Introduction Design is a living process. It changes, evolves, and responds to new inputs. In this chapter, we explore modeling—not as a final outcome, but as a way to think, test, and communicate ideas. You’ll see how participants at the REIFY seminar used scale models made from paper, cardboard, and found materials to refine and communicate their concepts.
From basic volume studies to modular systems that could grow and adapt, modeling gave form to values like flexibility, repair, and community use. More than representation, models became tools for collaboration and feedback.
🌍 Why Modeling Matters When ideas stay in our heads, they can be vague or idealized. But when we try to build—even just in miniature—we expose weaknesses, opportunities, and overlooked details. Modeling is how design becomes dialogue.
Models allow us to:
- Visualize space and scale
- Share ideas with others
- Prototype changes quickly
- Spark new directions
🧰 REIFY in Action: Hands-on Scale Models During the seminar, participants built models to:
- Show how rainwater might flow through a shelter
- Explore how benches could fold or expand
- Present ideas to facilitators and peers for feedback
They worked with recycled cardboard, scrap wood, paper joints, and glue. Some even used 3D printed parts to test small-scale movements. Visuals from this chapter show how materials informed design logic—and how physical making sparked design evolution.
🌿 From Sketch to Physical Form Several REIFY teams moved from hand-drawn plans to scale models before building 3D digital versions. This step helped test:
- Joinery
- Portability
- Modularity
- Co-use scenarios (e.g., multiple people sitting, dogs resting)
The process of model-making was also collaborative. Participants had to translate individual ideas into shared physical outcomes—navigating compromise, critique, and creativity.
🌐 Invitation to Make You don’t need fancy tools. With cardboard, scissors, and glue, you can model almost any concept. The key is to focus on how something behaves—not just how it looks. Does it fold? Stack? Invite touch? Modeling helps you find out.
🛠️ Activity: Make a Quick Scale Model Use scrap cardboard or paper to model a small part of your idea:
Present it to someone and ask: What do you see? What would you change?
A piece of furniture, a structure, or a public object
Focus on movement, scale, or interaction
📚 Further Resources
- Design Modeling: Visualizing Space in Architecture
- Paper Architecture – Fast Modeling Techniques
- How to Make a Scale Model
🌟 Final Thoughts Modeling isn’t just for presentation—it’s for learning. Every fold, joint, or failed glue line teaches us something about design. The beauty of models lies in their imperfection: they evolve as our ideas do. Keep experimenting, and let your hands guide your mind.