Celebrating supermodels: the oft-unsung heroes of architecture
Piercy & Company’s ‘Supermodels’ exhibition has just launched in London's Kings Cross, celebrating the art of miniature building
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

There is something mesmerising about supermodels. They move gracefully, softly lit and elegantly poised, dressed up or down, according to fancy. But no – we're not talking about Cindy, Linda, Naomi, Christy and Tatjana here. This is about architectural models – and architecture studio Piercy & Company's spectacular ‘Supermodels’ exhibition, which opened in London's Kings Cross (25 November – 11 December 2022), offering an enchanting take on the art of miniature building and an often unseen, and unsung part of the architecture process.
‘Supermodels’ by Piercy & Company
Celebrating the art of architectural model-making, and bringing its creations to life through movement, sound, scent and film, Piercy & Company aims to underline with this show the importance of engaging more senses than just vision (and in particular, still imagery), when exploring an architectural concept. Touch, hearing, smell, and various techniques addressed to seeing, such as mechanical automata, projection and specially designed light (composed by lighting studio 18 Degrees with lighting equipment courtesy of Reggiani), are all employed in an effort to draw the visitor into magical worlds of architectural thinking.
And draw them, it does. 'The “coming alive” of the models through film, sound and movement plays into the mysterious allure of objects with a miniature life of their own – the doll’s house, the cuckoo clock, the model railway. Supermodels seeks to reconnect digital and physical worlds to evoke a universal and childlike sense of wonder,' says Stuart Piercy, Piercy & Company’s founding director.
Supermodels offers a range of projects, sizes and approaches for its viewers to enjoy. There is a modern chapel – the studio's award-winning Drayton Green Church – an experimental modular steel house in Kew, and a Georgian villa, alongside larger scale work such a memorial concept.
Everything is immaculately staged, curated with extreme precision and a minimalist – if a little industrial-inspired, in this case – attitude and attention to detail that prevail in all Piercy & Company's works. The venue that hosts the show, one of the studio's ongoing works, the Jahn Court building, adds to the drama.
'The choice of a raw space – currently at the often unseen stage between strip-out and refurbishment – forms the perfect counterpoint to the models in “Supermodels”. To heighten this creative tension, our exhibition concept explored the language of construction works. We used an exposed timber framework system for all the freestanding elements and exhibition furniture, in a celebration of the utilitarian economy of the building site,' says associate director Fiona Neil.
piercyandco.com (opens in new tab)
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).
-
Apartment interior design: outstanding spaces around the globe
Apartment interiors can be tricky to balance. Create a sense of space and get inspired by our global edit of architect-designed ideas. From minimalist mezzanines and lofts that bridge old and new, to sleek urban penthouses and dramatic transformations
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Zegna’s ‘Triple Stitch’ sneaker captures the house’s 112 years of innovation
Zegna’s signature ‘Triple Stitch’ sneaker returns for S/S 2023, now available in luxurious fabrications – from grained leather to canvas and soft suede
By Jack Moss • Published
-
We’re waxing lyrical over these luxury candles
At a loss when it comes to finding the perfect indulgence or gift? Explore our edit of luxury candles for some bright ideas
By Mary Cleary • Published
-
This compact brutalist treasure is a south London house by Whittaker Parsons
This addition to a south London terrace is a brutalist treasure, a meticulously detailed urban infill in concrete and brick that makes the most of its site
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Hampshire home for a sailor makes for a sustainable domestic haven
Sailor's House by OB Architecture is a Hampshire home that combines minimalism and sustainability
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Mapping modern Cambridge architecture
A modern Cambridge architecture map offers immersive tours through the British city’s 20th century gems
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
Home and art gallery Maison Colbert is a London transformation story
Maison Colbert by Chris Dyson Architects reimagines a row of London houses into a single home and artist's gallery in the East End
By Marwa El Mubark • Published
-
The dMFK office in Fitzrovia hails a postpandemic approach to workspace
The new office of architects dMFK in Fitzrovia, designed by the studio alongside architects Sher + White, exemplifies the reimagining of workspaces for a postpandemic London
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Two Hands nursery by vPPR is where design flair meets sustainability
Two Hands nursery in London, designed by vPPR, mixes colourful interiors and sustainable architecture elements with wellbeing in mind
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
London architecture exhibitions 2023: a guide to the best shows this month
Exciting, beautiful and thought-provoking London architecture exhibitions; here's our pick of the finest in town, to visit and enjoy this month
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Is ProxyAddress architecture’s answer to solving homelessness?
ProxyAddress founder Chris Hildrey talks to us about architecture changing the world, and his pioneering initiative to help solve homelessness
By Ellie Stathaki • Published