Architectural Design Concepts (FO)
Architectural drawings follow the same principles as mechanical drawings. Like in any area of engineering design, your objective as a designer is to present all the needed information as efficiently and clearly as possible.
However, unlike mechanical drawings, architectural drawings typically do not indicate every minute detail. Items such as electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures, cabinet design, cooling and heating vents, trim, etc are generally not detailed to their exact location if even indicated at all. Generally, in architectural design, only the foundation, walls, floors, windows and doors are detailed explicitly. Other details are either indicated by approximation or not at all. Decisions about detail relating to electrical, plumbing, heating, finishing carpentry, cabinets, etc, are often left to the sub-contractor or home owner (in collaboration with the contractor).
Experiential Learning
Field Observation ( FO )
Prior to actually drawing architectural plans, you will be given a brief introduction to home design issues and the anatomy of a house. This will be accomplished through a tour of a local building center as well as an on site presentation given by one of our local general contractors.
Following this, you will be given the opportunity to develop two common types of drawings found in architectural design:
Floor Plans
Elevations
We will discuss each of these separately in the following sections.