Paper skyline takes shape in Calgary home

Jordan Schumaker is taking his love of architecture a step further than mostwith a growing scale model of the Calgary skyline taking shape in his home.

"I've always been into architecture,I went to SAIT for architecture," he said."I just thought it would be a cool hobby and it keeps me busy."

The replica city is built with a combination of paper, cardboard, acrylic sheets and acrylic paint. To get to the exacting details, Schumakeruses an X-Actoknife.

"It's a lot of squinting and holding it just so," he said.

The buildings, some of which he has redone several times until he's happy with them, also glow in the dark to mimic the skyline at night.

Calgary Eyeopener4:00Calgary's paper skyline

One man is building a replica of Calgary's skyline, mostly out of paper.

Challenges

So far, the most challenging buildings have been the Bow and the Calgary Tower, which he has redone five times to date. He's also on his third take for the Bankers Hall towers.

"I believe, and I'm going to redo them again because they're not sitting on the block right, they're too big," he said.

Going through the process has instilled a newfound appreciation for some of downtown Calgary's architecture, including City Hall and the sharp angles of the Nexen building.

It's not the first mock up Schumaker has built, but the others were all fictional locales. So why do it?

"Just satisfaction with myself. Eventually I hope to get into architecture. I might be going to university in the fall, next fall. I just find it's fascinating to me how you can miniaturize real life and it just keeps me motivated."