What is Building model?
A '''building model''' is either a [[Matter|physical]] (real) or [[Computer model|virtual]] (computer) model of a [[building]]. Very often, the physical model is smaller than the original ([[scale model]]). [[File:Kaitokudo1.jpg|right|thumb|230px|Architectural model of a building, Osaka University, [[Japan]].]] There are three basic types of building models: architectural, [[structural engineering|structural]] and [[mathematical model|mathematical]] (virtual). ==Architectural building model== An '''architectural model''' is a type of a physical model of a structure to study an [[Architecture|architectural design]] or to share design ideas to clients, committees, and the general public. Architectural models are a [[tool]] which may be used for show, presentation, fundraising, getting permits, and sale purposes. Such models are a good tool for three-dimensional understanding of a design, used by architects, interior designers and exhibit designers. ==Structural building model== [[File:Kinematically equivalent building models on a shake-table.jpg|thumb|Kinematically equivalent building models on a [[shake-table]], [[w:en:UCSD|UCSD]]]]Engineers who need scale models to test the likely performance of a design at an early stage of development without paying for a full-sized [[prototype]]. ==Virtual building model== [[File:EPET.jpg|thumb|Computer animation of two concurrent building models with the help of [[EPET]],.<ref>[https://central.nees.org/data/get/NEES-2006-0283/Public/5th%20NEES%20Meeting%20Presentation.ppt A new line of base isolation under shake-table testing and analysis]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>]]'''Virtual model''' is a [[digital]] model of the object (typically greatly simplified) that can be used in a computer [[simulation]] or [[virtual reality]]. The most common examples of virtual models are those created in [[3D]] for the purpose of ''visualisation'' - seeing how the structure looks before it is built. The field of architecture has greatly