Notes for New Students

on student life
05
BE THRIFTY WITH materials
Model-making is an integral part of architecture
education, with an increasing variety of
available means and media to choose from.
Hand-made models, laser cutting, card cutting,
3D resin printing, CNC routering... it can all add
up, leaving you to stinge on other crucial things
like print quality.
I know how easy it is to get carried away when
you’re wandering the model-supplies aisles of
Eckersley’s with infinite possibilities running
through your head and a student discount card
in your hand.
Chalmers Architecture School, Sweden
Dungeon of costly student models (now gathering dust)
But it’s probably unnecessary to make sketch
models out of quality foam core, personally own
a glue gun, buy a bag of fake grass or an entire
roll of wire mesh. You might find that ordinary
corrugated cardboard works far better for
massing studies, or that someone already has a
roll of wire lying around. Save the cash for your
thesis booklet and final presentation panelsthat’s
when you want to pull out all the stops.
Note:
Even if you have the cash, please remember
that unless you’re intentionally doing something
postmodern or emulating a legendary Koolhaas
model, fake grass is huge no-no.
Quick 1:1 Prototype Testing
Recycled cardboard and masking tape