top of page
UNIT 4 - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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 and unconducive 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 1 - 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 Upper Floor in relation to the Lower Floor and will an exterior 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 - 10/13/23
ASSIGNMENT 2 - 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 that are possible especially in the design of 2 + 'story' buildings.
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 - 10/18/23
ASSIGNMENT 3 - 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 plans along with considerations to how it affects the structural integrity of the building as guided by a Structural Engineer. Continue to explore design options as this is the time to finalize your design prior to creating the Construction Documents.
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 - 10/23/23
bottom of page