Building model
![]() |
Subject classification: this is an engineering resource. |
A building model is either a physical (real) or virtual (computer) representation of a building. Very often, the physical model is smaller than the original (scale model).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82_%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F.jpg/300px-%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82_%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F.jpg)
There are three basic types of building models: architectural, structural and mathematical (virtual).
Architectural building model
[edit | edit source]An architectural model is a type of a physical model of a structure to study an architectural design or to share design ideas to clients, committees, and the general public. Architectural models are a tool which may be used for show, presentation, fundraising, getting permits, and sale purposes. Such models are a good tool for three-dimensional understanding of a design, used by architects, interior designers and exhibit designers.
Structural building model
[edit | edit source]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Kinematically_equivalent_building_models_on_a_shake-table.jpg/230px-Kinematically_equivalent_building_models_on_a_shake-table.jpg)
Scale structural building model is the best choice for the engineers who need to test the likely performance of a designed structure at an early stage of development without paying for a full-sized prototype.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/EPET.jpg/220px-EPET.jpg)
Virtual building model
[edit | edit source]Virtual model is a digital model of the object (typically greatly simplified) that can be used in a computer simulation or virtual reality.
The most common examples of virtual models are those created in 3D for the purpose of visualisation - seeing how the structure looks before it is built. The field of architecture has greatly popularized the use of virtual models to animate fly-throughs of yet-to-be-built buildings.
Other websites
[edit | edit source]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "Buildings in Miniature". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2007-06-16.