In an age where we have been going from hyperrealistic renders to digital models to the realm of the metaverse, physical architectural models have almost become a thing of the past. Nonetheless, whether it's to showcase the final project or to be used as a tool to explore different solutions to the same problem during the design phase, some architects still consider physical models part of their design process.

With the end of 2022 just around the corner, we have decided to look back at all the architectural models from the projects published this year on ArchDaily. The following selection, grouped into section models, abstract models, intricate models, interactive models, and models that use unconventional materials, lists the best of this year's physical models by our community.

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In this episode of “Behind the Scenes”, where we showcase the work of visionary artists and ask about their experiences beyond what is seen by the public, we are presenting Nicolás Sánchez: a designer from Pehuajo, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Nicolás defines himself as an eccentric person with a strong obsession with symmetry and mathematics applied to the objects and spaces that surround him, which awakens in him the curiosity of wanting to understand everything and to find the reason for things. Through his illustrations and animations, he transmits and shares everything he perceives and feels with playful, surreal, and impossible spaces.

With an increasing amount of architectural visualizations being published on social media, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Adding this to how the famous algorithm works, we end up always being exposed to social media publications that are, in many ways, similar to each other. But for us as architects, designers, and students, social media is not only a platform for networking and sharing our works. It also serves as a source of inspiration. If the algorithm isn’t helping us to discover new and different ideas, then it’s up to us to go out of our way and look for them.