Cubes n’Ladders

3x5x7 is part of an ongoing exhibition series by AIA Austin and the Austin Foundation for Architecture, designed to explore and celebrate the architectural model and the craft of model making.

Models must be ¼” = 1’ 0” scale (figure provided), fit in a 3” x 5” x 7” theoretical envelope, and touch all six faces. Models were auctioned to raise money for the Austin Foundation for Architecture.

This model was designed entirely through physical model making. Sketching and model making is a crucial part of the design process, an idea’s first steps from two-dimensional space into reality. Much can be learned at this critical juncture, and the uncertainty and serendipity involved at this stage cannot be taken for granted. Design is a non-linear process, and it is not always something we have control over.

Physical modeling facilitates a delicate balance between control, ideas, reality, and serendipity. The beauty of an architectural model is that it participates in the design process itself, pushing back against preconceived notions in unexpected ways.

Special thanks to Michael Hsu Office of Architecture