While visiting Salt Lake City, I was reminded of the role and value; that architectural models previously provided the design and construction teams of large facility projects.
The South Visitors Center of Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City Utah; provides a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple.
The tour guide mentions that it took 40 years to build the Salt Lake Temple.
Scaled architectural models made of wood & plaster, full-size prints of iron work, stain-glass window patterns, staircase handrails & bannisters; are just a few design tools I've found when renovating historic & older buildings.