Architecture: Preliminary & Blueprints

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Drawings are synonymous with the image of an architect; love being the professional with the large role of blueprints / drawings tucked under one arm!

We often confuse our job as a product delivery business. It is more accurate to say that Architects provide a service. Delivering great client service is a key driver to the success of an architecture firm. The existence of clients makes the field of architecture possible.

Architects produce drawings for a range of reasons, and use different drawings to communicate different things. As we move into Preliminary and Developed Design, the drawings are measured, scaled, and square. In Detailed Design, in preparation for construction, tendering and Building Consent, drawings take on incredible density, including a high level of information and rigor.

Drawings are to communicate with:

Ourselves (we draw to capture our thoughts), co-workers and collaborators, project consultants, clients, contractors & sub-contractors

COMPLETENESS / A 'DRAWING SET'

When we talk about a ‘drawing set’, we are most often referring to these drawings produced ‘for construction.’ These are different drawings which, when accompanied by a specification of all the materials and installation practices, will be used by the contractor to turn the architectural idea into a mortar building.

CLARITY

A good drawing set is leaving nothing to the imagination. All the decisions, from design to materials and construction methods, are included in the drawings. To achieve clarity, it's very important that architects understand why they are making a drawing, and how the drawing will communicate. Clarity isn't just about the information in the drawing; it's also about how the drawing is made.

CROSS-REFERENCING

Buildings are very complex, and individual drawings struggle to communicate this complexity on their own. We should not just rely on the information being spread across a range of drawings, and on people being able to shift between drawings to form a comprehensive picture of the whole.

Why not show the sexy stuff first?

Start with some eye candies and sprinkle it through your presentation. These attention spans can get them hooked early.

Sometimes we assume that our clients have the same amount of knowledge about building and design as we do. Although there are clients with extreme levels of building experience, most are at the novice level. It is our duty to educate the clients and share our knowledge. Explain why you moved a room to the north side of the building. Explain the cost impacts of the pool or other facilities.

As architects, we have a duty to advise your clients. We can envision ourselves as a waiter at a very nice expensive restaurant, advising our clients on a menu of design options and let them decide what is best for their appetite. If they have made a poor choice, it is our job to inform them of the consequences.

Interior / Exterior

Details & Visuals

Structural Drawings

Details allow us to zoom in to specific parts of the building to show how various materials come together. These are important for communicating between architect and contractor. Although the drawing may be very intricate with many parts, a detail is often invisible in a finished building. Details bring together a range of thinking - from aesthetic, to weather-proofness, and to construct-ability.