Model making
Site models: one layer for every contour
A site model shows the ground a building sits on. The usual way to build it is in layers: one cut sheet for each contour line, stacked from low to high.
Every layer is one step in height, so the thickness of the sheet sets the size of the step. This page covers the method, a table of what each Taskboard thickness stands for at common scales, and the mistakes to avoid.
What each Taskboard thickness gives you
- 1/32": the smallest step in height, and it cuts with scissors.
- 1/16": a step between the two, stiffer than 1/32" and lighter than 1/8".
- 1/8": the largest step in height, so the stack rises with fewer layers. It is the stiffest sheet.
Other sheets, for contours
- Chipboard crushes or warps with moisture or glue, and its laser edge chars.
- Museum board is stiff and clean, but a white board can discolor at a laser edge.
- Cork adds texture, but thin contours cut from it are less crisp.
- Basswood holds fine detail, but thin necks can break.
- Foam core shows its foam at the edge. See architecture model materials for every sheet.
How layers make contours
A topographic map draws the land as lines of equal height. Convert the lines to closed shapes, cut one shape from each sheet, and stack them. The spacing between layers stands for the contour interval, the rise in height from one line to the next, as a UC Berkeley teacher guide (opens in a new tab) puts it.
Match the layer to the interval
Harvard GSD’s fab lab says this method works when model scale, contour interval and material thickness correspond (opens in a new tab). The layer you need is the real interval divided by the scale. If the sheet is thicker or thinner than that, the model is taller or shallower than the ground it shows. Say so on the model if you choose that on purpose.
When no sheet matches, stack two layers for one step, or pick the scale that makes a sheet fit.
What each thickness stands for
Layer thickness times scale gives the height of one step on the real ground. This is arithmetic on the sheet’s named thickness, not a measurement of a glued stack.
| Scale | 1/32" sheet | 1/16" sheet | 1/8" sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8" = 1 ft (1:96) | 3 in | 6 in | 1 ft |
| 1/16" = 1 ft (1:192) | 6 in | 1 ft | 2 ft |
| 1" = 20 ft (1:240) | 7½ in | 1 ft 3 in | 2 ft 6 in |
| 1" = 50 ft (1:600) | 1 ft 6¾ in | 3 ft 1½ in | 6 ft 3 in |
| 1" = 100 ft (1:1200) | 3 ft 1½ in | 6 ft 3 in | 12 ft 6 in |
Step by step
One. Choose the scale. ArchStudent’s model-making guide (opens in a new tab) says 1:200 or 1:500 suits a site or massing model. Two. Read the contour interval off the map, and pick the sheet whose step is closest in the table.
Three. Label each layer in elevation order and add registration marks. The UCMP guide has students number every layer, starting with 1 for the lowest contour. Four. Cut the layers, by knife or on a laser.
Five. Stack the layers dry first, and test the fit before any glue goes on. Six. Glue from the bottom up, thin and even, and weigh the stack flat while it cures. Seven. Set the stack on a flat, rigid base with enough neighboring context for the site to read.
Keep the layers in line
Harvard GSD’s fab lab suggests rods through holes in every layer (opens in a new tab) to keep the edge clean, and a small amount of glue to hold them. Pins or reference marks do the same job on a hand-cut model.
Cutting the layers
A laser repeats every outline exactly. The Harvard guide (opens in a new tab) says to test cut a small piece first to be sure the laser goes all the way through, and to keep burning low because cut edges show. Taskboard cuts faster on a laser, with a light brown edge that sands clean. See laser cutting materials and the circle test.
Smoothing the steps
Sanding softens the steps, so go lightly: the steps are the contour information. Taskboard sands clean.
Common mistakes
Layers that drift out of line, a stack that bulks up, edges that show their color, and thin necks that break. Too much glue, which can warp a sheet. Gluing before the dry fit. Unlabeled layers, so the order is lost.
The Harvard guide adds that vertical surfaces, buildings included, must be modeled separately from the topography. For the rest of the kit, see model making supplies.
Which sheet
Smallest height step: 1/32" white
The thinnest sheet. Cuts with scissors.
Middle height step: 1/16" white
Stiffer than the 1/32" sheet, lighter than the 1/8" sheet.
Largest height step: 1/8" white
The stiffest sheet. Non-forming. Fewest layers for the same height.
Our online store starts at $79. Need less? See where to buy. Need the numbers? See the spec sheet.
Quick answers
How do you make a topographic model?
Convert the contour lines to closed shapes, cut one layer for each line, then stack and glue the layers from lowest to highest. Match the layer thickness to the scaled contour interval.
What material is best for a site model?
A flat sheet in the right thickness. Harvard GSD’s fab lab says to match the sheet thickness to the scaled contour interval. Chipboard, museum board, cork, basswood and Taskboard all work; see the materials page for each.
What thickness should the layers be?
Thick enough to equal the scaled contour interval. The table on this page shows the real height each Taskboard thickness stands for at common scales.
What scale should a site model be?
ArchStudent says 1:200 or 1:500 suits a site or massing model. Choose the scale that fits the site and the detail you need.
How do you line up the layers?
Trace each contour from the same template, label the layers in order, and register them with pins, marks or rods. Test the fit dry before gluing.
What glue holds the layers together?
A thin coat of white (PVA) glue. ArchStudent calls PVA the general-purpose choice for card and says to use the least glue that will hold.
What if my sheet does not match the interval?
The model is exaggerated vertically, or flattened. Say so on the model, or stack two layers for one step.
Can I laser cut the layers?
Yes, where your lab allows the sheet. Test cut a small piece first.
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