Banff Springs Model Welcomed at Falkbuilt

At Falkbuilt, we love to celebrate great architecture and bold innovation—and few places capture both quite like the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. A stunning piece of iconic Alberta architecture, it’s long been a special place for Falkbuilt, where we often share the beauty of the Rocky Mountains with our guests. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that a stunning scale model of the Banff Springs Hotel, created by Calgarian, Frank Kaufmann, has found a new home here at Falkbuilt. The model is more than a beautiful piece of craftsmanship—it’s a tribute to Alberta’s heritage and to the creative spirit that drives innovation, both in architecture and in the work we do everyday.

In 1974, Frank, a head chef in Calgary, set out to build something extraordinary. The Banff Springs replica was just one piece of a much larger dream. Inspired by Madurodam, the miniature city in the Netherlands, Frank envisioned a tiny tourist attraction in Calgary, filled with scale models of Alberta landmarks. In addition to the Banff Springs, Frank also built a miniature version of Calgary’s old City Hall, their family home, and other various buildings, all with the same precision and care.

Frank took precise measurements of the Banff Springs Hotel and got to work in his garage. Over the next three years, he created a 1:48 scale replica, entirely by hand, using wood and a special finishing touch—sand from Scheveningen beach, in the Netherlands, brought back from his travels.

Frank’s daughter, Doris remembers those three years, watching her dad spend countless hours in the garage bringing the Banff Springs to life. “He was so focused and passionate about it,” she said.

The Banff Springs model lived in Frank’s garage for over four decades, taking up the space in which his wife Ursula once hoped to park her car. Eventually, it was purchased by the Calgary International Airport and displayed in the domestic arrivals terminal, near door 4, for several years. When the airport underwent renovations, Gary Hinton, Falkbuilt HQ Calgary Branch, spotted the model and jumped at the opportunity to give the masterpiece a new forever home.

At Falkbuilt, we love good design, tenacity, and a heartwarming story. Acquiring the Banff Springs model brought Falkbuilt teams together. Falkers built a custom platform to showcase the model, doing research, and adding miniature furniture, trees, and wildlife. Now, the Banff Springs replica is proudly displayed in our Falkville showroom where Falkers, clients, and visitors can enjoy it.

To mark the occasion, we had the honor of welcoming Frank and his family to Falkbuilt. At 88 years old, Frank still radiates the energy and creativity that inspired the replica. He brought with him a photo album and a poster of Madurodam that had lived in his garage for more than four decades.

Frank shared stories, laughed with Falkers, and even recounted the time he ended up in the hospital after trying to lift the heavy model on his own. “You’re not going to believe how I did it,” he told the nurse. “I was trying to lift the Banff Springs Hotel.” He proudly told us stories of his life and the process of building the model. It was Falking epic.

We presented Frank with a commemorative plaque, engraved by innovative Falker, Danny Nykulak, honoring the incredible effort behind the replica’s creation. Steven Wilhelm from the Calgary Herald attended and reported on it here.

Ursula, also 88, is an avid gardener who is just as proud of Frank now, as she was when they were married almost 60 years ago. Frank’s most recent creative project? A brightly colored parrot, carved painstakingly with a chainsaw, now perched on a swing above Ursula’s flowers at home.

Frank’s son, Udo, believes his father’s dream has essentially come to fruition and reflected on what it means to see the model honored. “It’s exactly what he wanted—to create something lasting that people can enjoy.”

We love this story of a man’s dream, the support of his loved ones, and an idea, inspired by an iconic piece of architecture, rooted in Alberta’s landscape. It’s a reminder that innovation can start in a garage and end up inspiring generations. Thank you to Frank and the rest of the Kaufmann family, for entrusting us with this piece of Alberta history. We’re honored to give it a permanent place to shine!