The final project of the first installment of the environmental systems courses was to select a location in the world with an existing structure and model the geographic area. The site model is made from a single sheet of 1/8 inch thick steel plate. This method was made possible by using the Cornell engineering department’s water-jet cutting system. By cutting the topographic lines into the steel while leaving a border around the 24sq inch plate, my partner and I were able to bend the site into place. Strategically “tacking” small welds in between various contours, the site model holds its desired position. This method of representation allowed us to create a very unique site model as opposed to the conventional way of stacking sheets and sheets of chipboard.
