Are Physical Mock-Ups Still Necessary to Complement Visual Models for the Realization of Design Intents?

Over time, the growing use of modern construction technologies with different tolerances and installation requirements for buildings has made reliance on full-size mock-ups essential for addressing the interfaces between design and construction. Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) models have been introduced and developed over the past 10 years and are seen by some as eliminating the need for physical mock-ups. However, notwithstanding the recognized capabilities of digital models, mock-ups are still needed for capturing and eliciting the tacit knowledge that characterizes many construction operations, which cannot be visualized fully by the digital world. This argument is developed by illustrating the challenges experienced in the erection and testing of full-size mock-ups of curtain walls, particularly in constructability and functional requirements. It is argued that digital and physical models must be considered complementary tools in the realization of design intents.