The practice of interior design requires the creation and use of various types of drawing. These can be divided into three broad categories based on purpose. The first type of drawing allows the designer to explore ideas (known as ideation) and work conceptually, often in the form of sketches. The second type allows the designer to communicate to others, including members of the design team, the client, end users, consultants, and other professionals (presentation drawings). The third type of drawing conveys the technical information required for construction (construction documents or working drawings). This book focuses on the first two types of drawing, those used for exploration and presentation or graphic communication of ideas.
Unlike ideation sketches, presentation drawings and construction documents must use certain standard drawing conventions to clearly communicate and delineate the proposed design. Unlike fine art drawing, design drawing requires adherence to conventions, proportional scale, and accuracy of line. Design drawings are highly standardized so that they carry universal meaning. Or, as one early reviewer of this book put it, “Design drawing is much like a language; the drawings must convey the designer’s meaning clearly.” The design drawings most commonly used in scaled delineation of interior environments are floor plans, interior elevations, sections, and reflected ceiling plans. These drawings, called ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS, are created by projecting information about an object onto an imaginary plane known as the PICTURE PLANE. This direct projection of an object’s dimensions allows orthographic projections to retain shape and proportion, making these drawings accurate and precise. Orthographic projection creates fragmentary views of an object, resulting in the need for multiple drawings. This means that because of their fragmentary nature orthographic projections become parts of a system and are mutually dependent on one another. By their nature, orthographic projections appear flat and lack the three-dimensional quality of perspective drawings. One way to visualize orthographic projection is to imagine an object enclosed in a transparent box. Each transparent plane of the enclosing box serves as the picture plane for that face of the object (Figure 1-2). The view through the top plane of the enclosing box is called a PLAN. In a plan view only those elements seen when looking directly down at the object are drawn. Figure 1-3 depicts a roof plan. The views through the picture planes that form the sides of the enclosing box are called ELEVATIONS. Elevations depict only what is visible when viewed directly through the picture plane (Figure 1-4). A SECTION portrays a view of the object or building with a vertical plane sliced through it and removed. One way of understanding section views is to imagine that a very sharp plane has been inserted into the object or building, cutting neatly into it and revealing the structure and complexity of the object’s form (Figure 1-5). A floor plan, also known as a horizontal section, portrays a view of the building with a horizontal plane sliced through it and removed, exposing the thickness of the walls and the elements below the cut line such as floor finishes and furniture (Figure 1-6).
ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION DRAWINGS FOR INTERIOR ENVIRONMENTS The special orthographic projection drawings used in delineation of interior environments are based on the concepts mentioned to this point. These drawings impart information particular to interior construction.
FLOOR PLANS A FLOOR PLAN is a view as though looking straight down at a room or building after a horizontal cut has been made through the structure. As stated previously, a floor plan can also be called a HORIZONTAL BUILDING SECTION because the drawing is created by cutting through the building horizontally at roughly four to five feet above floor level and removing the top half. With the building cut open and viewed from above, important information such as wall, door, and window locations can be drawn to scale (Figure 1-7). Additional design elements such as fixtures and furniture can be drawn in appropriate locations to scale in a floor plan. In the United States floor plans are most often drawn at a scale of 1⁄8"=1'0" or 1/4"=1'0", although this varies according to project conditions. Larger-scale floor plans are useful for presentation of complex or highly detailed spaces. Smaller-scale floor plans are required for large projects and are also used as key plans in complex presentations. In drawing floor plans it is important to convey significant spatial relationships with consistent graphic conventions. Various line weights are used to convey depths and qualities of form. In standard floor plans the boldest line weight is used to outline those elements that have been cut through and are closest to the viewer (such as full-height wall lines). An intermediate line weight is employed to outline objects that lie below the plane of the cut but above the floor plane, such as fixtures, built-ins, and furnishings. A finer line weight is used to outline surface treatment of floors and other horizontal planes, such as tile and wood grain. Objects that are hidden, such
as shelves, or above the plane of the cut are dashed or ghosted in; this must be done in a manner that is consistent throughout the presentation. Figures 1-8a and 1-8b are examples of town-house floor plans drawn using AutoCAD software and employing standard conventions and reference symbols. Figures 1-9a and 1-9b are freehand-drawn (no tools) floor plans of the town house. Standard doors are generally drawn open at 90 degrees to the wall and are often shown with the arc of their swing. The door frame and the space it requires must be considered in the drawing of the door system (this means the dimensions of the frame must be considered). Windowsills are typically outlined, often
Unlike ideation sketches, presentation drawings and construction documents must use certain standard drawing conventions to clearly communicate and delineate the proposed design. Unlike fine art drawing, design drawing requires adherence to conventions, proportional scale, and accuracy of line. Design drawings are highly standardized so that they carry universal meaning. Or, as one early reviewer of this book put it, “Design drawing is much like a language; the drawings must convey the designer’s meaning clearly.” The design drawings most commonly used in scaled delineation of interior environments are floor plans, interior elevations, sections, and reflected ceiling plans. These drawings, called ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS, are created by projecting information about an object onto an imaginary plane known as the PICTURE PLANE. This direct projection of an object’s dimensions allows orthographic projections to retain shape and proportion, making these drawings accurate and precise. Orthographic projection creates fragmentary views of an object, resulting in the need for multiple drawings. This means that because of their fragmentary nature orthographic projections become parts of a system and are mutually dependent on one another. By their nature, orthographic projections appear flat and lack the three-dimensional quality of perspective drawings. One way to visualize orthographic projection is to imagine an object enclosed in a transparent box. Each transparent plane of the enclosing box serves as the picture plane for that face of the object (Figure 1-2). The view through the top plane of the enclosing box is called a PLAN. In a plan view only those elements seen when looking directly down at the object are drawn. Figure 1-3 depicts a roof plan. The views through the picture planes that form the sides of the enclosing box are called ELEVATIONS. Elevations depict only what is visible when viewed directly through the picture plane (Figure 1-4). A SECTION portrays a view of the object or building with a vertical plane sliced through it and removed. One way of understanding section views is to imagine that a very sharp plane has been inserted into the object or building, cutting neatly into it and revealing the structure and complexity of the object’s form (Figure 1-5). A floor plan, also known as a horizontal section, portrays a view of the building with a horizontal plane sliced through it and removed, exposing the thickness of the walls and the elements below the cut line such as floor finishes and furniture (Figure 1-6).
ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION DRAWINGS FOR INTERIOR ENVIRONMENTS The special orthographic projection drawings used in delineation of interior environments are based on the concepts mentioned to this point. These drawings impart information particular to interior construction.
FLOOR PLANS A FLOOR PLAN is a view as though looking straight down at a room or building after a horizontal cut has been made through the structure. As stated previously, a floor plan can also be called a HORIZONTAL BUILDING SECTION because the drawing is created by cutting through the building horizontally at roughly four to five feet above floor level and removing the top half. With the building cut open and viewed from above, important information such as wall, door, and window locations can be drawn to scale (Figure 1-7). Additional design elements such as fixtures and furniture can be drawn in appropriate locations to scale in a floor plan. In the United States floor plans are most often drawn at a scale of 1⁄8"=1'0" or 1/4"=1'0", although this varies according to project conditions. Larger-scale floor plans are useful for presentation of complex or highly detailed spaces. Smaller-scale floor plans are required for large projects and are also used as key plans in complex presentations. In drawing floor plans it is important to convey significant spatial relationships with consistent graphic conventions. Various line weights are used to convey depths and qualities of form. In standard floor plans the boldest line weight is used to outline those elements that have been cut through and are closest to the viewer (such as full-height wall lines). An intermediate line weight is employed to outline objects that lie below the plane of the cut but above the floor plane, such as fixtures, built-ins, and furnishings. A finer line weight is used to outline surface treatment of floors and other horizontal planes, such as tile and wood grain. Objects that are hidden, such
as shelves, or above the plane of the cut are dashed or ghosted in; this must be done in a manner that is consistent throughout the presentation. Figures 1-8a and 1-8b are examples of town-house floor plans drawn using AutoCAD software and employing standard conventions and reference symbols. Figures 1-9a and 1-9b are freehand-drawn (no tools) floor plans of the town house. Standard doors are generally drawn open at 90 degrees to the wall and are often shown with the arc of their swing. The door frame and the space it requires must be considered in the drawing of the door system (this means the dimensions of the frame must be considered). Windowsills are typically outlined, often
with a lighter line weight at the sill only. Window frames and sheets of glass are shown in various detail as scale allows. Stairs are generally shown as broken off past the height of the plane of the cut; this is signified with a special cutline. An arrow should be included to indicate the direction of the stairs from the level of the floor plan, with the word UP or DOWN (DN.) adjacent to the directional arrow. A title, a North arrow, and some type of scale notation should be included on all floor plans. Scale notation can be stated numerically, for example: 1⁄4"=1'0". Current practice often requires the use of a graphic scaling device, which allows for reduction, enlargement, and electronic transmission of the drawings. Symbols relating the floor plan to additional orthographic views or details are often drawn on the floor plan and serve as cross-references.
Successful floor plan presentation drawings require a thorough understanding of drafting conventions. Presentation floor plans may be drawn fastidiously with tools or drawn freehand. Regardless of the style of drawing, presentation floor plans must be accurate and drawn to the appropriate scale so that they communicate the design and can be used by the designer as the project moves forward. Presentation floor plans are enhanced by the use of tone, value, color, and/or other graphic devices. The graphic enhancement of floor plans is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 5.
No comments