prototyping + mockup process.

By now, many of you know that our in-house fabrication shop builds and installs tangible elements of our architectural projects. What modus shop also provides is the unique ability to troubleshoot, test, and mockup key building components before construction begins. We believe this hands-on capability provides knowledge and pragmatic experience to the architecture we create. It is very important in our process to provide ample means of representation to gleam critical client feedback, and this includes physical, full-scale detail mockups.

A notable example of this process was during the design of The Evans Tree House at Garvan Woodland Gardens. The semi-transparent form of the treehouse was created using 113 unique ribs shaped into an evocative form dynamically shrouding multiple levels of spaces. In order to test various wood species and types of joinery for these ribs, our team of artists and craftsmen at modus shop worked in conjunction with wood manufacturers and our architectural design team to create full-scale mockups. We temporarily installed these mockups on the facade of our own building, testing their strength, durability, weathering, and aesthetics. We used a similar process on the design and fabrication of the venation screen. These methods are not isolated to projects with significant budgets and complex forms. We believe this is a critical approach to design work at all scales.