3 BUILDING DESIGN ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS Have you ever prepared any architectural drawings at school with your teacher? If so, what kind of design did you prepare? The architect is the supervisor of the construction of a building. What is an architectural model ? How can you translate the expression into Italian? How to Draw House Plans, Floor Plans posted by DrawingNow ONLINE RESOURCES Preparing an architectural brief Architectural design brief The architectural design brief is the beginning of the design process. It is prepared by an architect and includes the characteristics of the project, the kind of work involved and the choice of building materials, described according to the budget of the client. Architectural drawings Architectural drawings provide a guideline for how a structure should be built. Today all the architectural drawings are prepared using computer design software such as AutoCAD, BIM and rendering programmes. Sometimes architectural models can be used. Site plan: this shows the site of a house on the property in its context and outlines the location of utility services, easements, roads and walkways, and even topographical data that specify the slope of the terrain. Floor plan: this specifies room sizes and wall lengths, all the doors and windows and any built-in elements, such as plumbing fixtures and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system. Floor plans usually include notes to specify finishes, construction methods or symbols for electrical items. Elevation plan: this includes front, rear and both right and left side elevations, which specify ridge heights, exterior finishes, roof 112 SURVEYING AND DESIGN pitches and other details that are necessary to give the home its exterior architectural styling. Section plan : it is a vertical plan drawing showing the internal features of the building, such as the staircase. Architectural drawings usually contain additional information such as: foundation plan, including dimensions and locations; electrical and telecom drawings that show information about power, lighting and communication systems; plumbing drawings that include the network of water and gas supply pipes, and the DWV (Drain-WasteVent) system; home automation plans for the remote control of lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and security. Building permit Before the opening of the construction yard, a Building Permit must be obtained by the appropriate authorities according to a building code that establishes regulations for the construction, remodelling and maintenance of a structure. brief: (qui) linee guida built-in: incassato construction yard: cantiere edile DWV: impianto fognario easement: servitù finishes: finiture HVAC: impianto di riscaldamento e aria condizionata plumbing fixtures: sanitari ed infissi idraulici rear: posteriore remodelling: ristrutturazione ridge height: altezza del colmo del tetto roof pitch: pendenza del tetto side: laterale slope: prudenza utility services: utenze di luce, acqua e gas walkway: passaggio pedonale