Choosing the Right Scale for Your Model

Scale decides how much detail fits, how big the model is and how it travels. Choosing it well sets the whole project up for success.

16 May 20263 min readGlobal3D Team

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The scale you choose shapes everything else about a model, from the detail it can carry to its size, weight and how it will be transported and displayed. It is one of the first and most important decisions.

Balancing detail and size

A larger scale shows more detail and reads well up close, but it takes more space and is harder to move. A smaller scale captures the whole site or structure compactly, at the cost of fine detail. The right balance depends on the audience and the setting.

A boardroom model and an exhibition centrepiece often call for very different scales.

Getting it right

Tell us where the model will be shown, who needs to see it and what it must convey, and we will recommend a scale that fits. See our scale models service for examples.