Mini-houses - architectural models

I've been photographing these mini-houses in estate agents windows for a few years - I find them fascinating. These are all in France where people love to build their own house, alibeit chosen from a developer's catalogue.

I've noticed the models have become a lot more sophisticated in recent years - they used to be rather crude plastic aiffairs collecting dust in the estate agent's window but now they have become small worlds in their own right.





The houses themselves with their peach render are totally unappealing - infact in my view the lowest common denominator of modern house building - I draw back from calling it 'architecture'!


Something about the reduced scale of the houses I find mesmeric and the fact that they are displayed in glass domes as if the houses and their inhabitants are exhbits in a museum.


As with most model worlds it's always funny to see the mismatch of scale. In this scene I think beaupere and beaumere are waiting for their aperitifs!


On a mini-scale, for me, the houses become like small sculptural objects. I think perhaps these models were in my head when I made my mini shed sculptures (see the post)


The glass domes create interesting reflections of the real world - in this one it feels like we're viewing the house through the shadow of a tree.


Perhaps not the best advert for a new apartment block!


With reflections bouncing from both the shop window and the glass dome the images beomes very visually complex and intriguing.


The real street almost becomes part of the pretend world.





Living the dream......... at least in the eyes of their target market.




This must be state of the art in model house display - a perfect juxtaposition of real and model worlds.