When building architectural models I always print off the elevations (all plans) to the correct scale. Stick styrene sheet behind. Then with scalpel blade mark the corners of all the openings.

Then score openings, maybe a few times. Then flex styrene sheet so scored line appears of the back of the sheet. You can then trace this line with scalpel blade, works easily.

Then flex sheet back & forth a few times and window or door opening piece is easy to push out.

If you need to keep a very thin piece of styrene between 2 openings, score those parallel lines first and a few extra times front and back. With a bit of practice keeping 1mm of styrene between 2 openings is not that difficult.

Swann Morton 10A blades are the best. You may knock the very point off, so replace blades as needed. They are a bit temperamental, a blade can last days or you can go through a dozen in a day.


Tidy up opening with blade, often just nick out the corners or scrape edges. Sand back face a touch if you need a perfectly flat surface.


I don't normally photograph them at the skeleton stage, 1:200 scale.



0.75mm high impact styrene sheet is a good thickness for 1:200 models. About $15 to $20 per sq metre. 1mm and 0.5mm are also handy but you only need the odd sheet. 1:100 scale often still use 0.75mm for most construction.


You can't have too many Evergreen strips!



Joining corners of walls etc, To make life easier stick a locating strip on the inside so the walls align in the corner more accurately. Often quicker than to fiddle holding 2 pieces.

Walls do bow in due to solvent drying overnight, so put in a floor and or ceiling, don't need to glue it or tack it very lightly, it is just a brace overnight to keep things square.

Architectural models are mostly pretty complex. They have got more complex over the years because the design of the building are pushing the boundaries of building codes.

Often the drawings are full of mistakes. It is nice when you get a decent set of plans. I just avoided many jobs as it is not worth the wasted time during construction.

I have always used high impact styrene sheet for the buildings and polycarbonate for the windows. Used 150g touch up spray cans for painting. A lot less cleaning up. You get good at stretching the contents of a can a long way. Also good at creating textures. The models do need to look crisp and sharp, so often a different style compared to a train layout model.

Architectural models are very expensive, but you are building the prototype in many respects of the real thing ironing out mistakes in the plans.

Complex buildings, even the builders are looking at the model to see where walls are. It took me a month to build up a 3d picture in my head, every level every wall was doing different things. My brain was hurting at the end of each day.



You can't mask a model like this so every part needs to be separate. It also had translucent glazing. I called it the model from hell.