Architectural Design Through Physical Scale Models
We believe architecture starts with the hands. Before a single stone is laid, we build physical scale models to test how form, light, and terrain truly interact.
A detailed study model of a hillside project, showing the structure's relationship with the terraced landscape. The model allows us to explore how the building is cut into the ground and how spaces flow from one level to another.
Our studio is filled with physical models, each representing a different exploration of form and space. We love making models; they are an essential tool for thinking and a critical part of our design process.
A conceptual physical model for a residence in New Delhi. This early model helps establish the building's massing and its relationship to the site, creating a visual dialogue between the structure and its urban environment.
This annotated model for a hillside home clearly shows the different outdoor zones. We designed a sunken deck and a separate pool deck, creating varied spaces for relaxation that are integrated into the terraced landscape.
This animation illustrates the design concept of "scooping out" volumes from a solid block. This process creates open-to-sky courtyards and balconies, bringing light and greenery into the heart of an urban residence.
This video shows the development of a floor plan directly on a topographical map of the site. It visualizes how the layout of the house is shaped by the contours of the land, ensuring a design that is truly site-specific.
A topographical site plan for a project named "Meander in the Pines." The green footprint shows how the building's form is designed to weave between existing trees and follow the natural curves of the land.
A glimpse into our studio life, where a team member works on a model. In the foreground, a topographical model of a hill site shows the complexity of the terrain we engage with, highlighting the hands-on nature of our work.
The model-making table in our studio, surrounded by views of the garden. This environment, where the act of creation is immersed in nature, directly influences our architectural philosophy.
A quiet corner of the studio, where the lush greenery outside is a constant backdrop. The space itself is a testament to our belief in blurring the boundaries between the built and natural worlds.
About The Architect's Craft: From Concept Model to Built Form
We build physical models before a single stone is laid because screen-based designs often miss the reality of uneven ground. When we design for a slope, we do not just guess the levels; we test how the building cuts into the earth and where the sun hits the deck in a scale model. This allows us to solve drainage, privacy, and volume issues in the studio, rather than discovering them halfway through the build on site.
For our projects in the Himachal hills or dense urban pockets of Delhi, the model is our primary tool for topographical study. It allows us to analyze sun paths and wind flows that 2D drawings often obscure. We build these models from foam and wood to physically represent the massing of the building against the contours of the land.
This approach is critical for our 'scooping out' method, where we carve out volumes from a solid block to create open courtyards or ventilation shafts. By working in physical 3D space, we understand exactly how a green roof will interact with a slope or how a rammed earth wall will cast shadows throughout the day. This level of preparation reduces on-site guesswork and ensures that the final structure feels like a natural extension of the landscape, not an intrusion upon it.
Studio HKAD
We are Studio HKAD. We do not just draw plans; we build physical models to figure out how light, wind, and landscape work together. It is how we make sure your building feels like it grew out of the ground rather than being placed on it.
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