We have always been passionate about hand sketches and making models, sometimes even at a very large scale, and see them as essential design tools. This has become an integral part of our studio culture. Models allow us to explore carving, assembling, forming, and folding. Working with cardboard, chunks of stone, wood, steel and glass—checking, measuring, explaining and working with clients and engineers—plotting spaces and details.
This three-dimensional way of working is, for us, the best way to develop and understand subtle and complex spaces and forms, whilst helping both clients, and potential funding partners, to fully visualise the finished space. It is a way of ‘being there’ and feeling what it’s like, just another tool to help us get to the essence of the thing. The following images area selection of models we have created over the past three decades:
Clermont-Ferrand Metropolitan Area Library, France
Museum of London West Smithfield
Glass Entrances at Tottenham Court Road Underground Station, London
UCL East Marshgate, London
The Oren, London
Shorts Gardens, London
Intangible
Giacometti: Pure Presence Exhibition, London
Blossom Street, London
Cambridge Judge Business School
Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, London
Royal Opera House, London
25 Savile Row (project), London
North London School (competition), London
Waddesdon Bequest Gallery, London
Arcus IV, Moscow
Flexible Workplace System (competition)
Natural History Museum (competition), London
Ballet Studio Façade Study, London
Riverwalk, London
A2/A3 Wood Wharf, London
B5 Southbank Place, London
Private House Hampstead, London
V&A Masterpieces of Chinese Painting 700-1900 Exhibition, London
Mailbox, Birmingham
The Lighterman King's Cross, London
King's Cross Square, London
The Peak Gateway Resort, Derbyshire
Britten-Pears Archive, Suffolk
Museum of Concrete Art and Design (competition), Ingolstadt
Fish & Coal Feasibility Study, London
Cologne Archives (competition), Germany
Musée d'arts de Nantes, France
Parabola Building (competition), London
Fitzroy Park House, London
Virginia Water Pavilion, Surrey
Victoria Hall King's Cross, London
Glass Entrances at Tottenham Court Road Underground Station, London
Bourne Hill Offices, Wiltshire
Sprengel Museum (competition), Germany
Hackney Marshes Centre, London
Turner and the Masters Exhibition, London
The Berrow Foundation Building Lincoln College, Oxford
Brunel University Feasibility Study, Uxbridge
First Emperor Exhibition (competition), London
Poulton Gorse (project), Gloucestershire
Warwick University (competition), Coventry
Königswinter: Drachenfelsplateau (competition), Germany
Preston Tithebarn Car Park (competition), Lancashire
Stadtmuseum Berlin (project), Germany
London 2012 Olympics - Eton Manor, London
Gerhard Richter Portraits Exhibition, London
UAL Campus for Central Saint Martins, London
Beethoven Development (competition), Amsterdam
House of Fraser, Bristol
Chilver Hall, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Crawley New Town Hall (project), Sussex
V&A Ceramics Galleries, London
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge
V&A Boilerhouse Gallery Feasibility Study, London
The Peak Gateway Resort, Derbyshire
Glass Entrances at Tottenham Court Road Underground Station (competition), London
Argenta House, London
V&A Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition, London
Padova Botanic Gardens (project), Italy
Cadbury - Bournville Place, Birmingham
Platinum Project, Marks & Spencer
The Warren Woolwich, London
Woodberry Down (competition), London
Mary Rose Museum (competition), Portsmouth
Redchurch Street (project), London
Compton Verney Art Gallery - Phase II, Warwickshire
Sloane Square (project), London
Tate St Ives (competition), Cornwall
Selfridges - 2nd floor, Birmingham
Monsoon Kings Road (project), London
Selfridges: Oxford Street 1st and 2nd floor, London
Rainham: Urban Design Framework, London
Royal Ascot Hall of Fame (project), Berkshire
Whitby Abbey Visitors Centre, Yorkshire
Central Saint Matins (project), London
Panopticon Building (competition) London
BBC Portland Place (competition), London
Tower of London , Tower Hill
Castle Ashby Exhibition Hall (project), Northamptonshire
Four Brindleyplace, Birmingham
Compton Verney Art Gallery - Phase I, Warwickshire
Millennium Seed Bank, West Sussex
Mere Farm (project), Wiltshire
Science Museum - new wing (competition), London
The Triforium Gallery Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire
RFAC Thames Study, London
The Design Museum Galleries, London
Hayward Gallery Leonardo da Vinci: Artist, Scientist, Inventor Exhibition, London
Tate St Ives Gallery (competition), Cornwall
St Mary Abbots (Project), London
RIBA Centre (Project), London
