CAD Architecture 1
Concept essentials
Definition of ARCHITECTURE
1: The art or science of building; specifically: the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially habitable ones.
2: Formation or construction resulting from or as if from a conscious act <the architecture of the garden>
3: Architectural product or work
4: A method or style of building
Design Methodology
The process that you as a designer go through to develop the concept and eventually the design for the home or structure. This is a systematic approach the problem that is the design you are answering.
Space
The volume or area that you are defining in your design. You as a designer control the shape and dimensions of the space that you are creating with the design.
This is the literal volume of the universe that you as an architect or architectural designer are working to define and create within. This is the basic goal of architecture, "to create a volume of space that is functional as well as pleasing to the person experiencing that space." The definition of this space can be determined scientifically or mathematically by taking or making measurements and marking points that determine the boundaries of the space.
Form
As the designer you are determining the form that the space you are working with is becoming and the parameters that will be used to create the space. This form may take of any variety of shapes and therefore functions. It is important for you to consider this as you address this portion of the design phase. The form and function are inseparably connected.
Order
All life is ordered in some way. You are ordering the environment of your design to meet the needs of the occupants of this home or structure. This is connected to the form that you have established in the design phase. This is where you are tasked with the formality of the design. Are things going to be rigid and formal or more organic and free-form in the placement and association? Neither is more correct then the other in t he grand scheme of things. They are more a part of the taste and concepts or personality of the occupant and designer.
As the space is defined by the points and the form of the points will determine the order of the building or room. Essentially, it is at this point in the design that realization typically hits home to young designers that all three are inter-related and driven by each other. The order of the room speaks to the form and the function of the space. the question of, does it work? Is one that all designers should ask themselves throughout the design process.
Pencil Sketches
Our theory that visualization is one of the keys to the success of a student of architecture is played out in our requirement of sketches on the part of each student. We require sketches of each design before the student begins the process of creating CAD files and models of the design. We also require students to go out into the community and observe the buildings, homes, and other structures around them. From this we intend to begin the process of developing a vocabulary of the pieces used in typical architecture.
For our purposes we suggest that the student use normal bond paper like you would use in your laser or inkjet printer. This paper has a minimal tooth and a such is a very smooth and forgiving surface for most mediums. The faithful 2H or HB pencil is our preferred implement for this type of work.
Techniques that the students are encouraged to use in their sketching are completely up to the individual, but we suggest that they use those that they have received training and instruction in. Primarily those covered in the Art Foundations II course also included here. For the most part we focus on the use of tonal values through simple hatching or continuous tonal shading practices as these are pretty straight forward for most beginning students.
Foundation
The foundation of the building or home is the possible the most important part of the construction process as all of the other pieces of the home rest on this part. As stated in many proverbs and cliches, if you have a sound foundation the rest of the structure will be successful.
The image to the right is of a typical foundation but one that is built using pressure treated lumber for the stem wall. The stem wall is the portion of the wall that retains the earth to the exterior of the building and acts as the barrier between that dirt and the interior of the crawl space or basement. We do not use this type of system, but it is here so that you know of its existence. In our local markets we use the system that is pictured in the image below. This type of system uses a monolithic concrete or CMU (concrete masonry unit) wall as the stem wall with an asphalt emulsion, polystyrene or other water barrier on the exterior to support the structure of the home or building.
This framing system has two major varieties as well. The most used in our area is the platform framing method which is shown here. It consists of the builder constructing a foundation with a wall that has a platform or floor constructed on the top of it. This is then topped with another wall that is then topped with another platform. Once the desired height or number of floors is met the roof is constructed as the final platform. This method is limited to three (3) platforms above the foundation. This will be covered in more detail in the class discussion and lectures as well as site visits.
It is critical to understand that the foundation system no matter which is must have the proper reinforcing. In concrete systems we use rebar (steel reinforcing bar) to reinforce the concrete in tension forces. Concrete is extremely durable and dependable in compression. This is the force that is pressing the material together. The problem comes when there is a force trying to pull on concrete. It is just as weak in tension as it is strong in compression. To handle this we insert steel into the wet concrete and allow it to remain when the concrete cures or hardens.
Finally, each foundation should have a drainage system installed around the perimeter to help move water away from it and also the stop heaving and other concerns. This is typically a perforated pipe or tubing in a gravel layer of the back fill that conducts the water to as safe distance.
Test Note
As part of the competency test for the state of Utah some methods are referenced that no longer are commonly used or in some cases considered antiquated by some professionals. An example of these is the use of Batter Boards, these are boards place at the corners of the foundation during the forming process that allows the builder to ensure that the foundation is formed correctly. These can be seen in the image to the left. This system is still an effective system but in many cases has been either updated using newer technology or modified in such a way that it appears to be a completely different technique.
This is not to say that understanding the importance of techniques, but that some of these are just a reference for the student to develop a fuller or deeper understanding of the process.
Framing
One of the most critical parts of this introductory course is the introduction of the student of architectural design to the media in which they will design and relating that concept to the materials that the average building will be constructed from. In other words, we have to get the idea of the design being a physical three dimensional structure firmly in the students mind. This is most important so that the student can visualize the need for accuracy and detail in their work.
In the image to the left we see a "Typical Wall Section" which is a visualization of an exterior wall cut vertically from the ridge of the buildings roof through to the bottom of the foundation. This is then rotated virtually or in this case graphically to show all of the members and materials included in the construction of a wall.
Normally we start this description at the base of the typical wall, but since we have covered wall construction in the preceding section of this page we are skipping to the framed portions of a wall.
The image tot he right is that of a typical framed wall that has not yet had the sheathing or dry wall placed upon it. It is required of all students to commit the members in a wall such as this to memory and to know where each is located as well as what dimensional lumber it is constructed from.
The wall pictured is obviously a load bearing wall as the headers are constructed from a beam to transfer the load to the studs on either side of the door or window. If this was not a load bearing wall these could be replace with cripples just as are located beneath the windows rough sill.
Floor Planning
Floor planning is not a simple concept for most young designers and drafts-persons to grasp. There are a myriad of concepts and possible problems that the average students of architecture must and needs to address to create a fully realized and functional plan.
Floor planning is a balancing act of the needs of the home and building code with the desires hopes and uses that the future resident of the home will have. In other words the home has to meet the building code while at the same time meeting the needs and habits of the people that will live there. These needs and tastes of the owner or builder can and often do rear their heads during the design process and effect the manner in which the home or building is laid out.
Most designers today design in a style known as the "open floor plan" which removes all of the walls that the designer believes to be frivolous or confining to the work and flow of the home. Others are "death" on the hallway. While they will readily admit that it serves a purpose as a means of travel to move from one area of the building to another; they are often conflicted as to the waste of space that a hallway is in some opinions as it is only a corridor that uses floor space and can really only be used for one purpose.
