NEWS/nieuws
2023 news
Thanks to research by Teresa Fankhänel we hear that ‘After three decades in a business he helped invent, in 1962, Theodore Conrad was the only model maker to ever receive the AIA Craftsmanship Medal, for his lifetime achievement in working with architectural models in the creation of architecture’. Teresa’s book, The Architectural Models of Theodore Conrad: the ‘miniature boom’ of mid-century modernism, has just been published. Rick is a key contributor
London’s CROSSRAIL, aka the Elizabeth Line, is apparently a roaring success, with €34m (£29 million) ‘raked in’ in its first six months. Richard was the Model Co-ordinator all those decades ago, back when Jonny Lee Miller, sorry, Prime Minister John Major first ‘greenlit’ the project, one of the most elaborate infrastructure projects in the world
2022 news
Network’s ‘network’ is cooking with gas with our House Portrait Models strand. Owing to client secrecy we can’t add all that much - except to say, stay tuned!
old news is good news
Our ‘Covid Era’ was used as constructively as possible (reflect, reboot, realign, restore, revamp, readjust, reform, rejig, rehearse & reconcile), with multiple vaccs!
Year 2020, was also the 400th anniversary of the trip from Leiden - via our studio in Delfshaven - to the UK and beyond by the Mayflower pilgrims
2018-2019 model news
all under one roof...
Networker Enrico Bergonzoni's model of the House of One, a unique house of prayer for three religions, was seen in the 2018 V&A exhibition; The Future Starts Here. Designed by Kuehn Malvezzi of Berlin, the building contains a synagogue, church and mosque – all under one roof
the first model commissioned by the Abbey for nearly 300 years...
The Westminster Abbey Triforium, aka The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, opened in 2018. Armiger presented the Abbey model at Buckingham Palace in June 2014
landmarks aplenty...
Collaborator makers Richard and Simon Hamnell were pleased to report that the aforementioned Abbey model featured in the landmark 250th Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. This, being Armiger's 35th work in 35 years chosen by the Royal Academicians, is a small landmark in itself
four sight…
1, ‘Making Memory: Seven Projects’ by David Adjaye. Exhibition models at the Design Museum UK
2, VAM continues its aptly named ‘Architectural Models Network‘ research, led by Dr Simona Valeriani, Head of Early Modern Studies, and Dr Olivia Horsfall Turner, Senior Curator of Designs
3, It is nice to see an old Network model in De Museum Rotterdam; a masterplan for the Centraal Station area bounded by Stationsingel, Goudsesingel, Kruisplein and Statentunnel
4, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) NY, displayed Theodore Conrad’s life’s work. ‘On Exhibit: A World in Miniature’ included this awesome image amongst other examples from Conrad’s truly inspirational career.
Stay tuned for more upcoming unprecedented Abbey and other model news...
2017-2018 model news
new meets old…
Caring Wood wins RIBA House of the Year 2017, joint project by James Macdonald Wright, founder of Macdonald Wright Architects, and Niall Maxwell of Rural Office for Architecture
for Sir Terence Conran...
New Design Museum, Holland Park, at the old Commonwealth Institute, by John Pawson, European Museum of the Year prize was awarded to the Design Museum in May 2018
great Dane...
Dansk Arkitektur Center, Copenhagen, Four metre model of Inderhavnsbroen Bridge
- Each first seen in 3D as a physical, tangible miniature by Network Modelmakers -
2017-2018 model exhibitions....
'Superstructures: the New Architecture 1960-1990' at the Sainsbury Centre
'Walter’s Way - The Self-Build Revolution' at the Architectural Association Gallery
'London by Design' and 'Design Uncovered' new season at the London Transport Museum
'Palladian Design – the Good, the Bad and the Unexpected' at the RIBA Architecture Gallery
Restored: extraordinary, enormous, 'ancient' plaster model of Ancient Rome, 16.8 metres square
CONTACT
In the first instance, please direct your enquiry to Richard, so that he can discuss your project and make a plan tailored precisely to your requirements.
Armiger's Network Modelmakers is a long-established architectural firm with exceptionally skilled model builders. For your bespoke model, we research, design and construct our miniatures using locations, and the finest materials which best suit your needs and audience.
Richard Armiger
networkmodelmakers@gmail.com
Aelbrechtskolk 49
Rotterdam 3025 HB
THE NETHERLANDS
+31 (0) 6 5146 1622
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
westminster-Abbey-MODEL
The Abbey’s triforium was accessible, but only just. Architect Ptolemy Dean has designed a tall, slim but grandly detailed 21st century tower which, since opened in 2018, now allows visitors high up within the Abbey to a space previously occupied only by Royal Wedding cameramen. A well-crafted, steamed-beech timber model built by Richard’s teammates illustrates the proposal.
Richard was first contacted by the Abbey in 2014. Thereafter followed an intense six month period of research and design; because for the best result, the model itself must be designed (not many people know that...). Over time, a palette, configuration and a befitting budget was put forward and then accepted. Yes, even the Monarch will have a budget (not many people know that...).
With a model of this ambition and stature, Armiger's Network married its forces with Millennium. Millennium Models' director Simon Hamnell is a good friend, an ex-Networker, and a 'triple A-list' craftsman. The third, and last key member of the 'lead team' was Network's indispensable, historic specialist George Rome Innes.
Timber craftsman Rick Armiger presented the Westminster Abbey model at Buckingham Palace in June 2014. Notwithstanding Sir Christoper Wren’s model of 1697, it is the first model commissioned by the Abbey, for the Abbey, in 300 years.
To accompany that earlier edition of 2014 with the Lady Chapel and the Chapter House, after relocating our studio to Holland in 2019, a new sister model was also commissioned. This new quadrant includes The Jerusalem Chambers, the North Transcept and the West Doors of the abbey.
abbey images world copyright ©kennedy-armiger-hamnell
THANKS
Thanks to all our clients, especially
Catherine and John Pawson CBE, Sir David and Evelyn Chipperfield, Edward Jones and Sir Jeremy Dixon, John McAslan CBE, Dame Zaha Hadid, the late Sebastian de Ferranti and my late great maker friend Jan Kaplicky
Photography
Thanks especially to my long-time chum, the extraordinarily talented photographer Andrew Putler
Also to Richard Davies, Simon Kennedy, Michael Dyer, Richard Bryant, Gary Withers at Imagination, Nicholas Grace, Victoria & Albert Museum, Roderick Coyne, Teresa Hatton and Angelo Hornak
Thanks too to our many supporters, craftsmen and women, both past and present
Brett Greenhill, Fraser Haig, Daniel Lewis, Cornel Josef, Bob Lachenay, Ian Ellerby, Stephen Bradley, Eugene Smith, Jon Blundell, Grenville Fox, Lucy Askew, Ian Thompson, Peter Oscare, Beverly Namfoe, Steven Lock, Beau Coady, Louis Dante, Desmond Ellis, Vito Giordano, Samuel Kickoff, Sonny Manitoba, Don Khan, Godfrey Voyce, Dean Kanchi, Jonathan Cash, Joseph Gee, Frederica Hale, Alan Klewe, Ade Meonthol, Michael Narcourt, Lai Reen, Robert Olwydd, Francois Prean, Kirsten Quole, Lou Sugar, Christophe Farn, Coop Johansson, Julian Townsend, Maxwell Beckman, Julian Bicknell, Donald Gurney, Richard Thomas, Andrew Jackson, Joao Tomaz, Jenny Grove, Jon Applegate, Mbachi Kaluba, Christian Spencer-Davies, Julian Thompson, Tina Morris, David Armstrong, Roger Hillier, Peter Caller, John Stace, Timothy Kershaw, Robert Hunter, Mel Ehers, Andrew Haggerty, Robert Griffin, Alex Clark, Lee Dickenson, Simon Hamnell, Andrew Jordan, Graham Newell, Ed Engel, Lucy Ognibene, Jasmine Unwin, Derek Sugden, Peter Naulls, Michael Gordon, Michelle Carter, John Whitmore, Abigail Akso, Antoine Journeaux, Chris White
special tHANKS
Lastly, huge thanks to the AAA-listers...
Simon and Bernie Hamnell, Mark Pimlott, all at VQ, Abe and Betty, D and K Beau, 'Uncle' Bill Ryan, but most especially, all the Lewises (past, present and future), and all 'the departed'
reg: VK 67112986
all images and content protected by WIPO world copyright to the modelmaker