Biggest Little Cities: Models for Urban Planning

Michael Chesko is no architect. He's not a structural engineer or an urban planner either. But he just spent more than 2,000 hours constructing this highly detailed, nearly perfect scale model of midtown Manhattan. Chesko cut, sanded, and glued the mini metropolis—now on exhibit at the New York Skyscraper Museum—using only an X-Acto knife, a nail file, and a Dremel (and lots of balsa wood). But the 50-year-old software engineer was having fun; he's been building little cities since he was a kid.

Model cities aren't just for show; they can have real utility. In 1957 the US Army Corps of Engineers created the Bay Model, a replica of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta meant to simulate the impact of public works projects and disasters—natural and man-made—on currents and tides. Considered one of the most practical applications of the craft, it's made of 286 one-ton slabs of concrete, representations of all six bridges, and a computer-controlled hydraulic system to manipulate the waterworks. Though retired from active duty in 2000, the model is still on display in Sausalito.

More recently, the growth of municipalities like Dubai, London, and Sydney is stirring renewed interest in miniature cities as planning tools. The new crown jewel of shrunken sprawl resides on the third floor of the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center: At more than 6,500 square feet, the stunning depiction of China's most populous city circa 2020 is one of the largest models of its type in the world.

Chesko is, of course, a fan of his medium's increasing popularity—regardless of the purpose. He hasn't seen all the other bitty burgs out there, but he'd like to. "It certainly figures into my vacation planning," he says.

Chesko's NY
Although the skyscrapers are the attention grabbers in Chesko’s Midtown Manhattan model, the real effort was in the details. Tackling the block-by-block miniaturization of this district called for the creation of more than 380 individual blocks.
Photos: Zachary Zavislak

Shanghai
Shanghai's massive miniature is more than a feat of craftsmanship. Model makers had to pore over numerous prospective building plans to accurately depict the forward-looking cityscape. Of course, crafting a physical snapshot of this scale isn't without its setbacks; even a tiny change in construction can have a sizable impact on the face of China's most populous city.
Photos: Adrien Hochet

Bay Model
The US Army Corps of Engineers wasn't concerned with just scale while constructing the Bay Model. After plotting the miniature landmarks, engineers had to ensure that the hydraulics system accurately depicted the sped-up effects of the Bay Area's tidal system. This attention to detail guaranteed that roughly 15 minutes of standard time equated to a lunar day on the Bay Model.

Sydney
"Hidden in plain sight" is the best way to describe this scale model of downtown Sydney. The keen-eyed can find it beneath the glass floor of Sydney's Customs House. Though constructed in 1998, the Customs House ensures its continued accuracy by having the model regularly updated to reflect changes in the skyline.
Photos: Peter Murphy

Chicago
Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is home to this sprawling model of the Windy City. The model covers 3,500 square feet and captures the city’s historic rail system with 1,400 feet of track.
Photos: J.B. Spector