(Patrick Duclou)
Building with the Essence of European Charm
by Pam North
Patrick Duclou lives and works in Lopburi, 140 km north of Bangkok, Thailand. After teaching English in France for 20 years, he moved to Thailand in 2006. He began building 1:12 scale miniature projects in 2012, using vintage black-and-white photographs of a 1900s French shop. “Building French shops and houses probably reminds me of my roots, allowing me to stay connected with the French culture and art de vivre,” Patrick explained. That classic French style is the highlight of his structures.
A teacher at the University in Thailand, Patrick manages to combine his career and miniatures. “Time management and space can be two factors that can be difficult to associate with daily life. I can get so addicted to a new project that I may lose track of time, suddenly realizing it’s 2 a.m. Cutting wood with a machine or routing Plastwood can make a lot of dust, and as I don’t have a real workshop, I have to make sure everything is ‘back to normal’ when I am through. My workplace is a room where I keep the houses and shops I’ve built, along with all the tools I need. That’s where I work most of the time.”
Inspiration for him comes from old photos and prints. “They inspire me. I can’t work with just my imagination. When I travel in France once a year, I also take a lot of pictures of buildings I like. I get prints from flea markets when I am in France, and I take a lot of measurements in situ if I can, to be as close as possible to the reality. Then I draw a basic sketch of the building on paper, or with a computer program. This allows measurements to be precise enough.”
Parting with his completed projects is not difficult for him. “For me, the most important part is the building process, not the accumulation of furniture and paintings inside the buildings I make. Truthfully, I’m not that interested in dollhouses, but I love new challenges. Each of my creations have been big challenges, as I have never attended any workshops or studied model making at school. I learned everything by myself, or from tutorials on YouTube, on how to use small machines. I learn by doing, and doing again.”
Patrick doesn’t sell his buildings, as shipping from Thailand to Europe or the US would be too expensive. He presently doesn’t conduct workshops, but will retire soon, giving him free time to teach people how to ‘weather’ a building.
Patrick knows what he loves about miniatures. “I love to see the evolution of a project, from the first sketches to the finished house. It may take months, but it’s always a big reward to look at something you’ve built from a piece of wood. I also love painting and aging the houses and shops that I build. Building miniature houses is my way to meditate and get away from the stressful lives we have. It can be a therapy. It teaches patience and stimulates our sense of creativity.”
His miniature table saw and  router have become indispensable. “I’d love to have a CNC to cut windows or architectural elements, when there are many all identical.” CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is a process used in the manufacturing sector that involves the use of computers to control machine tools, including lathes, mills, routers and grinders.
Patrick shared his biggest difficulty in working in miniatures: “It’s the decision that something is finished and doesn’t need anything else. You always can add details to a house or a shop, but do they make it look better? I have seen pictures of rooms that originally looked perfect, but became a mess later with an accumulation of extraneous, unneeded elements.”
The future of miniatures intrigues him. “It’s changing so quickly with 3D printing, laser cutting, etc. Things that were very difficult to do in the past can be done easily, if you know how to use the right program with the right machine. I think we have to accept progress and follow it. These new technologies are changing the concept of miniature building, but they also will allow more people to afford those purchases. Some artists will continue to work on unique pieces that most of us can’t afford, but also on the market will be beautiful houses or pieces of furniture that you and I will be able to buy.”
He presently is working on a  French building called l’Hotel Mame. “It dates from the 17th century, a perfect example of classic architecture. This particulier hotel was built for a wealthy French family in Tours, my hometown. The façade shows the elegance of classic French architecture.”
Contact Information:
Email: patrickduclou@gmail.com
Phone: (66)841068144
Address: TRU, Narajmaharat Rd, Talay Chubsorn, Amphur Muang, Lopburi 15000 Thailand
Website: http://ajarnpatrick.blogspot.com