The term box modelling as stated by mallenlane is a term that is generally used. What is more acurate and one that is least understood and the proper is primative modelling. When take a primative ie: box, sphere, cylinder or cone and you build from it. Some software even include advance primatives such as the torus but that is not a universal convention. In programming, there are dozens of ways to perform a single task. Many of the conventions are preferential but to goal remains the same.