Practice Profile - dRRM

Practice Name and Location: dRMM, London

Website: www.drmmstudio.com/

Contribution by Finbar Charleson, Research Lead

Practice Statement: Historically, dRMM have used scale engineered wood products (plywood or blockboard) to simulate structural configurations in Glulam and CLT, eg. Endless Stair, MK40 Tower, Naked House, Workstack. Expertise in engineered wood products are maintained in prototyping for grant funded research into homegrown timber, and models created for display such as those exhibited in the Forest of Fabrication exhibition.

Models made for community consultation have always been central to the practice, particularly for the design of schools and residential buildings.

A shift towards larger projects has seen a focus move to massing models and façade mock-ups for residential let mixed use buildings.

In-house professional modelmakers: None

Machines/equipment/workspace available for modelmaking activity:

Table saw, belt sander, scroll saw, polishing wheel, pillar drill, hot wire cutter, vacuum bag press, 2 x Bamboo Lab X-1 Carbon 3D printers, various hand tools, clamps & glue etc., sundry items for casting, ~15sqm workshop.

Materials/processes used:

· Context models from jelutong or similar for early-stage site responses

· Presentation boxes, displays for material sample boards

· Regular 3D printing from massing to 1:1 component prototyping

· Engineered Wood structural prototype development

How modelmaking activities take place within the practice:

Architects make development models, and some presentation models. High profile presentation models are commissioned directly by the client.