The Cologne-based modeller Dieter Cöllen was inspired to take up modelling with cork after attending the 1986 Special Exhibition of the Kassel collection of cork models by Antonio Chichi, which was staged in the Ballhaus Museum in Wilhelmshöhe/Kassel. Commissioned by prominent architects to construct architectural models for their projects, Cöllen was fascinated by the opportunities granted by cork to chronicle the impact of time. Both architectural detail and weathered surfaces can be faithfully reproduced using this elastic material, which by virtue of its porosity can be fashioned to resemble the stone faces of ancient buildings ravaged by the elements through the ages.

As the end of Classicism also saw the demise of the art of cork modelling, Cöllen was forced to acquire his skills from scratch. Through his analysis of the great past masters such as Chichi und May, his intensive study of cork models and literary research, together with his practical work with the material itself, Cöllen succeeded in first reviving, and then advancing and developing this technique further. In endeavouring to reconcile manual skills with creative artistry Cöllen is aspiring to attain perfection, rather than merely imitate the techniques of his role models. Both the acquisition of modelling techniques and the procurement of the raw materials were the results of extensive research.
In order to gain valuable experience with the building techniques and the creative, expressive possibilities of the material, Cöllen initially based his models on the historical buildings set in the immediate vicinity of his second domicile in the South of France. Subsequently, he turned his attention to the ancient architecture of Italy, which had already being imitated in cork by the Classical modellers.
However, under no circumstances it is Cöllen's intention to copy the works of Chichi and his colleagues or rivals. Rather, his work is based on modern archaeological foundations. His objective is to document the physical proportions and the current state of the buildings as accurately as possible. Collaborating closely with archaeologists, Cöllen takes as his foundation in the fashioning of his models, measured drawings reflecting the current state of research. Here too the aspiration to go beyond his predecessors is evident.

In common with Chichi, Cöllen avoids any idealisation, but rather takes account of all traces of destruction and decay. However, in keeping with the contemporary aesthetic, he focuses exclusively on the architecture. Used already sparingly by Chichi, picturesque features corresponding to 18th-century taste and its romantic notion of ruins are dispensed with completely, and the models are presented in a neutral setting.
Recent years have witnessed mounting interest in models of historical monuments. Due to their physical dimensions, it is often difficult to record the details of the buildings on site. Indeed for conservation reasons, archaeological sites particularly are no longer always fully accessible. To a certain degree, scaled-down models can assist in the examination of a building's architectural features and the modified perspective presented within the context of a museum exhibition can often facilitate a deeper insight. In contrast to two-dimensional reproductions, models allow the edifice and its plasticity to be captured as an entity. Consequently, in terms of function, contemporary cork models are a continuation of the traditions of their 18th-century forebears.
Archaeological monuments are subject both to decay and to permanent modification by virtue of subsequent usage or restoration measures. A comparison of historical and contemporary models as to the condition of the buildings and the form of their reproduction, reveals not only the different approaches to Antiquity and its significance but also enables the recording of time and the visualisation of its inexorable progression.