A jelly St Paul's Cathedral, Empress Josephine's bedroom crafted from paper, and a cork model of the now-destroyed ancient temple of Bel in Palmyra go on display in London this September.

"Er, why?" might be your first question. It's part of a collaboration between the Building Centre and the V&A, bringing together one of the largest and most diverse collections of architectural models exhibited in the UK.

Shaping Space - Architectural Models Revealed — on at the Building Centre in Bloomsbury from 24 September-28 January — highlights the role models play in shaping and recording the landmarks that appear around us.

Among the eclectic range of historical and contemporary models on display are a mock-up of Empress Josephine's bedroom from 1804 (crafted so Napoleon could approve interior design proposals while on the battlefield); a geometry study for the Sydney Opera House by its architect Jørn Utzon; set designs from the recent heartbreaking Save Ralph animations, and a model of St Paul's Cathedral moulded in jelly by gastronomic pioneers Bompas & Parr.

Other contributions come from eminent architects including David Adjaye and Charles Holland (creators of A House for Essex), and Livio de Luca — digital model researcher at the construction site of the damaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

Shaping Space - Architectural Models Revealed, Building Centre, Bloomsbury. 24 September 2021-28 January 2022. Free entry.

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