Material Culture and Meaning

Whether or not it is intentional, or implied, every object, design and model is full of meaning, each tells a story. For example, an architectural model could tell you lots about any one element of a building; the inspiration behind it, the materials it is made of, the way it interacts with the surrounding land / buildings, or the history behind it, to name a few.

One of the ways to express these meanings is through the materials chosen to make the model, and the meanings behind those materials.

Wood is a natural material, it could represent a connection to nature.

Image 1

Metal is an industrial material, it is durable and often more clinical.

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Plastic is man made, sleek and clean

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Card can be either clean and man made or have an eco friendly message.

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Often the material itself holds small amounts of meaning. The colour of a material, the shape and design of the building, or several materials together can tell us even more about a model. Often these meanings are universal but some can differ depending on cultural or personal experiences.

I plan to use texture and material to express one of the most important elements of the Farnsworth house - the juxtaposition of man made vs nature. The building will be perfectly smooth and white, with straight edges. Perhaps plain card or styrene. The landscape will be more natural with imperfections, natural bumpy paper or wood could represent this well.

Links

Image 1: http://ubalab.com/en/portfolios/wooden-architectural-models-hostel/

Image 2: https://www.floornature.com/blog/buit-modelmakers-the-magic-of-the-architectural-model-9932/

Image 3: https://www.artisanmodelmakers.co.uk/blog/portfolio-items/acrylic-architectural-model-2/

Image 4: https://www.instagram.com/elliott.makes/