ABSTRACT
In Chapter 4, the author documents the surprising amount of constructed mock-ups in the design process for the Pérez Art Museum Miami, by Herzog & de Meuron. Beginning in the very early stages of design, Herzog & de Meuron rely on the construction of many full-scale mock-ups to test their ideas and make decisions. What results in the construction of the museum in Miami is a highly rehearsed design; one which is still being tested and evolving as a result of the many full-scale mock-ups being built throughout the process including very late in the construction sequence. In particular, the many mock-ups are built of concrete, and throughout the process we see the architects attempting to both calibrate and control the material, as well as allowing for the material to reveal many unexpected qualities and opportunities as a result.
