Topographic models of terrain, relief and landscape, built from your survey data

It is a physical scale model of a piece of land, showing levels, slopes and watercourses in three dimensions. Topographic models can stand alone to explain a landscape or form the base for a building or masterplan, and are built from stepped contour layers, milled relief or 3D printing. You may also see them called topographical models; it is the same thing.

Choose stepped contours when people need to read levels. Each layer is one contour interval, so a 2 m interval at 1:500 becomes a 4 mm layer, and it is also the quickest method to build. Choose smooth CNC-milled relief when the model should look like the real landscape, for display or tactile use. For rugged terrain at small scales, 3D printing often gives the most detail.

Yes, and you don't need to convert anything yourself. Send contours as DWG or DXF, a topographic survey, a LiDAR point cloud or a DTM/DEM as GeoTIFF, and we turn it into cutting or milling files. If you only have a site boundary, we can work from public elevation data and tell you up front whether its accuracy is enough.

A physical one is usually called a relief map, a raised relief map or a topographic model; architects often say site model or contour model. The digital version is a digital terrain model (DTM) or digital elevation model (DEM), which is the data we build from. We make the physical object, from a desk-sized relief to a visitor centre centrepiece.

Work back from the size of the site and the table the model has to fit on. At 1:1000, 1 mm on the model is 1 metre on the ground, which suits golf courses, quarries and wider territory (down to 1:5000 for very large areas). Masterplans and competitions usually sit at 1:500, a site with its building at 1:200 and detailed landscape at 1:100. At small scales we often exaggerate the vertical so gentle slopes still read. Tell us the maximum footprint and we'll propose a scale.

As a guide, a topographic or landscape model costs €600–€4,000 (excl. VAT), depending on its size, scale, method and finish, plus packing and delivery. Our model price guide sets out every model type, explains what drives the price and has a form to request a tailored quote.

A white contour base for a competition can be ready from 3–5 working days, a finished presentation model in 2–4 weeks and a large-format piece in 4–10 weeks. Large sites are split into modules with discreet joints that fit together on arrival. We deliver and install in Madrid and ship across Spain, with wooden crates for large pieces; the UK, the rest of Europe and on-site installation elsewhere are quoted on request.