3-D model

A three-dimensional model of a structure is a scaled representation of a structure's form or design. Certain data can be taken from such models, but the quality of this information varies considerably depending on the field and on whether the model is scaled precisely.

Fields such as floor count, architectural style, footprint form, and roof system can usually be obtained from a model, but their values are almost always superseded by observation of the actual structure. Heights, lengths, and widths can be taken from a scaled model, but this is generally a very low quality source for those fields.

A model can show a proposed design as well as an existing structure. Its visible arrangement describes what the model depicts; it does not by itself prove that the depicted form was built.