The construction of physical models in design studios and workshops is a time-honored tradition in many schools of architecture. The construction of models in history of architecture courses allows for multiple lessons of ordinance, structure and surface elaboration. These lessons become palpably understood by the students through their study and reproduction of orthographic documentation, as well as the translation to construct with contemporary media and mechanisms. This paper highlights the results of a cultural history course in architecture, recently taught, where the students collaborated in groups to construct 1:100 models of the major temples of worship in Medieval Europe. The processes involved and the results documented were indicative of this promising avenue of exploration.
Gaber, Tammy. "Mythic Foundations: Engaging History for Architecture Education," in ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 6, issue 2 (2012).
