Architecture Weekly | 19th May 2012

Architectural drawing Approach

Architecttural drawing is a subject taught in Architecture as well as Civil Engineering colleges. Hence, it is important for students to pay special attention to the subject since it requires concentration and dedication to achieve excellence in this particular subject.

This article is about past art, Contemporary art and architecture, importance of learning fundamentals of architectural/engineering drawing and the distractions to be avoided in order to excel.

Site Planning guide

Site planning is an important aspect of Architectural design. It is important that designers are completely aware of all the factors that are to be taken into consideration while designing.

This article has been written in order to explain various factors that are essentially to be considered while taking up Site planning. The site planning considerations that have been discussed in the article are as follows:

  • Environmental factors
  • Identification of site and its preparation
  • Natural factors which include Geology, topography, Hydrography, soil, Vegetation, Wild life etc.
  • Climatic factors
  • Cultural factors
  • Existing land use

Site Documentation and Site Analysis

The importance of Site documentation and site analysis cannot be denied. It is the role of any designer to perform a complete detailed documentation and analysis of the site before designing and construction.

The article has been written in order to address various aspects to be considered while analyzing the surroundings of the site. It also addresses important requirements to be incorporated in site planning in order achieve a greener environment. The important design features that are to be necessarily incorporated in your zoning layout are also mentioned.

It is a must for every architect/engineer or a designer to have complete knowledge of site documentation and site analysis.

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Approach to Architectural Drawing

Introduction to the Approach to Architectural Drawing

We are beginning with a new tab on “Architectural Drawing”. We will cover a wide range of topics regarding Architectural Drawing which will help Architecture and Engineering students to achieve excellence in Drawing.

Let’s begin with our lessons on Architectural Drawing.

Art in the past was an intellectual, scientific and poetic discipline. Draftsmanship was of primary importance, though drawing has been playing a service role to painting, sculpture and architecture.

Contemporary art/Architecture has to return to classical roots for redefinition for standards and precepts. Follow that route and you will learn soon enough.

Architectural Drawing
Architectural Drawing

The importance of spending months on the fundamentals of drawing may not be obvious immediately. Repetition unavoidably is the key. Repeated acts of seeing, selecting, and thinking through the physical marking on paper are indispensable to growth.

Reading about Architecture or talking about drawing will not do what pencil in hand will do. Drawing takes repeated effort. But at the outset, a great deal of technical discipline/drawing etiquette must usually come before creative leaps.

Distractions to be avoided

  1. Feel blocked/frustrated
  2. Copying – Need to develop comprehension beyond copying.
  3. Do not latch on the flashy techniques too early in your career – You may lose a great deal of integrity and individualism in expression.

Pictorial Space | Architectural Drawing

Understanding Pictorial Space – II

An analytical drawing of spatial symbols clues which indicate distance and depth in our perception of form.

The primary visual cues which aid our perception of Depth:

  1. Binocular Vision
  2. Motion Parallax

Our eyes are overlapping fields of view and Stereoscopic Depth Vision.

The pictorial images created by graphic displays have to depend totally upon secondary cues to depth.

Depth is created by –

  1. Relative apparent size – Linear perspective objects become smaller as they are far away.
  2. Light and shadow
  3. Atmospheric haze (Ariel perspective)
  4. Overlap – most potent secondary cue to depth
Understanding Pictorial Space - II
Understanding Pictorial Space - II

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Transformations | Architectural Drawing

Understanding Architectural Transformations

The aim of the project is to involve the students in a pre-design exercise in leading the student from a simple shape to a complex design.

Each shape should involve – Repetition, Size

Materials:

  • A full size tracing sheet divided by 4”x4” squares. A comic strip format.
  • Use of a soft pencil – 0.5mm – 2B
  • 6”x6” ordinary tracing sheet for over lays.
  • Take the most complex design in the last box, enlarge and use values and color. (Color pencils/ Water colors on hand made paper)

 

Transformations | Architectural Drawings
Transformations | Architectural Drawings

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