Client: Weston Williamson
Amalgam architectural model makers used various processes to achieve the distinct roof on the Miami Metromover station. The model itself is tiny, with the station roof measuring only 6 inches in length.
The roof itself looks deceptively simple but for the client was the most important part of the model.
To get the look and feel of an ETFE roof we first had to produce a vacuum form master. Using the data supplied by the client we produced a tooling path so that we could CNC route the organic shape from chemical wood. This was then polished to get the best possible finish on the final vacuum formed shape.
The surface was made by firstly engraving the grid lines onto a thin piece of acrylic. The laser was unfocused to soften the edges of the grid and allow us to polish it further by hand to achieve the “pillow” texture. We then put the acrylic back in the laser to add the finer, structural lines which we filled in with paint and again polished to a high gloss.
The material was then ready to form over the master, trim out and paint with a translucent lacquer.
The model was very well received and went on to be displayed in the architecture room of the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art.
