Make a model that answers a question

Choose the decision

Start with a single uncertainty: the position of an entrance, the relation between two rooms or the effect of a suspended surface. A model designed to answer everything tends to hide the question that matters most.

Set scale and a fixed base

Select a scale that makes the critical relationship visible. Write it on the base and use consistent reference figures. Convert dimensions before cutting; do not mix full-size measurements with model measurements.

The calculator below divides a centimetre measurement by twenty for a 1:20 study. It is a proportion aid, not a verification of construction dimensions.

Build with reversible decisions

Use loose partitions and removable supports for the first versions. Keep the base footprint constant so the alternatives can be compared fairly. Mark each arrangement and photograph it from a fixed overhead position.

1. Establish the arrival viewpoint.
2. Place the first boundary or threshold.
3. Trace the route with a scale figure.
4. Identify a pause and a view onward.

Change to eye level

Lower the camera to the height of the reference figure. Check whether the entrance and next destination remain legible. A route that seems obvious from above may become ambiguous inside the model.

For a light study, keep the camera still and move one source. Note its position and remember that the result is exploratory rather than a daylight or lighting calculation.

Review the unresolved parts

Ask another person to describe their route without coaching. Record where they hesitate and what they cannot see. Separate a spatial design question from an issue that needs access, structural or fabrication expertise.

Keep photographs of at least two alternatives with a short explanation of the chosen direction. The record should explain the reasoning, not only celebrate the most polished model.