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T Howard & Associates Architects

Architectural drawings are one of the most fundamental tools to succeed in architecture. They play an integral role in shaping how your dreams for future buildings come to life, and they can help you get familiar with the field!

But before you pick up that pencil, there is something important to know about drawing. Many people think that drawing means just making pretty pictures, but this isn’t true at all!

Drawing is much more than just looking good- it is a way to understand concepts well. It is a tool to learn fundamentals like proportion, line thickness, and shape.

There are many ways to learn professional level drawing, so why not try out some of the resources available? One of the best ways to do this is by practicing, practicing, practicing!

But what if you aren’t sure where to start? You don’t have to be totally beginner anymore! There are several easy ways to improve your architectural drawing skills.

In this article, we will discuss one such skill – understanding proportions.

What is a architect?

t howard & associates architects

An architect is someone who designs buildings or landscapes, or both! Architectural design can be broken down into several different disciplines such as landscape architecture, interior decoration, furniture design, and building design.

However, what makes an “architect” really special is that they are trained in solving complex mathematical problems while incorporating aesthetics to inspire trust in others.

Architects must have a degree from an accredited program, but many of them don’t. That’s why it is important for people to know what being an architect means to ensure things run smoothly.

The term “architect” comes from the Ancient Greek word architekton which means “the master builder.” In ancient Greece, architects were considered masters of construction, not just designing.

Since then, the role of an architect has changed quite a bit. For example, back then, most architects also did some drafting (designing diagrams of shapes) and maybe even carpentry work.

These days, however, that is less common. More often than not, a licensed architect does only one thing: he/she hires other professionals to do the rest.

What is design?

So what is design, really? Let’s dive in and take some time to think about it. When we talk about designing something, whether it’s a room or an organization or a piece of furniture, we use several different components to define that term.

First, you need to have materiality — what kind of surface the object will have. For instance, if the object is made out of glass, it must be able to handle moisture, so it has to be designed with that consideration.

Next, you need to have purpose – why does this item exist? To serve a function. A table can’t just hang from the wall, it needs to hold things up.

And lastly, you need to have expression - how the item looks depends on who uses it and for what they want it to look like. An empty book shelf doesn’t express much unless there are books on it!

When all three of those pieces come together, you get something special. You get design.

What is development?

t howard & associates architects

Development means altering, adding to or replacing something already in place. This can be new buildings or renovations, changing where an existing building exists, creating additional space by moving or expanding things, or designing and planting a new garden or forest.

Development can occur through natural processes like erosion or volcanic activity that reshape coastline areas or via human intervention such as construction of roads and bridges or redevelopment of older structures.

Developers are people who work with land so it makes sense to include this term in your vocabulary. While most developers work for large companies that own lots of land, some individuals develop small plots of land or create plans to expand on their own property.

These individuals are called residential developers. Others may develop larger businesses or educational facilities, which they cover under the category of commercial developer.

There are many types of developers including those that build homes, hotels, office spaces, retail stores, industrial sites and more! (And don’t forget about architects – we look after the design side.) We all help make beautiful places to live, work and visit.

What is building?

t howard & associates architects

Many people associate buildings with houses, but that is only part of what an architect does. An architect also designs other structures such as bridges, tunnels, and skyscrapers. Some architects even design furniture or interior decorations!

Architects are professionals who study how to use shape, proportion, and structure in order to create efficient and aesthetically pleasing spaces. They may look at existing space and apply their knowledge to improve it, or come up with new ways to organize and utilize space.

They can also evaluate different materials and determine which ones go well together. After deciding on their favorites, they will work hard to find sources for them so that you get the best quality one ready for installation.

There is more than just painting and arranging things, then putting it all together. Architectural drawings are complex and take time to review properly. Therefore, most aspiring architects have to learn some basics first.

These include learning how to draw shapes, practice drawing using basic styles, and learn about proportions. Once these concepts are mastered, students must learn how to read architectural drawings and understand what each line means before moving onto the next stage.

Studying architecture is a long process that takes lots of effort and preparation. Becoming an architect is not easy, but if you are passionate and dedicated to your career choice, then there is no reason to stop being successful.

What is structure?

t howard & associates architects

Structure, or form, is how you organize your writing into discrete units to create flow and progression of ideas. It can be done in any genre, but it takes more focus to do so well in stories than anything else.

Structure comes before content, which means getting the skeleton of an idea down first! Before you write one word, there must be a header, a topic, and a conclusion. The header should be significant and unique, the topic should be fluid and flowing, and the conclusion should push forward what has been said earlier.

Content will naturally follow structure. A story is made up of events that happened and themes explored over time.

When designing a website or app, layout is the most important part. Choosing your browser, platform, and dimensions are all crucial parts to having a good looking site. But beyond that, color scheme, font style, and organization are also very influential.

What is code?

t howard & associates architects

Code is an easy way to describe what a building or project is. It’s also one of the most important things for architects, engineers, and builders. Beyond that, it’s really just writing!

A lot of people say “writing” but they mean something like creative writing. Writing proper English isn’t bad (we should all be able to write our own names!), but writing as written language goes beyond that.

Code describes a product or concept in terms of numbers and math. This makes sense because we typically think about buildings in terms of shapes and sizes and mathematics has no shape nor size.

This article will go into more detail about how codes work, who uses them, and why you should know some basics. But first, let us talk about what actually constitutes a code.

What Is A Standard Architecture Style?

An architecture style is someone’s personal take on how to organize spaces and features within a structure. For example, Frank Lloyd Wright designed beautiful homes with exposed steel beams and concrete floors. He also used rounded corners and natural materials such as wood and stone. These are his architectural styles.

Other famous architects use similar concepts but may add unique touches such as angled roofs or other unusual design elements. All these qualities make their designs look familiar while still being uniquely theirs.

What is zoning?

t howard & associates architects

Zoning is the regulation of land use, or how we regulate what uses of space your house will have. It’s kind of like what genre you are (ie., family houses, single-family homes, etc.) depending on whether they exist in abundance or are limited.

Zoning was first used as an urban planning tool during Ancient Rome to help govern the growth of cities. Since then, it has evolved into one of the most important tools for shaping our future live and work spaces.

By defining areas that are allowed to be certain types of buildings or not, planners can create more balanced communities by having enough room for everything people might want to do. This way, there is always somewhere for everyone to go!

It also helps ensure that areas with similar amenities are close to each other, which is good for people who enjoy those common facilities. For example, if you love eating out, it’s easier to get quick food if you live near a lot of restaurants.

What is a certificate of occupancy?

t howard & associates architects

A COO (Certificate of Occupancy) is what gives you permission to live in your home. It’s also called a use permit because it allows you to use your house for its intended purpose.

For example, when you purchase a residence, it will probably have a COO already issued. You can’t move into the house unless there’s a COO first! That means if the builder doesn’t issue one within a certain amount of time, you’re out of luck.

A COO isn’t always issued immediately after construction is complete. Some people hold onto them until they are sure that all the proper permits have been acquired and everything has been checked into code. This is especially true in high-profile projects where media attention is likely.

Usually once things get rolling, everyone gets busy so the process moves fairly quickly.

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