maqueta

Maqueta is a physical scale model or mock-up used to study, visualize, or present a project. In architecture and urban planning, maquetas help explore massing, spatial relationships, light, and context before construction. In industry and product design, maquetas allow testing form, ergonomics, and assembly concepts. In film, theater, and set design, they serve as pre-visualization tools and as references for effects and camera planning. The term is widely used in Spanish-speaking contexts and is sometimes adopted in English to denote a scale model or mock-up.

Maquetas are typically built to scale and can range from simple cardboard representations to detailed, multi-material constructions. Common materials include foam board, cardboard, balsa wood, acrylics, plaster, resin, and 3D-printed parts. They may be assembled by hand, laser-cut, or CNC-machined. Finishes vary from plain white to painted, weathered, or textured to simulate brick, concrete, metal, or vegetation. Some maquetas incorporate moving parts or mechanisms, but many are static display pieces.

Scales used for maquetas vary by purpose. In architecture and urban planning, 1:50 or 1:100 are common, with 1:500 or 1:200 used for larger urban proposals. In model railroading and transportation displays, scales like 1:87 (HO) or 1:76 are typical. Smaller scales are used for dioramas or educational models. Digital maquetas and 3D printing increasingly complement traditional hand-built maquetas.

Etymology and usage: maqueta comes from the French maquette, meaning a small model. In Spanish, it denotes any physical model or mock-up; in English, the terms scale model or mock-up are more common, though maqueta is understood in specialized contexts.