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UNIT 10 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
At this point, you should be familiar with the clients needs in detail and the approximate space, sq.ft. area that their house will require. You should also be very familiar with the site and its natural and manmade characteristics and its surroundings.
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The process of Architectural Design begins (most of the time) on paper with 'bubble diagrams', which are preliminary sketches that show primarily room locations and their relationships to each other.
This is the part of the design phase where multiple ideas, concepts and spatial arrangements are explored, mostly in plan view with approximate proportion in relation to the site plan.
Because the creative mindset imagines ideas in a fluid manner, it is restricting and unconducive to creativity, to use and rely on a machine/CAD to do this initial phase of design. Once the 'bubble diagrams' are approved, the design can begin to be developed further with CAD to explore more definitive sizes, massing, volumes, site diagramming and analysis to visually inform the client further of your vision for their built environment.
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ASSIGNMENT 1 - BUBBLE DIAGRAMS
Develop bubble diagrams of your client's house based on their design program, including every room and outdoor space showing their relationship to each other and the contour location(s) on the site w/north arrow. Ideally, this is done on tracing paper so ideas can be developed and layered over each other.
The bubbles should be developed over or on your scaled site plan which shows the contours and grade elevation changes on the sloped property. When designing on a slope, many factors are considered in relation to integrating the building into the slope. Other than the 'green' approach to design, which can be functional and aesthetic at the same time, the impact to the site, codes, construction costs, materials, etc. are all factors that will be discussed more in class to apply to your preliminary design ideas.
Your bubbles should also include a Section thru the Site, showing how your building and its spaces sit in and/or on the slope. Show the floor and ceiling levels of each floor.
Note: This doesn't need to be drawn to exact scale, but spaces should be to relative proportions to their functions and to each other.
Clearly label each room or space.
Watch these videos to see how professionals do it.
How to Think like an Architect
Architectural Design Process
DUE - 3/3/23
Once your bubble diagrams have been presented and approved by the client, you can begin to develop your design further in detail including assigning sizes and shapes to the building's plan and elevation forms.
There are many influences that will effect your decisions as this process develops. Not only the client & site influences, which guide your spaces and plan orientation, but placement of walls and windows and the materials and methods used to construct them. This of course, is driven by budget constraints and builder and material availability to name a few.
As stated before, the creative mindset imagines ideas in a fluid manner, so it may be restricting to creativity to use a machine to do this phase of design. However, once your ideas and sketches start to take size, shape and scale and volume, you can explore 3d massing models of them on the computer and analyze them on the site to visually inform the client further of your vision for their new or remodeled home.
Watch these videos before you start the assignments
ASSIGNMENT 2 - SCALED FLOOR PLANS
Using grid paper or a scale/ruler, layout your floor plans to a scale that will fit on the paper you are using. This may take a few versions as spaces/rooms may shift location or size in relation to your bubble diagrams. Be open to new ideas emerging in this process as you become more familiar with the design. It is a good idea at this point to consider
all the items in the client program and include them in the plan design.
Also think about the configuration of the floors and walls in relation to the floor and walls above and below as you were taught in the Structures Unit, i.e Will a floor/roof/wall on the Upper Floor be able to be supported in some way logically and efficiently on the Lower Floor?
This will assist in achieving structural integrity and lessen the cost of complex framing and building materials and methods.
Therefore, be open to altering your plans if needed and still be thinking about and imagining all the possibilities for your clients built environment.
DUE - 3/15/23
ASSIGNMENT 3 - PRELIMINARY ELEVATIONS
Develop preliminary sketches of 2 sides of the house. Typically, the entrance and another side are sketched, unless you feel other sides are more important to show to the client at this time.
Now is when you consider exterior materials, window fenestration and door placement in relationship to your scaled floor plans.
Considerations of roof types (see image at right) and configurations are also explored along with materials, depending on the 'style' and scale of the home your client desires and what the site accommodates.
This should be drawn to the scale of your plans and can be projected directly from them as part of the drawing process as shown in the example images on this page.
Explore ideas around varying wall heights and volumes of space where possible and the interior and exterior roof planes in relationship to the sunshine and rain......and listen to this music at the same time.
Clearly label which sides of the house you've drawn i.e. North, South, East or.....West Side!!! (Elevation).
Show all exterior windows, doors, roofs and decks.
DUE - 3/27/23
ASSIGNMENT 4 - PLAN & ELEVATION REFINEMENT
Based on response from your client, you often need to revise, refine or sometimes redo a portion of the design. This may be due to the client changing their minds, structural constraints, construction logistics, site issues and preliminary budget estimates.
Once these are all reviewed and approved, you can develop your plans further to include the remaining elevation views.
Be open (still) to changing exterior materials, roof styles, window fenestration and door placement in relationship to your scaled floor plan along with considerations to how it affects the structural integrity of the building as typically guided by a Structural Engineer.
Continue to explore design options as this is the time to finalize your design prior to creating the Presentation Drawings.
Clearly label which sides of the house you've drawn i.e. North, South, East or.....West Side!!! (Elevation).
Show all exterior windows, doors, roofs and decks.
DUE - 4/10/23
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