--- title: "Architectural Model Making Process | SIAN Architects Delhi" description: "Explore the architectural model making process at SIAN Architects. We use physical scale models to test design, light, and space for urban and residential projects in Delhi and beyond." canonical: https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/our-process-from-sketch-to-structure last_updated: 2025-09-16 --- # Our Design Process: From Sketch to Structure Tribe Verified · Delhi-based practice specializing in vernacular design. By [SIAN Architects](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects) · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in Derawal Nagar, Delhi · ₹35 per sq. ft. (estimate) Part of [Urban & Public Realm Design](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/gallery) We believe architecture starts long before the foundation is laid. Explore our studio's hands-on approach to model making, where we test light, form, and scale before a single brick is placed. ## Photos and videos - ![This urban massing model, crafted from wood, helps us understand the relationship between existing structures and new interventions. It is a tool for studying density, scale, and the creation of public space at a city level.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/683bc7b7-1376-4cd8-b73f-3cccf796f569) - ![A closer view of an urban model, where we test different housing typologies. The contrast between the dark wood of the existing fabric and the white blocks of the proposed design allows for a clear analysis of the urban impact.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/3eaad4b9-9d4c-4f94-b7af-b8b61a39706a) - ![An overhead view of a sectional model reveals the intimate scale of a courtyard. This perspective allows us to study sightlines, a sense of enclosure, and the integration of landscape within the architectural form.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/587a5384-a23b-4a65-8cac-02bd497887ec) - ![A conceptual massing model helps us explore the fundamental volumes and voids of a building. This abstract study is a critical early step in defining a project's form and its relationship to the site.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/998baf28-301e-419b-99fd-d4b64d4ff266) - ![This detailed interior model of an auditorium tests seating arrangements, sightlines, and acoustics. The use of color and scale figures helps us simulate the human experience of the space, ensuring functionality and comfort.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/8b32fe28-ae2b-41b9-9fd2-263c64cf284b) ## About Our Process: From Sketch to Structure We don't rely solely on digital renderings because they often miss the tactile reality of how a space functions. By building physical scale models with wood, foam, and card, we test exactly how natural light filters into a courtyard or how an auditorium’s acoustics feel at a human scale. It is a messy, physical part of our workflow, but it is the only way we ensure the final construction remains true to the site and the people who will use it. ### Testing Form and Function For us, a building is not just a set of drawings; it is a conversation between land and structure. Before we finalize any design, we use physical modeling as a laboratory for ideas. We typically start with **massing models**. These abstract studies help us define the fundamental volumes and voids of a project, ensuring the building sits correctly within its surroundings. We then move into more detailed sectional models, which allow us to look inside the design. This is where we analyze sightlines, the sense of enclosure, and how the internal landscape integrates with the architectural form. ### Why Physical Matters There is a critical difference between looking at a screen and holding a model of your future home or public space: * **Human Scale:** In our interior models, we use scale figures to understand how a person actually experiences a room. We check seating arrangements and circulation paths to ensure the space feels comfortable, not cramped. * **Light and Shadow:** By placing our models under natural light, we see exactly how the sun hits a facade throughout the day. It reveals where a building might overheat and where we need to introduce shade. * **Early Problem Solving:** When we test acoustics or structural stability with physical materials, we catch design flaws early. It saves time and resources during the actual build phase because we have already solved the challenges in miniature. This process is foundational to everything we do, whether we are designing a community temple, a private residence, or an urban installation. It keeps our work grounded, tactile, and responsive to the needs of the users. ## About SIAN Architects We’re Surbhi and Deepanshu. For us, architecture is not just about software; it is about testing ideas on a table before we ever break ground. We bring this same hands-on rigour to every project we take on, ensuring what we design works for the land and the people inside. [See all of SIAN Architects's services](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects) ## More from Urban & Public Realm Design by SIAN Architects - [Featured](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/featured) - [The Elephant Pavilion: Architecture for Wildlife](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/the-elephant-pavilion-architecture-for-wildlife) - [Madam Narangi: Empowering Urban Commerce](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/madam-narangi-empowering-urban-commerce) - [Life at the Studio](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/life-at-the-studio) - [In the Press: Recognition and Features](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/in-the-press-recognition-and-features) - [Additional Projects & Inspirations](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/urban-public-realm-design/additional-projects-inspirations) ## More services by SIAN Architects - [Residential Architecture & Design](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/residential-architecture-design) - [Commercial & Hospitality Architecture](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/commercial-hospitality-architecture) - [Facade Design & Material Innovation](https://mytribe.in/sianarchitects/facade-design-material-innovation) ## Similar work from other experts - [The Art of the Model: Our Physical Design Process](https://mytribe.in/studio.hka/interior-design/the-art-of-the-model-prototyping-in-physical-form) by Studio HKAD · Interior Design · Takes projects across Delhi NCR, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand; Visit studio in Noida - [Architectural Design Process: From Idea to Form](https://mytribe.in/studio_thirdspace/architectural-design/from-idea-to-form) by Thirdspace · Architectural Design · Studios in Pune & Belagavi; Projects across India - [The Architect's Hand: Our Process & Craft](https://mytribe.in/spasmdesignarchitects/architectural-design/the-architect-s-hand-process-craft) by Spasm Design · Architectural Design · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in Andheri West, Mumbai - [The Architect's Hand: Our Design Process](https://mytribe.in/architecturebrio/full-service-interior-design/the-architect-s-hand-our-process) by Architecture Brio · Full-Service Interior Design · Takes projects across India and Rotterdam; Visit studios in Worli (Mumbai) and Rotterdam - [From Sketch to Structure: Our Design Process](https://mytribe.in/kamatrozario/commercial-institutional-architecture/from-sketch-to-structure) by Kamat & Rozario Architecture · Commercial & Institutional Architecture · Takes projects across India; Visit Studio in Ulsoor, Bengaluru - [How We Design: From Concept to Construction](https://mytribe.in/team3_design/commercial-workplace-architecture/our-design-process-from-concept-to-reality) by Team3 · Commercial & Workplace Architecture · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in Lado Sarai, New Delhi ## Book To book SIAN Architects, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%20Surbhi%20and%20Deepanshu%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20model-making%20process%20on%20mytribe%20and%20would%20like%20to%20discuss%20a%20project.) 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