Models Blog http://architecturalmodels.tumblr.com

Kandor http://kandor.co.uk/index.html

Pinterest Board: We also have a board on Pinterest dedicated to architectural models so feel free to check it out if you are looking for some inspiration:

You might also be interested in…

We also have lots of other architecture content. Be sure to check it out.

In conclusion, architectural model making plays a very crucial role in the communication of architectural designs and ideas. With the interactive experience these models provide they make it possible for clients and the general public to connect with and understand our concepts. They are also great tools that promote design discussions among fellow architects and architecture students for the development of ideas. All in all they are incredible tools that help us translate our creative ideas into reality.

We hope you found this article helpful, and would love to hear from you! Comment below and let us know some of your thoughts on architectural model making.

Also, feel free to share this with a friend 🙂

Thank you for reading!

This article contains affiliate links for which we may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase.

Image Credits

https://www.ponoko.com/blog/materials/building-architectural-models-prototypes/

http://polychroniadis.tumblr.com

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/97/70/ec/9770ecfa62805130ba9c6ed180d1b178.jpg

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/offsite/?token=449-94&url=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.fmad8-1.fna.fbcdn.net%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F39735824_1751832931596041_8515905101167067136_n.png%3F_nc_cat%3D0%26_nc_eui2%3DAeGSXoh4y0S1cC_OJ6zhTL0cE_ZwI_EauEF8SrqP7OVQFD5qoj0LuCeTMvoW0irEDfvWQZv9UJXuOxflUY2V7rHL9Ep-FtDbgF9ZmutsrijV6A%26oh%3D963c4412ded988ef41a2da8220a06e59%26oe%3D5BFE7037&pin=AZllACGDwIx6PFq_EV5PgdlPVILqYAsToay6aowCF-LKDgbZvvYrJbQ&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAADDkwNDk5NjAxMTgxNgA

https://www.ifdo.co/practice?fbclid=IwAR1U0f1b02GgHM0RQm2TdARJLS6NVoUN2KPilt_AbroGp19_PK1U8d2gdj4

http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/scale-model-buildings-200

https://www.kiwimill.com/blog/2012/03/12/architectural-models-communicate/dscn1399_edited-3/

http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/scale-model-buildings-1000

https://www.archpaper.com/2019/07/outpost-office-kharkiv-school-of-architecture/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/offsite/?token=19-625&url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Ff2%2F0e%2Fd5%2Ff20ed542dcb566bd798771b716f64542.jpg&pin=618470961299699640&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAADDUzNzQyNjg5OTk1MQA

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/offsite/?token=202-587&url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F9d%2F7f%2F40%2F9d7f40522fd9963b9a4c77f395f8bd87.jpg&pin=219761656795458484&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAADDYwODI4MDc1NDEyMgA

https://www.kinkfab.com/presentationmodels/

https://aqso.net/office/news/6613/philosophy-experimental-design

https://www.pexels.com/photo/spatial-planning-architectural-model-9618127/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/viiburg/6362079445/in/photostream/

http://www.modelmakers.me/Architectural-models.html

https://nexttoparchitects.org/post/161381281276/miniature-church-of-light-by-tadao-ando

https://web.stagram.com/tag/arcfly_ft

https://jeremypalford.com/arch-journal/museum-of-flight-at-kitty-hawk-section-detail-model/

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/61/9f/9c/619f9c0d6ad4e55fe3148c9fc94e7d6d.jpg

https://knowlton.osu.edu/student-gallery/work/8722

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16 Comments

I am Rehman from iKix Model Makers. Thank you for providing such a knowledgeable information about architectural model making and its advantages. We are in this industry for over 15 years and has served several of our fortune 500 clients with magnificent scale models. Please visit our website to see some of our work, https://ikix.in/

This is such an amazing website. It was so useful! Thank you.

I once saw an architectural model of a town centre being viewed with a simple endoscope which gave the viewer the feeling of standing in the town square. What are these architectural endoscopes called ? Are they commercially available ? I presume that nowadays they can be coupled to a mobile phone or tablet to take photos. The cheap endoscopes used for inspecting drains etc are not much good because the image quality is poor and fisheyed.

This is such an awesome website. It was so useful! Thank you.

Very,Very, Very useful. Thanks

Thank you Suresh 🙂

WHY MODEL MAKING?

This is a question which is asked very often as in this age of technologies, we can do with computer generated 3 D Models, but has anyone ever thought, how effective is that tool for marketing? Models have a proven ability to sell faster, persuade quicker and inform more accurately. A model affects the client’s mindset so as to clearly envision the project’s future.

I just happened upon your article while looking for inspiration for an art class focused of cardboard sculpture. I just wanted to comment that your presentation was well written, simply stated and beautifully laid out. It helped me organize my approach to the assignment and I thank you.

Thank you Maryann, much appreciated.

Your article is really great. Thanks for sharing valuable information with us. We Also provide the best architectural 3d visualization designs, 3d rendering services, and physical scale. For more information, you can visit our site: https://studiofov.com/

Hi, I wonder if you can help me – I am an architecture student for a independent course and will need architectural models to be done since I won’t have the time and would like to know what is the process if I had a project and want a model done.

Many thanks ,

Are there any in person (hands on), one-off, classes available for beginners to learn model making in -or near – New York City? I know there are some in London, but I can’t seem to find anything like that here in NYC.

It’s so detailed. I like some of the articles posted by Fia. I’ll read them carefully.

CADHOBBY IntelliCAD is a must-have software for any hobbyist who wants to take their 3D printing and design projects to the next level. It’s intuitive, efficient, and has a low learning curve.

Thank you Inna for the recommendation.

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Architecture Presentation Board Ideas

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Being an architect, you understand that showcasing your project effectively to the stakeholders is very essential. The architecture presentation board examples helps make that right impact in the first go. These architecture presentation board drawings ensure that your idea is beautifully expressed and is conceived the same way as you have thought.

But creating and designing the architectural presentation is a challenging task as a slight mismatch or mistake can completely ruin your architectural project. It’s very important to design the presentation board in such a way that it can communicate your ideas cohesively and engagingly.

Best Architecture Presentation Board Ideas

Let’s have a look at 8 critical elements of architectural presentation boards design that’ll help you craft a polished and visually captivating presentation. Just go through these tips and enhance your ability to showcase your architecture projects impactfully and impressively.

What do you mean by an architecture presentation board? How it is helpful?

An architecture presentation board is a visual summary of a project, used by architects to showcase their designs to clients, superiors, or colleagues. It serves as a tool for presenting ideas, attracting clients, and advancing careers. The purpose of an architectural presentation model is to convey essential project information in a self-explanatory manner.

Key elements of an effective architecture presentation board layout include:

• A well-designed layout that organizes and presents information in a logical and visually appealing way.
• Clear and concise text that explains the project’s concept, goals, and solutions.
• High-quality visuals, such as drawings, renderings, and photographs, that illustrate the project’s design and features.
• A consistent visual style that creates a unified and professional look.

Architecture presentation drawings are used by both students and professionals. Students use them to present their work to professors and peers, while professionals use them to present designs to clients, committees, shareholders, and exhibitions.

Top 8 Architecture Presentation Board Tips and Techniques

To help you get started, Renderspoint has exclusively curated some of the best architectural presentation board techniques and tips that must be considered when creating your architecture presentation board. So, let’s get started in our journey to create flawless architecture presentation board tips for clients.

1. Size and Orientation of the Architecture Presentation Board

When creating an architecture presentation model, consider the size and orientation that will best showcase your project. You may have limited options due to restrictions imposed by your director, client, or professor. If you have the freedom to choose, think about which orientation will make your graphics stand out and tell the story of your project most effectively.

Presentation Options:

• Single Large Board : Present your boards side by side as a single large board. You may choose horizontal or vertical architectural presentation boards depending on the requirements of the project.
• Equivalent-Sized Poster : Present your boards as one poster of equal size.
• Separate Boards : Arrange your boards in a sequence, with each board presenting a different aspect of your project.

The orientation and size of your architecture presentation board can influence the structure and layout of your presentation. Choose the option that best suits your project and allows you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

2. Choosing the Right Layout for your Architectural Presentation Board Drawings

It all starts with brainstorming for the right layout. Brainstorm and jot down the main ideas you want to express. Also, work on the images and graphics that will best showcase those concepts. Now start creating small-scale sketches to capture the basic flow of each architecture presentation board. Before finalizing your design, keep experimenting with different element placements until you get the perfect one. You may explore some architectural presentation board layout examples online for some cool and best ideas.

Be very diligent regarding the space allocation. Determine how much space each element will require on the page. Ensure each graphic is impactful and consider the amount of space between elements. Avoid overcrowding or excessive space. By carefully planning the layout of your architecture presentation board, you can ensure that your ideas are communicated clearly and effectively.

Also, work on the size of images. Too small an image will fail to make that impact. Try to go for big and visually appealing images/graphics. You can even approach a 3D architectural rendering firm as 3D renders give a more photorealistic option to impress the stakeholders. Remember, the goal is to create a visually appealing and informative presentation that effectively conveys your project’s message.

3. Structure and Flow for a cohesive Architecture Presentation Board Style

The structure and flow of your architecture presentation board are crucial for effectively communicating your project’s vision. Using a grid structure can simplify the organization of visual elements, while diagramming helps deliver comprehensive information. Consider the narrative flow of your project, ensuring a logical progression from one architecture presentation board to the next. Number your boards if they won’t be displayed simultaneously.

Remember, viewers typically read presentations from left to right and top to bottom. Use visual cues to guide their eyes through your architectural presentation models. Maintain consistency in font, colour, and style throughout your architectural presentation boards. Leave sufficient white space to avoid overcrowding. Finally, proofread your text carefully for errors. By carefully following these professional architectural presentation board techniques, you can create a visually appealing and informative presentation that effectively conveys your architectural vision to your audience.

4. Visual Hierarchy of Architecture Presentation Board: Guiding the Viewer’s Eye

In architecture presentation board, visual hierarchy plays a crucial role in directing the viewer’s attention to specific images. This involves identifying the strongest point of your project and making it the primary focus that catches the eye from a distance. Other images should reveal their details upon closer examination.

Techniques to Create Visual Hierarchy:

• Size : Make the image you want to highlight the largest, ensuring it can be viewed clearly from a distance.
• Colour : Use colour strategically to guide the viewer’s eye toward the main idea on the board.
• Placement : Centre the image you want to highlight and arrange the surrounding content to complement it.

Additional Tips:

• Keep the overall vision of your project in mind when selecting images.
• Choose images that directly display and strongly support your project’s idea.
• Avoid using too many images that will make the board look cluttered and messy.
• Maintain consistency in the style and tone of your images.

By carefully considering visual hierarchy, you can create conversion-ready architectural presentation drawings that effectively communicate your architectural vision and guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements of your project.

5. Choosing Perfect Colours: Bringing Life and Focus to Your Architecture Presentation Board

This is one of the most critical architectural presentation board techniques that you need to decide very wisely. While black, white, and grey are commonly used in architecture presentation boards, don’t shy away from incorporating colours. However, be mindful of your choices to strike the right balance and avoid overwhelming the viewer. Here’s how you can make strategic use of the colours in your presentation architecture style.

• Introduce hints of colour to bring life to your architecture presentation board.
• Use colour contrast as it helps to draw attention to elements you need to focus on.
• Represent different building materials with unique colours.
• Consider bold colours for diagrams to create a focal point.

Maintain consistency by using the same colour across all architectural presentation boards. This approach ensures a cohesive and seamless flow throughout your presentation. Also, you may explore pre-made colour palettes online for inspiration. Experiment with different colour combinations to find the best fit for your project.

6. Selecting Background Colour: Enhancing Clarity and Focus

The background of your architecture presentation board should be a supporting element, not a distraction. Avoid complex or busy backgrounds that may draw attention away from your graphics and text. Bold colours and textures should be used sparingly, if at all. Here are three key things that you need to keep in mind while selecting a background colour for your architectural presentation board.

• Black Background: Use with Caution

Black backgrounds can be challenging to work with. They can diminish text readability and reduce the impact of graphics. Additionally, black backgrounds can create a cold and boring tone. If you choose to use a black background, ensure that all information remains easily comprehensible.

• White or Light Gray: A Professional Choice

White or light grey backgrounds are typically the best choice for an architecture presentation board. They enhance the visibility of graphics and text, creating a professional and clean appearance. Other colours can be incorporated to align with your central concept but ensure that the background remains plain enough to direct the viewer’s attention to the design.

• Embrace Negative Space

Negative space is your friend. Resist the temptation to fill every space with information. The strategic use of negative space enhances the impact of your design, creating a clean and professional feel.

7. Image Selection: Striking the Right Balance

Choosing the right images is crucial for creating an effective architecture presentation board. Your graphics can either enhance or detract from your overall presentation.  Always go for high-quality images/CGI and ensure that they are relevant, engaging, and catchy.

As already stated just use enough images to effectively communicate your project. Avoid overcrowding your architecture presentation board with too many images. strive for a balanced representation that showcases your project’s key aspects.

You may include a variety of images, such as sketches, models, renderings, and drawings. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of your project.

8. Content, Text, and Font: The Impression Makers

An effective architecture presentation board should convey a clear understanding of the project and demonstrate the designer’s commitment and dedication. Key elements to include are internal and external images, isometric and exploded views, perspective cuts, diagrams, volumetry studies, descriptive memorials, and technical drawings. The specific elements used may vary depending on the project’s requirements and nature.

Make sure the text that you place on the architecture presentation board should complement the layout and try to keep it minimum. A crisp, concise, and focused concept statement will make your architecture presentation board more impressive and attention-grabbing.

Additional tips that will enhance your communication power using texts on the architecture presentation board.

• Consider readability, flow, and visual appeal.
• Align text within text boxes for easy reading.
• Complement graphics/images/CGI with text box size and alignment.
• Avoid all capitals except for titles and follow standard capitalization rules.
• Use simple sketches and figures instead of text when possible.

Select a single font type that complements your project’s style. Sans Serif fonts like Futura or Helvetica are popular choices for their clean and modern look. Avoid script or handwriting fonts for a professional appearance. Use dark hues for your font to ensure contrast against a light background. Choose a font and size that is easy to read and create a hierarchy using different font sizes for titles, subtitles, and body text.

Win More Clients with Perfect Architectural Presentation Boards

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Guide to Creating Effective Architectural Presentations

• by Elif Ayse Fidanci
• 14 April 2023

As an architect, presenting your work is an essential part of your profession. A well-crafted architectural presentation can help you communicate your design ideas and concepts to clients, colleagues, and stakeholders effectively. It can also help you showcase your creativity, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail. In this guide, we will outline some tips and best practices for creating effective architectural presentations.

-Define your objective:

Before starting your presentation, you need to define your objective. What message do you want to convey? Who is your audience? What do you want them to take away from your presentation? These are essential questions that you need to answer to ensure your presentation is effective.

-Know your audience:

Knowing your audience is crucial to creating an effective architectural presentation. Different stakeholders may have different levels of knowledge, interest, and expertise in architecture. You need to tailor your presentation to their needs and expectations.

For example, if you are presenting to a non-technical audience, you may need to explain technical terms and concepts in simpler terms. Conversely, if you are presenting to a technical audience, you may need to provide more detailed information and use more technical terms.

-Create a clear structure:

A well-structured presentation can help your audience follow your ideas and understand your concepts better. Start with an introduction that outlines your objective and sets the context for your presentation. Follow with the main body, where you can present your ideas and concepts in a logical sequence. Finally, end with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and highlights the key takeaways.

-Use visual aids:

Visual aids such as images, diagrams, sketches, and videos can help you illustrate your ideas and make them more engaging for your audience. You can use them to show your design process, highlight key features, and explain technical details.

Ensure your visual aids are of high quality and relevant to your presentation. Use a consistent style and format to make your presentation look professional and cohesive.

-Practice and rehearse:

Practice and rehearse your presentation before the actual event. This will help you identify any issues with your structure, flow, or timing. It will also help you build confidence and deliver your presentation more smoothly.

-Use storytelling:

Storytelling can be a powerful tool for creating an emotional connection with your audience. You can use storytelling to describe your design process, explain your design choices, and highlight the benefits of your design for the end-users.

-Be confident and engaging:

Finally, be confident and engaging during your presentation. Speak clearly and loudly, maintain eye contact with your audience, and use body language to emphasize your points. Engage your audience by asking questions, encouraging discussion, and providing examples.

In conclusion, creating an effective architectural presentation requires careful planning, attention to detail, and effective communication skills. By following these tips and best practices, you can create a presentation that engages your audience, communicates your ideas effectively, and showcases your design expertise.

Visual Aids for Architectural Presentations

Visual aids can be a powerful tool to help communicate complex design concepts and ideas. Here are some options to consider when selecting visual aids for your presentation:

Photographs, renderings, and other visual representations of your design can help your audience better understand your ideas. Make sure the images you use are high quality and visually appealing. You can also use images to illustrate the context of your design, such as the site location or surrounding environment.

Sketches and Drawings

Hand-drawn sketches and drawings can add a personal touch to your presentation and convey a sense of authenticity. You can use sketches and drawings to illustrate your design process or to highlight specific design elements.

Diagrams can help simplify complex concepts and make them more accessible to your audience. Use diagrams to illustrate the relationship between different elements of your design or to show how your design addresses specific design challenges.

3D Models and Virtual Reality

3D models and virtual reality can help your audience visualize your design in a more immersive way. This can be particularly helpful for complex designs or designs with unique spatial qualities.

Videos and Animations

Videos and animations can help bring your design to life and show how it functions in real-time. You can use videos and animations to illustrate design features, such as lighting or circulation, or to show how your design responds to different environmental conditions.

When selecting visual aids, it’s important to consider what will be most effective for your specific presentation and audience. To be original, consider creating custom visual aids that reflect your design style and approach. For example, you could create hand-drawn illustrations that showcase your unique design process, or use creative techniques like collage or mixed media to illustrate your ideas in a visually engaging way. Whatever you choose, make sure your visual aids are relevant, high quality, and effectively communicate your design concepts.

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Presentation tips for Architects, Part I

• Written by David Basulto
• Published on November 18, 2010

Our profession is all about presentations. It all started at university in the architecture studio, a whole semester had to be condensed into a 10-minute precise presentation in order to get the crits to understand your project, and it continued into professional life as the main tool to communicate with your co-workers, clients, a jury or with other architects in a lecture.

A good presentation could get your project approved, or quickly dismissed if you don’t plan it right. For example, a presentation to a client compared to a presentation for a group of architects is very different, even if the project you need to communicate is the same.

As I usually have to give at least a couple presentations per month, I have always tried to make them worth and not waste other people’s time. A big help for that has been Garr Reynolds, the “Presentation Zen” from which I haven taken some key points of which I will share with you in order to make a good presentation, adapted to our profession.

I think that this is the most crucial part no matter what you need to communicate. In order to deliver your message you need to present it according to whom you want to understand it. There are several terms and concepts that we as architects can easily understand, but that our clients or a general audience might not understand at first. Often we even invent or misuse words, misleading our audience. Program, urban fabric, etc.

The same as we do with our projects, a presentation should be simple. We should strip out anything that is unnecessary. Think of it as a Mies building on which everything is there for a reason and nothing can be removed. This is often the most difficult part, as we have to reduce it to its essentials. As an exercise Garr suggest that you outline the three things you want your audience to remember from your presentation.

“Less is more”.

Related to the previous point (and also to the 1st). Put yourself in the shoes of your audiences and ask “so what?”. You might have several interesting stories or concepts to tell the audience, but if they don’t add to what you want to communicate – just take them out.

You start with the foundation, follow with the structure, then move on to the skin and the interiors. This is a crystal clear process that you already know. Do the same for your presentation.

It also makes your audience follow you and focus on the presentation. When I have to make a long presentation I always start with an index, and as we move forward I keep reminding the audience where we are in the presentation, therefore they can follow along, stay focused, and recall what comes next.

Say the speaker before you exceeded on their time, or the client was late and is short on time. You always need to have a short version of the presentation, or at least know which parts you can skip in order to make it on time. The exercise is usually called “the elevator pitch”, under the idea that you should be able to sell your idea in the time span of an elevator ride, meaning in a maximum of 30 seconds and in 130 words or fewer.

Regarding the previous point, it reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright drafting the Fallingwater House only 2 hours before his meeting with Kaufmann, all that in one sitting at his drafting table.

As you can see, this story was appealing to you as an architect, and you immediately understood my point. Stories can connect you with your audience, and engage them.

You can think about your project as a story, and develop the whole presentation as if you are the story teller. Just keep in mind the previous points, as an irrelevant story can do more harm than help.

Last year Volume Magazine published an issue on Storytelling, intro by Jeffrey Inaba .

Even after almost a hundred presentations, I’m still nervous before giving them. If you are nervous, your audience will notice it, and will focus on that instead of your project.

Mies may have suggested a glass of scotch, but the best is to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse. If you know your presentation backwards and forwards it will flow naturally, and will also keep you prepared for any unexpected event during the presentation.

And “picture the audience nude” always comes handy.

I hope these tips can help you with your future presentations. As always, your feedback is welcome on the comments below.

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3D Architectural Presentation Models

From concept to reality: how 3d architectural presentation models bring designs to life, 3d architectural presentation models: the masterpieces.

In the intricate ballet of architectural design and construction, models have long served as the vital linchpin, offering a three-dimensional stage where visions are transformed into tangible forms. These models are not just static entities; they breathe life into ideas, enabling architects, designers, and clients to walk through the labyrinth of creativity, functionality, and logistics. Yet, among the different types of models, 3D architectural presentation models stand out as the undeniable "Masterpieces"—the epitome of craftsmanship, detail, and aesthetic brilliance.

This pinnacle of architectural representation is where PREMIER3D excels. As Australia's leading name in 3D architectural scale models, we go beyond the traditional role of model-making to craft pieces that are not just informative but truly awe-inspiring. In the realm of presentation models, we create not just models, but masterpieces that narrate the story of a building even before its foundation is laid.

In this dynamic field where technology meets artistry, PREMIER3D leverages cutting-edge techniques and state-of-the-art equipment, such as 3D printing and laser cutting, to bring architectural visions to life with unmatched precision and impact. Our work elevates the entire design and decision-making process, setting new industry standards for quality and innovation. Whether you're an architect seeking to wow clients, or a developer looking to secure investors, our presentation models offer an unrivalled medium to articulate and present your architectural aspirations.

The Evolution of Architectural Models

In the expansive timeline of architectural history, models have always been the unsung heroes, quietly shaping the contours of ground-breaking designs. They come in various forms, each with its specific role and utility. There are Conceptual Models, the rough sketches of the architectural world, often cobbled together from inexpensive materials to quickly visualise an idea. Working Models then refine these initial thoughts, acting as functional blueprints that focus on practical elements like scale and structural integrity.

However, where the architectural model truly reaches its zenith is in the form of Presentation Models. These are the masterpieces that capture every intricate detail, every nuance, and every material, offering a hyper-realistic view of the envisioned project. In the past, these models were painstakingly crafted by hand, employing an array of materials from balsa wood to acrylics. Hours of meticulous labour went into sculpting each model, making them treasured pieces of art as much as functional representations of architectural designs.

Fast-forward to the digital age, and the process of creating Presentation Models has undergone a revolutionary transformation. Here at PREMIER3D, we are at the forefront of this metamorphosis. Employing cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing and laser cutting, we're able to achieve levels of detail and accuracy previously thought impossible. These advancements have not replaced the artisanal aspects of model-making; instead, they have elevated them. The synthesis of traditional craftsmanship with digital precision creates an end product that is both a work of art and a highly accurate representation of the proposed architectural project.

The Craftsmanship Behind Presentation Models

Creating a presentation model is not just an act of construction; it is a practice of devotion where each detail speaks volumes. It requires a combination of architectural understanding, artistic flair, and an eye for detail that borders on the obsessive. At PREMIER3D, we believe that the precision and meticulousness invested in each presentation model are not merely optional attributes but non-negotiable necessities. These models are, after all, the final say before construction begins and are often the linchpin in securing client approval or investor funding.

In this era of technological innovation, the craftsmanship behind presentation models has evolved to incorporate an array of both traditional and cutting-edge materials. Gone are the days when balsa wood and card were the primary materials used. Today, a variety of materials like acrylics, polymers, and even metals are employed to create more durable and detailed models. This diversity of material options allows for greater flexibility and precision, enabling us to replicate a building's exact look and feel down to the minutest details.

But what truly sets modern-day presentation models apart from their predecessors is the utilisation of state-of-the-art technologies. 3D printing, for instance, has revolutionised the level of detail achievable, allowing for the creation of intricate elements that were once almost impossible to model by hand. Laser cutting, on the other hand, brings in unprecedented accuracy in shaping components, ensuring that every edge is sharp, every corner perfect. By integrating these technologies, PREMIER3D elevates the art of model-making into a form that marries aesthetic beauty with mathematical precision.

It's a painstaking process that involves multiple rounds of design validation, prototyping, and revisions. However, the end result is nothing short of a masterpiece, a miniaturised world in which every element has been considered, assessed, and perfectly rendered.

The Functional Role of Presentation Models

While the aesthetic brilliance of 3D presentation models is undeniable, the utility and importance of models extends far beyond mere visual appeal. These models serve as the final, polished renditions of architectural projects, capturing the essence and specifics of a design in a way that 2D blueprints or even digital renderings cannot. They are the culminating point where every aspect of the project—design, scale, materials—comes together in a comprehensive, three-dimensional form.

In client presentations, a high-quality presentation model can be the difference between approval and revision, or even rejection. It allows clients to visualise not just what a building will look like, but also how it will feel and function. By examining a presentation model, clients can access everything from the flow of space to the intricacies of design elements, enabling a level of understanding that mere images or virtual walk-throughs cannot provide. It's the closest one can get to the real thing without actually building it, and thus serves as an invaluable tool for design validation.

Investor meetings, too, take on a different dynamic when a presentation model is introduced. Investors are not just buying into a concept; they're investing in a vision. A meticulously crafted presentation model conveys that vision with a level of certainty and professionalism that can significantly boost investor confidence. In these high-stakes scenarios, a presentation model becomes more than just a visual aid; it's a tangible asset that substantiates the project's viability and potential for success.

But the role of presentation models extends even further, into the realm of regulatory approvals. These models offer planning committees and governing bodies a detailed and accurate representation of the project, aiding in the assessment of its compliance with zoning laws, building codes, and community standards. The realism and detail captured in these models can often expedite the approval process, helping to clear bureaucratic hurdles that might otherwise stall a project.

The Aesthetics and Attention to Detail

If architecture is the canvas, then presentation models are the fine brushstrokes that bring the vision to life. At PREMIER3D, we don't just construct models; we craft experiences. These are not mere miniaturised buildings but richly detailed worlds that invite closer inspection and evoke a sense of wonder.

One of the standout features that make presentation models uniquely captivating is the inclusion of landscaping elements. The addition of trees, gardens, water features, and even miniature people and vehicles can give a holistic sense of the project's environment. Landscaping elements not only beautify the model but also provide a vital context that allows clients and investors to understand how the structure harmonises with its surroundings. These minor but crucial details breathe life into the project, making it relatable and immersive.

Scale is another critical aspect that contributes to the aesthetic value of a presentation model. Achieving the correct scale requires a keen understanding of proportion and spatial dynamics. Even the smallest inaccuracy can disrupt the visual coherence of the model. At PREMIER3D, we employ precision tools and technologies to ensure that every element is in perfect proportion, thus creating a model that is both accurate and visually pleasing.

The choice of materials is also a vital factor that contributes to the aesthetic appeal of a presentation model. Authentic materials like wood, metal, or glass can be used to mimic the look and feel of the actual building materials that will be used in construction. This offers a tactile experience that goes beyond just visual appreciation, allowing viewers to touch and feel the model, thereby engaging multiple senses.

To elevate these elements further, state-of-the-art technologies like 3D printing and laser cutting are employed. These technologies allow for intricate details, from the texture of bricks and tiles to the translucence of windows, to be replicated with extraordinary accuracy. The end result is a model that doesn't just show how a building will look, but encapsulates its very essence in a three-dimensional form.

PREMIER3D Case Studies

When it comes to making an indelible impact, presentation models have proven to be game-changers time and time again. Here, we spotlight some noteworthy projects where our presentation models at PREMIER3D tipped the scales in favour of our esteemed clients.

These case studies are just a glimpse of how presentation models can transcend their role as mere visual aids. They are compelling storytellers, negotiation facilitators, and community engagement tools. At PREMIER3D, we are proud to have partnered with distinguished clients like Morris Property Group, CBD Core, Basebuild, and Phoenix Property Group, in turning their architectural visions into tangible, winning realities.

Morris Property Group – Renaissance

One of our most gratifying collaborations was with Morris Property Group on their project, Renaissance. Our presentation model helped articulate the project's intricate details, from the sleek glass façades to the lush gardens. It wasn't just a model; it was a compelling narrative that garnered immediate client approval. This endeavour demonstrated that a meticulously crafted model could accelerate decision-making processes and build consensus among stakeholders. Learn more about the Renaissance project

CBD Core – Astrid

Another triumph was our work with CBD Core on their Astrid project. The presentation model served as the centrepiece in client meetings, offering a tangible experience that static renderings simply could not provide. The model helped clinch the deal, setting the project on the path to successful completion. Explore the Astrid case study

Basebuild – Dairy Farmers

Working with Basebuild on the Dairy Farmers project, our model became a critical communication tool for stakeholder engagement. It didn’t just depict the building; it encapsulated the entire ecosystem around it, showcasing how the new facility would integrate with existing structures and landscapes. The model was pivotal in winning the hearts and minds of community members. See more on the Dairy Farmers project

Phoenix Property Group – Balfour Place

Last but not least, our collaboration with Phoenix Property Group on Balfour Place was another watershed moment. The presentation model facilitated conversations that words alone could not. Investors immediately grasped the potential and scale of the development, making it easier to secure the necessary funding. Discover the Balfour Place case study

Marketing and Fundraising: The Unseen Benefits

While presentation models have an obvious role in visualising and communicating architectural concepts, they also serve another, often overlooked, purpose. In the business of architecture and real estate, first impressions can be deal-makers or deal-breakers. That's where a well-crafted presentation model excels—it doesn't just depict a vision; it sells it.

A Marketing Marvel

In today's digital age, where 3D renderings and virtual tours are at everyone's fingertips, a physical presentation model stands out as a unique and tactile experience. It provides something that digital media can't: a spatial understanding of the project that viewers can interact with. When a client or stakeholder can walk around a model, lean in to observe the details, and even touch the materials, they form a connection that's not easily forgotten. This physical interaction enhances the project's marketability, setting it apart in a crowded field.

Magnet for Investors

When it comes to attracting investors, a presentation model can serve as a focal point during pitch meetings or investor relations events. Investors are essentially risk assessors; they want to minimise uncertainties. A finely crafted model that presents a detailed and to-scale replica of the building, down to the minutest elements, can convey a project's viability in a way that brochures or PowerPoint slides cannot. It communicates not just the architects' vision but also their competence and attention to detail—qualities that build investor confidence.

The Future of Presentation Models

While traditional craftsmanship and current technologies like 3D printing have already revolutionised the creation of architectural models, the landscape is ever-evolving. As we move further into the digital age, a few key trends and emerging technologies could significantly impact how presentation models are created and utilised.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

The integration of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies into presentation models offers an enhanced, immersive experience. Imagine walking your clients or investors through a virtual building modelled precisely on the physical presentation model. While the tactile experience of a physical model is irreplaceable, VR and AR can add layers of interactivity and detail that weren't possible before.

IoT and Smart Models

The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to bring presentation models to life in unprecedented ways. Through embedded sensors and smart technologies, models could soon be interacting with viewers, providing real-time data, or simulating various environmental conditions like daylight, shadow, or even pedestrian movement.

Material Advancements

As technology progresses, we'll likely see even more authentic and durable materials being used in presentation models. Materials that can mimic the look and feel of glass, metal, or natural elements like water and trees can significantly elevate the realism of the model, making it an even more compelling sales and presentation tool.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

AI and machine learning could revolutionise the design process, suggesting optimizations or alterations that could make the final building more efficient or aesthetically pleasing. These recommendations could be incorporated into presentation models, making them not just end-stage representations but also contributors to the iterative design process.

Sustainability

As environmental concerns continue to rise, the sustainability of the materials and methods used to create presentation models will come into focus. Biodegradable materials or those that can be easily recycled will likely see increased usage in coming years.

At PREMIER3D, we're excited about these future possibilities and are continually investing in R&D to ensure we stay at the cutting edge of these advancements. As technology evolves, presentation models will become increasingly sophisticated, versatile, and integrated into the broader architectural and construction ecosystems.

The future looks bright for presentation models, promising exciting avenues that could redefine how we think about these "Masterpieces" in the architectural world.

In the captivating world of architectural design, where imagination meets precision, presentation models reign as the "Masterpieces" of the craft. These creations go beyond mere visual aids; they serve as final, intricate works of art that encapsulate the nuanced balance of design, scale, and functionality. Unlike their digital or more rudimentary physical counterparts, presentation models carry a meticulous level of detail and authenticity. Through a harmonious blend of craftsmanship and technology, they tell a compelling story, turning blueprints and CAD files into a sensory experience that invites touch, inspires wonder, and provokes thought.

What truly sets them apart is not just the precision but also the emotional resonance they carry. When stakeholders can touch a model, it builds a different level of connection and understanding that a digital image simply cannot achieve. They convey the aesthetics, the ambiance, and even the cultural significance of a building, adding layers of understanding that can be pivotal in decision-making processes. Moreover, their increasing role in marketing and fundraising reveals their power to captivate not just architects and clients, but investors and the community at large.

As architectural practices evolve, buoyed by advancements in technology and shifts in consumer expectations, the role of presentation models remains steadfast. If anything, they are becoming more indispensable. They bridge the gap between technical planning and emotional connection, between the abstract and the concrete, and between the architect's vision and the stakeholder's understanding.

At PREMIER3D, we understand this profound significance and continually strive to create presentation models that are not just visually striking but emotionally engaging as well. In a world that's becoming increasingly digitised, these physical "Masterpieces" serve as an enduring testament to the power and beauty of tactile, spatial understanding. They are not merely relics of a bygone era but essential, vibrant participants in contemporary architectural dialogue.

In summary, presentation models are more than just models; they are the crowning jewels of architectural design—valuable, irreplaceable, and absolutely indispensable.

Contact PREMIER3D for all 3D Scale Model Needs

If you've made it this far, it's clear that you understand the extraordinary impact that a well-crafted presentation model can have on your architectural project. Whether you're an architect looking to captivate your clients, a developer aiming to attract investors, or a planner seeking regulatory approval, a high-quality 3D scale model could very well be the game-changer you've been searching for.

The future of your project shouldn't rely on flat, digital images alone. Give it the three-dimensional context, the emotional resonance, and the palpable, tactile quality that can only come from a meticulously crafted presentation model. At PREMIER3D, we specialise in creating these "Masterpieces," leveraging cutting-edge technology and traditional craftsmanship to deliver models that stand out in every sense of the word.

Don't let your next architectural project be just another blueprint in a pile. Elevate it. Bring it to life. Make it unforgettable.

Contact us today to discover how a PREMIER3D architectural presentation model can make all the difference for your next project.

Seize the opportunity now—because every great design deserves a Masterpiece.

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10 Tips for Creating Stunning Architecture Project Presentation

Architectural design projects are the life and soul of architecture school . As a student, you are always working on one, and somehow it becomes what your life is revolving around.

You would give it every possible effort and believe you have done your best, but on jury day, when you see everyone else’s project you could lose a bit of your confidence, not because your project is any less, but because your presentation is lacking.

The architecture project presentation might not be the core of the project, but it surely influences the viewer. It can also be considered an indicator of your artistic skills and sense as a designer.

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While you shouldn’t be completely dependable on positive results from a merely eye-catching architecture project presentation, you still need to give an adequate amount of time to properly plan it in a way that communicates your idea best. Your architecture professor might credit you for a creative design regardless of the presentation, but your future client might only see the presentation, so make it a habit, to involve your design skills in all aspects of your project, starting now.

Besides the essential tips and tutorials for photoshop architectural rendering that will definitely improve your board, here, we will give you some basic tips on how to create a Stunning Architecture Project Presentation . So, let’s get started.

Architecture Project Presentation Board Tips

1) size and orientation.

Most of the time your professors restrict you to specific board sizes and the number of boards. If that is the case then you need to confirm if your boards should be presented in Landscape or Portrait orientation. You, also, need to decide if you will be presenting your board side by side as one big board, one poster of equivalent size, or as separate boards that come in sequence.

Now, that you have a base to work on you need to start planning the layout of your boards or poster:

• If you are presenting hand drawings then you can do prior planning on one or more A4 paper sheets for example. Try to make an accurate estimation of the space needed per each drawing and the buffering space you would like to leave around each.

• If you will be presenting CAD drawings, then this might be easier. You can experiment with the actual drawings on CAD Layout or Photoshop if you will be rendering your project digitally.
• You can use a grid system to organize your drawings. Decide on a unit width, for example, 6cm, then use its multiples to create unit areas to contain your drawings, like for instance, 12cm for outer frame buffering, 36cm for main drawings and so.

Do This Or that! Here is an example!

3) placement and zoning.

Think of the way you would like the viewers to circulate through your presentation, what you would like them to see first, how they would best understand your project. For example, you may start by brief site analysis, then move to the concept statement and its illustrative sketches if needed.

• If your concept is form-based you may need to show the form first, before the plan, then move to the plan to reveal how the form has functionally worked out.
• If your concept is in the plan itself, then you may move directly to the plan and conclude with the rendered exterior form as usual.

Drawing and Rendering Tips

4) background.

Dark Background

It is called “background” for a reason. It should be a platform to feature your drawings as the main focus, clear of any distractions. Some students use faded renderings of their own projects as background, but this can be seriously diverting. White backgrounds are best, as they show the true colors of your project.

Some opt to use a black background to stand out, however, that doesn’t usually turn out so well. It may cause halation and strain for sensitive eyes.

Black and white presentation

There are many ways you can render your projects, choose the one you excel at and shows your project best.

• There is the Black & White or Greyscale presentation where you only show lines with various thicknesses, in addition to shade and shadow.
• There is the greyscale presentation with an element of color where you would choose one bright color, for example, green for landscape and greenery, to contrast with the, generally, achromatic drawings.
• One color might become two colors revealing different materials like wood or bricks and glass for example.

Presentation with a Color Scheme on Greyscale

All, these previous techniques would work out fine if colors are not the main focus in your project, however, if there is an idea behind your color scheme or the used materials, or there are many details that will go lost in greyscale, then there is no way out.

You need to fully color or at least broaden the color palette for your presentation.

Colored Presentation

The manual achromatic presentation can be via graphic pencils and ink, and the colored elements can be executed using watercolor, markers, brush pens, or pastels. For digital presentations, you can use Adobe Photoshop as the most commonly used tool. You can even mimic the aesthetic of the manual presentation in Photoshop using downloadable brushes and a mix of effects.

6) Visual Hierarchy

Black and White Contrast Color

What is your strongest point, the highlight of your project? Grab the attention from far away with that. There are many ways to grab the attention of a specific drawing, using color or size. For example, if the main idea is in your cross-section, you can present it on large scale with full-hue colors, against black and white plan drawings. That is mixing between two of the color presentation techniques mentioned in the previous point to get emphasis by contrast.

General Tips

7) Minimize text on your presentation board. Write a short and concise concept statement and add a very brief explanation, if needed. Don’t waste your time composing elongated descriptive text because no one will read it.

8) Replace words, whenever possible, with simple illustrative sketches and figures. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. You may use colors and keys to further clarify your illustrations.

9) Use a suitable font for your title and text and, preferably, don’t use more than one font type per project. You can vary between the title, the concept statement, and the labeling by size. Sans Serif fonts like Century Gothic and Helvetica may be good for headlines; their slick minimalism befits modern high-tech designs.

10) Finally, don’t overdo it.

• Don’t pack your boards with drawings and text at every corner. Leave some breathing space but not too much, that it would look like a) you couldn’t finish your work, b) you didn’t well plan your boards or c) you haven’t worked hard enough.
• Don’t overuse colors to the extent that they would become a distraction but also don’t make your presentation too light and faded, or it might exhaust the eyes of the viewer and give an impression of weak effort.

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Architecture Concept Models

• Updated: February 15, 2024

Architecture concept models form a fundamental part of the architectural design and development process and as described here in our on “ how to develop architecture concepts ”, they can provide a quick and effective method of testing ideas and investigating site constraints.

As we discuss below, a concept model can be created out of just about anything and be as simple or complex as it needs to be. This provides the architect and/or designer with the opportunity to expand their thinking and methods of working way beyond the standard sketches , drawings, and 3D models that are more commonly produced at this stage.

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A concept model can be used to enforce a thought process, emotion, feeling, sketch or even a piece of writing ; helping to describe and communicate the thinking processes of the architect/designer to the client, design team, colleagues, tutors or even just to themselves. 

Even with today’s many means and methods of presenting architecture, physical architecture models still provide one of the most powerful and engaging presentation techniques, and concept models are no different.

Model making at this level and stage in a project provides a very loose and tactile method of working, which above all else is fun (and so it should be!). As your project develops so too will your working methods, and so enjoy this stage while it lasts …its one of the best bits!

In this post we will describe the process behind creating a concept model and look at the various types and methods that can be used.

How to use and create a concept model

The uses of an architectural concept model can be narrowed down to just three areas; Concept Creation, Concept Development, and Concept Presentation. 

– Creation

Concept creation is solely about experimenting and testing. The beauty of working with concept models is that they can be as fast and loose as you want them to be, and can be created from just about anything. 

Equally they can be inspired by anything, and with their relative simple means of creation can also be initially very quick to make, and therefore if an idea isn’t working, it can be quickly set aside without too much time lost.

You can create as many abbreviations as you like or just adapt a singular arrangement …everyone’s processes are different.

– Development

Once an idea gains traction it’s time to develop and take it as far forward as it will go.

During this stage and in preparation for the next one (presentation) it can be extremely beneficial to keep and record each development, as this will later help communicate your chosen idea.

Your models should be pushed, pulled, stretched, rotated, taken apart, reassembled, simplified, mirrored …anything you can think of that may help with your projects and ideas development.

…and or course experiment with as many different materials as you can, until you find the correct fit. 

– Presentation

This is key. In any given situation and particularly in architecture school, you should never present a project for the first time without firstly showing its origins, and this is where concept models become very useful.

As well as being a presentation tool and technique, your models als o create and document a particular time in your design process, that demonstrates the projects progression and the journey taken to achieve the finished product.

At this stage its also not uncommon for a final and more presentable concept model to be produced.

Architecture concept model ideas

Ideas for concept models can come in all manner of shapes and sizes and from all types of materials, in fact the more experimental a model is, generally speaking the more successful it is. 

There should be a certain level of interpretation, and they should never represent the final building, (that’s a whole different type of architectural model), but show a piece of it .

Concept models can be used to express any number of your projects elements and/or features, the direction you choose to go down is really dependent on where your concept is being derived from.

However in many cases it’s just about picking one and running with it, and then choosing another, and then another. 

For example they can be used to investigate:

• Interactions with the site
• The vertical and and horizontal planes (plans and elevations)
• The external and internal materiality
• The outer shell
• Circulation (through and around)
• Structural features or limitations
• Form, proportion and massing
• Its orientation

…etc  

We have a selection of examples here and as you can see from the below, there are many options to choose from in terms of materiality.

We’ve had a lot of fun in the past with concrete, and often found that the finished product once it has been removed from its mold became more of an artefact than a model.

Making a concept model

Due to the varying nature and level of detail the author can put into their concept models, creating them is really a very unscripted process that can use just about any material and any method available.

Do not however over complicate your models, a good concept model should present one or two ideas really well, and therefore if you have more, then make more models.

We recommend spending as much time in the architecture workshop as possible and just experiment, its one of the best places to be in architecture school or indeed in practice (if you are lucky enough to work somewhere that has its own model workshop).

Aside from the more common model making materials, using materials gathered from your projects site can be useful in helping to understand the context in which your project will sit, and may investigate vernacular methods of construction.

– Paper models

Paper can provide a very quick and relatively easy method of making concept models, particularly where there are curves or folds involved. It can be used in many ways by cutting, bending, twisting and folding, in fact there is a very good by Paul Jackson on this exact subject called Folding Techniques for Designers: From Sheet to Form (Amazon link here )

Paper can also be strengthened by applying and stacking additional layers on top of one another, making it a very adaptable and readily available choice of material.

Examples of paper concept models here

– Concrete models

As mentioned above, concrete is one of our favorite materials to work with when model making, however its not suited to every project nor is it a quick process. Molds must firstly be made and then time must be allowed for the concrete to dry and set before it can be revealed.

But once finished, the objects you can create can be quite special and carry a lot more gravitas that say a card model …just look at the image below.

Textures can be added to the surface of your models depending on what material and how you choose to create your mold, and you can also pigment the concrete prior to casting in any color of your choosing …creating quite a vast amount of variables.

Examples of concrete concept models here

– Cork models

Cork offers something a little different with its uniform surface and texture, and for this reason it is most popularly used as a surface to represented a sites typography. However it can also be carved into and treated much more like a sculpture, if it is bought in blocks rather than sheets.

Examples of cork concept models here

– Resin models

Resin requires a similar technique to concrete in the way of mold making and the curing process, but with a much more labor intensive process required. That said, the final results can be stunning and with its high level of difficulty you may be the only one using this method. 

Examples of resin concept models here

– 3D Printing models

3D printing at any scale can be expensive and time consuming, and so in most circumstances it is not suited to the quick of the cuff development models. 

It can however be an excellent choice for your final concept model, but be mindful of the price it will cost and the time required to set up the 3D model.

– Wood models

Most workshops will stock an abundance of wood in all manner of shapes and sizes, and so this will be very accessible, as well as being easy to work with. 

You will see from the attached examples that when it comes to wooden concept models, the simpler the better.

Examples of wooden concept models here

– Laser cut models

Once the files are set up, this can be a very quick way of achieving lots of united models. The most successful ones are however where the burnt edges have been sanded off, as this provides a much more tidy and natural aesthetic.

– Site objects models

As mentioned above, finding and using objects and materials from your site can really boost your concept models meaning by providing an extra level of relevance. The abstract the better.

So enjoy this process and experiment!

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Ryzen 9000 is here. Zen 5 architecture, IPC and model specs

• Desktop processors with Zen 5 cores revealed

After a long wait, it’s here. During its presentation at Computex 2024, AMD unveiled the Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs, the first of the generation of CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. We now have confirmed specifications and also the IPC of this architecture (the officially stated value, at least). According to AMD, these are the fastest “consumer PC” processors of today, and the company has already shown the first performance claims.

The Zen 5 architecture: the biggest core changes since the first Zen

Not much has been revealed about architectural details yet, and we may learn more with the reviews in July or August when the core is presented at the Hot Chips conference in august (we should definitely get deeper details at that point). AMD has confirmed that this is a core newly designed from the ground up like the first Zen and Zen 3 were, not an evolution of Zen 4. The scope of the changes seems to be larger than in Zen 3. Zen 5 is supposed to combine “very high performance” and “extreme energy efficiency”, but of course those words could mean anything, so on those matters we’ll have to wait for independent tests.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of Zen 5 that has been revealed is the use of two parallel pipelines in the frontend. In theory, this could be something similar to the parallel decoder clusters in Intel’s small cores (Tremont, Gracemont and Skymont, which should also be unveiled soon and has as many as 3×3 decoders in parallel). However, it could be other parts of the pipeline than instruction decoding that are duplicated, so consider this just for illustration.

The purpose of these duplicated pipelines in the frontend is to make the processor better able to handle branches in the program code, with lower misprediction rates and also lower latency, to minimize delays in execution and stalls of the execution units themselves caused by the branch handling.

The core should also have more compute capacity in the backend (i.e. the execution units themselves). This means addition of more ALUs to the core (there should be six instead of the current four, but AMD hasn’t officially confirmed this yet).

Zen 5 should also see its SIMD units expanded to the full native AVX-512 operation width, from 256 bits to 512 bits. This doubles the theoretical compute performance (throughput) in SIMD code – provided the AVX-512 instructions are used, of course – because the 512-bit instructions will be executed in one cycle instead of two as in Zen 4. But you’ll typically only see a part of this “2×” potential manifested in programs. In highly optimized tasks using full vectorization, numerical computations and microbenchmarking, however, the full 2× increase could be observed.

Another place where performance can (locally) be doubled is data bandwidth. It his has been doubled between the L1 and L2 caches, and the data bandwidth between the L1 cache and the SIMD/FPU execution units has also been doubled. This should ensure that code taking advantage of the AVX-512’s doubled performance is not bottlenecked by the working data not being able to flow out of and back into the caches fast enough. This doubling of bandwidth should probably be realized by expanding the data paths to double width, which means the load/store pipelines probably perform 512-bit reads and writes per cycle.

AMD also talks about “double instruction bandwidth” in the frontend. It’s not entirely clear whether this is talking about reading instructions from the L1 cache (“fetch”), or decoding (which would mean eight instruction decoders, or 2×4 if they’re in two clusters), or the ability to perform branching, i.e., processing twice as many branches per cycle.

On the other hand, the L2 cache capacity remains at 1 MB (private in each core) and the L3 cache still uses 32 MB in each of the CPU core dies. Thus, dual-die models have 64 MB of L3 cache, single-die models have 32 MB.

The core should also have deeper buffers and out-of-order execution instruction queues, including the so-called Reorder Buffer (RoB), which is a “window” of code within which the processor can reshuffle instructions and execute ahead those future instructions that have no blocking dependencies. Zen cores have had their RoBs relatively limited in depth until now, for example there was a two-fold difference between Zen 3 and Intel’s Golden Cove (256 versus 512 entries RoB). It will be interesting to see how much Zen 5 leaps forward in this characteristics.

First official information about IPC

All of these changes should contribute to the core having improved IPC, meaning improved performance per 1 MHz. However, the benefits may not be as high as one would expect given the large changes to the Zen 5 architecture. That might just be due to the newness of the design.

Zen 4 built on the proven design of Zen 3 and had more opportunity to fix weaknesses or bugs and address performance limitations that were discovered while working on Zen 3, but whose solution did not make the deadline for inclusion to the original architecture. In contrast, by being such a new design, Zen 5 will probably contain more cases where such newly discovered limitations are not yet addressed, and these are opportunities for improvement in future generations – at least in Zen 6, which should probably come out again in a year and a half to two years.

AMD showed a chart at Computex with various benchmarks and the IPC increase in them for Zen 5 compared to the previous Zen 4 generation. These improvements range from +10% (in Far Cry 6) to +23% (Blender) to +35% (AES XTS cryptography in the Geekbench 5.4 test, this test benefits from AVX-512).

Note: These are probably not strictly single-threaded applications that we are used to see in IPC measurements, AMD seems to be using multi-threaded tests for some reason. The test should be with both cores running at 4.0 GHz. It’s mentioned in passing that an 8-core Ryzen 7 7700X processor was used for Zen 4, but that doesn’t make much sense (unless the Ryzen 9 9950X used only half its cores and it was therefore an 8-core / 16-thread scenario for both CPUs).

+16% performance at the same clock speed

Overall, this should result in a geometric mean of +16% IPC, so a bit more than what was in the leaked slides a while ago . According to those, AMD believed or promised that the performance improvement per 1 MHz (IPC) of Zen 5 would end up in the range of 10–15+%. One could assume that AMD always wants to achieve a bit more than the upper end of the ranges given in preliminary projections, and the now announced +16% is just barely higher than the upper bound.

But it’s possible that not everything worked out quite as expected with the new core, given that the expectations were beaten by a just single percentage point (also recall that for Zen 3, AMD claimed +19% IPC improvement ). One wonders if AMD een hasn’t doctored the average to reach 16% by carefuly choosing which tests to include in this chart and average. For example, it is somewhat questionable that the composite overal scores of Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6 tests not included directly and AMD only cherry-picked their specific subtests. This could have been done to make the resulting IPC percentage look better. But on the other hand, there probably are tests where the increase will be higher than the +35%, we would expect to find even higher numbers from applications profiting from AVX-512. Anyway, better to wait for real tests before verdicts.

Still using AM5, new CPU chiplets with an old IO chiplet

AMD CEO Lisa Su showed a sample of a processor without the usual metal lid (IHS) at Computex, which confirms that the desktop Ryzen 9000 processors (whose codename is Granite Ridge) are still designed in a chiplet style – with one IO die and two CPU dies on an ordiary substrate (advanced packaging, which could improve power efficiency, will first be used in Zen 6 at the earliest). What should be new in the processor are the CPU dies with Zen 5 cores that use TSMC’s 4nm node (N4).

The IO die is apparently the same (manufactured by TSMC’s 6nm node, N6), so the same PCI Express 5.0 controller with 16+4+4 lanes and 128-bit wide DDR5 controller (used to be called “dual-channel”) is retained. However, now the officially supported memory clock speed is DDR5-5600 , while with Ryzen 7000 it was only DDR5-5200. On the other hand, the integrated GPU with 128 RDNA 2 architecture shaders at 2200 MHz remains.

The AM5 socket is still used, therefore these processors will be usable as an upgrade in any AM5 board. As before, all models are unlocked for overclocking and will not have a cooler included. The maximum operating temperature, by the way, is 95°C, as in the previous generation.

Four processors, 65W, 120W and 170W TDP

The models have also been revealed, and they’re exactly the four processors with 6, 8, 12 and 16 cores whose specs were leaked over the weekend – but now we have the previously missing specs too.

The top of the range SKU is the Ryzen 9 9950X with 16 Zen 5 cores and 32 threads. Its maximum boost is 5.7 GHz – unchanged from the Ryzen 9 7950X with Zen 4 architecture . The processor has 32 MB of L3 cache in each of the two CPU dies of which it will consist, for a total of 64 MB. And the 170W TDP is also retained, which implies that the maximum boost power consumption (continuously consumable) is 230W.

The base clock speed is 4.3GHz, which is 200MHz lower than the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X. While the Zen 5 has CPU dies manufactured on a 4nm node, due to the complex architecture, it may consume slightly more power at a given clock speed. At the very least, this could probably be true when using AVX-512 instructions due to the 2× wider 512-bit units. The base clock speed might probably have been lowered for this reason.

The second model in the lineup is the Ryzen 9 9900X with 12 cores and 24 threads. Again, it has 2 × 32 MB L3 cache and its maximum boost is 5.6 GHz. So the boost clock is again unchanged against the 7900X from 2022. However, this model falls into a more power-efficient class, instead of 170 W the TDP will be 120 W (the actual PPT maximum power consumption is 170 W). This model also has a 300 MHz lower base clock speed, just 4.4GHz. However, given the reduced TDP here, this is easy to understand.

The other two models with a single CPU die also have lower TDP. The Ryzen 7 9700X has 8 cores with 16 threads, 32MB L3 cache and the TDP is 65W (implying the maximum PPT power consumption is 88W). The maximum boost clock speed of the processor is 5.5 GHz, this time it is already a 100MHz improvement over the previous generation. The base clock speed is 3.8GHz, which is again a pretty big reduction (the 7700X has a base of 4.5GHz).

The cheapest model, the Ryzen 5 9600X , will still only have six cores and 12 threads. It also has a 65W TDP and 32MB of L3 cache. For this processor, AMD has also increased the maximum boost by 100 MHz, to 5.4GHz (the 7600X model has 5.3GHz). However, the base clock speed has been reduced from 4.7 to just 3.9 GHz compared to the 105W Ryzen 5 7600X.

But the base clock speeds of these 65W models should probably be compared to the 65W models of the Zen 4 generation – the Ryzen 7 7700 has a base of 3.8GHz and the Ryzen 5 7600 does too. So the clocks won’t represent a drastic drop compared to them.

First official benchmarks

AMD also showed some official benchmarks of the Ryzen 9 9950X, which you can see on the following slide. These are tests done against the competing 8+16 core Intel Core i9-14900K. The Zen 5 has relatively smaller wins in the benchmarking tools Procyon Office (+7%) and Puget Photoshop (+10%), while in the programs that apparently benefit from AVX-512, the performance is up by as much as +55–56% (Handbrake, Blender). An interesting indicator could be the Cinebench R24 multithreaded test, in which performance is 21% better against the Intel processor.

In games, AMD should have the “lead” according to its slide, with Ryzen 9 95950X being +4% to +23% faster compared to the Core i9-14900K depending on the games measured. This should be while using DDR5-6000 memory on both platforms.

Note that the Core i9-14900K processor is probably performing slightly worse in this testing (conducted by AMD) than in its original reviews from the fall, as it is set to “Intel Defaults”. This is a change that Intel is now retroactively making with board manufacturers because of the widely reported instability problems (which reminds us that there hasn’t been the official statement on the causes and solutions to the problem expected during May yet, just the arrival od the revised BIOSes from board manufacturers ). But the fact that AMD used these settings rather than the essentially overclocked values previously used by most motherboards seems perfectly legitimate in a situation where Intel makes the use of these settings by default mandatory as well.

Keep in mind, however, that such official benchmarks may alwaysbe embellished by various choices of settings or by selecting specific tests to include and tests to omit. So take the numbers with a grain of salt for now and wait for independent tests instead.

Release in July, prices not yet known

The release timeline of Ryzen 900s hasn’t been narrowed tor an exact date yet, but it will take place sometime next month, it’s been officially confirmed, and that means real availability. It’s not clear yet whether we’ll find out the pricing of these processors only when they finally hit the shelves, or if they MSRPs will be officially announced some time in advance. Also, the reviews could probably be published earlier than on the launch day, but we don’t know anything about their NDA lift date yet.

Sources: AMD ( 1 , 2 , 3 ), AnandTech

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš

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