Last week we showed, The Competition, in which several ‘star-chitects’ were struggling with a delicate urban context.

This week we think it is time to see this footage from the film, Zoolander, and what he believes is a “centre for ants.”

Scale is an important aspect of architectural models.

Historically, architects distinguish drawings in different scales, for example, 1:1000, 1:200, 1:100, 1:50, 1:20, 1:5. These scales were, and still are, used in hand drawn plans and sections. In other parts of the world fractional scales are used, for example, 3/32″ = 1′- 0″ which is a scale factor of 128. Due to these dual unit systems, whilst working abroad and in collaborative projects, misunderstandings can easily happen.

Recent changes have occurred due to the more frequent use of the computer in the design process. This has led to a shift in the use of scale when designing. Although scale is still used in model-making and also when computer drawings need to be printed on paper, in a computer everything can be drawn and modelled in its actual 1:1 size. Sometimes this leads to misunderstandings between older architecture teachers and their younger students. This misunderstanding is not just about ‘if the scale is right’, but it also implies a debate about the phase of the design in which a certain level of detail can be expected. For example, a teacher could ask if a student has already started the 1:20 drawings. Students who use BIM software will gaze as if they are Derek Zoolander because they work in full detail from the very start.

Have you ever experienced a misunderstanding about scale?

What is your view on scale? With digitalisation, will we be missing the notion of scale that relates to old maps and drawings?

Have you ever worked in CAD and zoomed in and out of your drawing using the mouse wheel, only to find out later that you were focussing on the wrong issues or that you missed the division of scales?