Models are profitable: culture and commodification of the architectural mock-up

In the past decade, there has been a significant surge in interest in architectural mock-ups. Exhibitions, publications, and academic research have increasingly centered on these full-scale physical models of specific construction fragments, primarily used for the verification of conditions, and constructed from materials identical to those used in the represented building. Nonetheless, this heightened activity surrounding mock-ups does not appear to have been without consequence. There is evidence to suggest that new interpretations have emerged, altering their intended use. In this context, this research posits that, in addition to its conventional role as a tool for architectural development and verification, the mock-up is evolving into an autonomous work of art. In fact, a specialized market has emerged around it, capitalizing on both its traditional technical function and its burgeoning artistic dimension. This study examines how various factors, such as digitization and resource reuse, have contributed to the transformation of the mock-up as a tool. It draws from the research of Emanuele Naboni and the projects of Matter Design to illustrate how the mock-up has been impacted by the advent of digital modeling. Initiatives focused on reuse, exemplified by Testbeds and Useful-Waste, underscore the growing interest in mock-ups within construction contexts characterized by limited resources, as seen in the cities of New York and Portland. The thesis also assesses the forms of representation and language employed by architects and photographers when communicating about mock-ups, demonstrating their integration into the realm of architectural dissemination and exhibition. Through the works of photographers like Tobias Wootton, David K. Ross, and Armin Linke, the mock-up has become another “model” of architectural photography. The images and texts featuring mock-ups by Bruther emphasize their significance within their work, reflecting the emergence of a recurring approach. Additionally, architectural dissemination through exhibitions such as Elements or Mock-up Spotting illustrates the mock-up’s penetration into the world of architectural presentation and collecting. Finally, this research delves into the businesses that have flourished around architectural mock-ups, both within the construction industry, as exemplified by NEST, and as part of museum collections and exhibition spaces, as seen in the Korean Museum of Urban Planning and Architecture, the Werkstückhalle at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, and certain exhibitions at MoMA. The thesis corroborates the existence of a market centered on architectural mock-ups, driven by an emerging “detechnification” of this verification tool, as well as a process of aestheticization that directly aligns it with the realm of art. Mock-ups not only contribute to constructing reality, but also have a profitability whose impact will continue to increase in the future.