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Architectural Design And Drafting

Architectural drafting services play a vital role in the building process and this fact is well understood by top service providers. While an architect produces the conceptual design for the structure and then gradually comes up with the final design in discussion with the client, an architectural drafter creates the construction drawings enabling them to bring those designs to life.

 

3 Key Differences in Architectural Drafting Services by an Architect vs an Architectural Drafter in 2023

Architect vs architectural drafter: A study

It’s quite apparent that architects and architectural drafters work in close association to make a building project successful. One often wonders how they differ in their roles, obligations, qualifications, expertize, and skills. Let’s try to put these things in perspective here.

Job roles:

An architect undertakes the planning, designing, and overseeing of the construction of a building or interior space. They coordinate with different stakeholders and experts like clients, consultants, city planners, licensing authorities, contractors, architectural drafters, etc.

Architectural drafters undertake the job of producing building plans and specifications. They convert the architect’s concepts and instructions into drawings needed for the construction process using specialized computer software like CAD, BIM, etc.

Liability:

Architects hold professional, moral, environmental, and techno-legal responsibility for the buildings they design for the stipulated period. They can be held answerable if the structure is not safe and compliant with all relevant codes and regulations. This is the reason that architects require licensing to work professionally.

Architectural drafters are responsible only for the drawings they produce and hold no responsibility for the structure. As a result, they don’t need any professional license to work at an architect’s office or an engineering firm.

Qualification:

In order to work as a licensed architect to provide architectural drafting services, one must acquire an accredited university degree. Some architects even go for a Master’s degree to add a specialization to their expertise. They then have to apply for a license from a competent authority or state.

Architectural drafters, on the other hand, do not need a university degree or a license. They can do a certificate or Diploma course after High School and receive training under an established drafter.

Fundamental differences in drafting by an architect vs an architectural drafter:

An architect and an architectural drafter are two important pillars of the building process. One creates the design and the other transforms that vision into drawings. These drawings guide the construction team in erecting the structure. The quality of the drawings determines how close the completed structure is to the design conceptualized.

Naturally, an architect can also make drawings, and at the same time, an architectural drafter can also develop concepts. So, what are the key differences in architectural drafting services between an architect and an architectural drafter? This is briefly discussed here.

  1. Creativity vs technicality

Architects have an overview of the entire building project; their focus remains on creativity and aesthetics. What’s important for them is the juxtaposition of spaces, the convenience of the user, and the services being provided.

An Architectural drafter concentrates on the technicality and specifications of the project. They provide the requisite measurements as well as construction and material details and other specifications required to make the drawings comprehensive for the end user.

  1. Accuracy:

Architects are programmed to focus on the aesthetic part. They would like their drawings to look clean and attractive. They might unknowingly leave out some details.

Architectural drafter focuses on accuracy and precision so that the drawings convey the exact idea of the structure to be built. Each dimension and detail would be an exact piece of the jigsaw puzzle to be erected by the contractors.

  1. Easy comprehensibility

Architects of course want the drawings to be easily understood by the construction team and contractors. However, architectural drafters having thorough experience in drafting software like CAD specialize in dishing out drawings that contain all necessary details. These drawings are easily understood by the team of contractors so there are no costly confusions or misinterpretations.

Architectural drafting is the job to provide relevant drawings and documentation to take the building process forward and transform the design intent of an architect into a solid structure of stones and bricks, cement and concrete. The role of an architect vis-à-vis an architectural drafter could sometimes be reversed or interchanged, but in the end, it’s always better to go with the specialization one offers.

Architectural design and drafting for school buildings has always been a most fascinating job for top firms, however, it is just as challenging for the construction industry professionals due to numerous factors. An educational institution is a place where the great personalities of tomorrow are molded, and the architectural design of the built environment plays a significant role in preparing a child to become a responsible citizen. Architects shoulder the massive responsibility of creating innovative school architecture that helps in achieving this objective. The requirements and the anthropometrics for different architectural design phases of school architecture are very different from that of other types of structures, making the task of the designers very complex and at the same time very exciting. Following is a brief discussion on the key elements of a school building.

4 Key Features Of A School Building – Architectural Design and Drafting

 

1.  Hubs of knowledge: An enabling environment

Schools are the hubs of knowledge in the complete sense. They impart overall learning and groom the students for the future, providing theoretical and practical knowledge, and inducting them into physical, co, and extracurricular activities. Thus, playgrounds are one of the first and most important features of a school that can help students thrive.

2.  The built form: Creating the atmosphere

Schools are the very basic ground for laying the foundation of the future generation; hence, it’s a very important built form. Just erecting sets of rectangular or square rooms won’t ensure an effective school building; you are not supposed to erect a structure merely for imparting bookish knowledge, creating an environment to ignite the curiosity of the mind is a must. Paying careful attention to the interiors of classrooms and libraries can make them a place where students would like to spend time and attention. One must employ ideas and designs innovatively through different architectural design phases to provide that environment.

3.  Focus on learning: Facilitating creativity

The architectural design and drafting of a school building must ensure that the focus of the child remains on learning. An architect must consider everything from orientation to materials used while planning the building to create the required learning environment. A simple thing such as natural light, for example, being taken in from NORTH when the windows are facing that direction, helps the illumination and ventilation without the glare that is comfortable for the students. Avoiding glare is essential since it makes seeing difficult and might make focusing on a single object more of a task. In addition, providing sufficient natural light also helps cut down on the requirement for artificial lighting, making the structure more environmentally friendly. Similarly, acoustic plays an important role in educational facilities.  Making the classrooms and the libraries noiseless enables the students to read in silence and concentration.

4.   A disciplined structure: A precious lesson for life

Discipline determines the amount of success, or failure, one tastes in their life. Teaching discipline is part of the responsibility of schools to help the overall development of the students. This presents a great challenge for the architectural team as the structure of the school building must convey a sense of discipline, failing which it would just be an ordinary structure. What makes the job even more challenging is the fact that a school building should also reflect the spirit of freedom. Higher ceilings, wide corridors, and spacious classrooms are just some of the features that can help the cause. Historical experience shows that only a free mind can soak in knowledge without fear or prejudice, and the right physical atmosphere plays a huge part in achieving the said knowledge.

Developing architectural design for schools/ educational institutions is definitely a challenging task for an architect; a thorough understanding related to the philosophy and functioning of the structure is imperative in order to execute the project flawlessly. The endeavor should be to create a built form conducive to students’ learning and development.

Architectural design and drafting professionals handle restoration/ renovation projects more efficiently by using BIM to produce an accurate interior design documentation set by seamlessly integrating the existing spaces with the newly added ones.

3 Benefits Architectural Design And Drafting Companies Can Derive From Interior Design Documentation Produced Using BIM

BIM should not be mistaken as just another highly publicized software used to create a more complex building model; it provides a more comprehensive overview of a building project besides creating detailed 3-D models and thus, enabling you to extract accurate design and construction documents.

Integrating existing and proposed structures:

Architectural design and drafting companies must work systemically using BIM to simplify the complex process of remodeling or refurbishment of an existing structure.

You need to create two different models for the existing and proposed structures for this, and then seamlessly integrate them using all the features available.

The architectural objects of the existing structure like walls, floors, doors/ windows, etc can be labeled as “existing entities”, while the newly designed architectural objects should be assigned the label of “new build entities”.

BIM allows you to do a dynamic comparison between the two models; you can use special tools to quickly demolish or rebuild architectural objects.

Revit facilitates efficient preparation of interior design documentation.

You would often have found an interior job like a relay race with every contractor waiting for the other to finish and start his own work.

Dropping batons in this relay race is common, important information is thus lost and precious time wasted. BIM makes it more like the integrated effort of a team of rowers who work together in unison to achieve expected results.

A compact schedule is generated allowing everyone to work together for ensuring an efficient building with high-performing units.

Benefits of using BIM for interior design documentation:

  1. Better visualization

BIM tools enable you to easily communicate ideas, analyze and evaluate different spaces, and assess the future performance of the structure.

You can study and accurately compare various design alternatives reflected in related views, drawings, and schedules, saving time and increasing your credibility.

  1. Close collaboration

BIM helps architectural design and drafting firms facilitate better collaboration among all the stakeholders involved with the project.

Individual models are created by different stakeholders which are linked together, allowing an interior designer to see every minute detail to carry out their work efficiently and with the minimum interruptions.

You can always provide a viable design if you know precisely where articles like an electrical junction box or a plumbing line is laid.

A closer collaboration helps you save time and money.

  1. Forming accurate databases

Finalizing the placement and documentation of articles like furniture and equipment etc. is always a tough job for interior designers.

BIM makes this job much easier. Revit helps you accurately sort, count and filter all databases, giving parameters to every object, like model number and cost.

The schedules can thus pull their information and remain updated all the time.

Producing interior design documentation for renovation projects can be a challenging job for architectural design and drafting service providers.

BIM helps you visualize and communicate your design in a better way, facilitates better collaboration among all stakeholders involved, and enables you to sort and filter all databases to produce architectural masterpieces time and again.

Working closely with the reputed CAD service providers like The AEC Associates has become a norm rather than an exception for top architects around the world.

Third-party CAD service providers offer countless benefits contrary to the belief of some people who remain apprehensive about entrusting their important drafting and documentation job to an unknown outsourcing vendor and still prefer to get the work done by their in-house team only.

Following is a brief discussion on the main reasons you should not hesitate in hiring an outsourcing vendor specializing in the kind of work you deal with.

  • You Get Top Quality, Every Time

CAD service providers are teams of experienced, skilled professionals specializing in different disciplines of architecture and engineering, adept at handling both small, retail buildings as well as large, complex projects of all kinds.

You are assured of top-quality work every time when you associate with them. It takes you years of untiring hard work to build a reputation of your own, you just cannot afford to compromise on the accuracy or the quality of work.

Just take your time and choose your vendor after proper due diligence, and your results will improve.

  • Faster Turn-around Time

Time is money in today’s business world, you don’t deliver on time and your reputation is tarnished beyond redemption.

You might get apprehensive you won’t be able to control an outsider when it comes to punctuality, but is that true?

You can of course monitor your timelines closely while getting the job done from your in-house teams, but times have changed and globalization has ensured that most outsourcing vendors are usually located in different geographical locations and time zones than your own.

So, your work goes on even after you have closed down your office for the day. You can manage these vendors by having a time schedule and a good follow-up program in place to ensure a faster turn-around time.

  • Reduces Your Operational Cost Considerably

Some people think that outsourcing one’s work costs more money, but that’s a misconception.

It in fact reduces your operational cost considerably, besides giving you an exact idea of what it is going to cost you once you hire your vendor.

One big plus here is that you are spared the pain of hiring and firing as per the demand of your projects. Since you can work with a minimum number of employees as a result, you can save a lot on office space and equipment, and also on salaries and perks of the employees.

  • Ensures Data Security

Architects are sometimes wary of working with CAD service providers as they are apprehensive about design data being leaked or stolen.

They think that they are at greater risk when working with outside vendors, but it can simply be prevented by entering into contracts like non-disclosure agreements, etc.

Associating with reputed CAD service providers can give you more freedom to focus on your core competencies and business aspect.

They help make your work more efficient by reducing your operational cost, ensuring faster turn-around time, and offering top quality all the time.

 

Architectural Drafting Services: 4 Challenges You Must Overcome For Efficient Design Coordination During Design Development Phase

Top providers of Architectural Drafting Services constantly strive hard to produce functionally superior and aesthetically pleasing buildings on a regular basis. You would of course be interested in knowing how this seemingly impossible objective can be achieved.

Building Information Modeling: A revolutionary process:

Building Information Modeling or BIM promises to take the construction industry to the next level. There has been a marked difference in the performances of the projects where BIM is being used and where traditional methods are being employed, clearly showing the value of this process.

Enriched BIM models used by Architectural Drafting Services professionals facilitate greater inter-disciplinary coordination and collaboration for efficient and timely decision making. Following are some major challenges you face due to inefficient coordination during the design development stage of a project.

  1. Reworks and wastage

It becomes so necessary to avoid those countless reworks and material wastage that often result in budgeted overruns.

  1. Inaccessibility of information

So many projects fail to take off due to different stakeholders not being able to access the required design data at the right time.

  1. Unreliable decision making

When you are not able to access the right information at critical stages, it results in unreliable decision-making. It gives rise to unwanted conflicts and stalls so many promising projects.

  1. Inter-disciplinary conflicts

Lack of coordination among various stakeholders could give rise to inter-disciplinary conflicts, which if not sorted, can push deadlines behind and result in gross wastage of precious time, money and resources

So, how would you tackle these hurdles and make sure everything goes smoothly during the design development process? You can adopt modern techniques to ensure better coordination among various participants. Following are a few tips about how to achieve this objective.

 

  • Coordination between architects and engineers

You plan a building as per your client’s requirements keeping in perspective the functional efficiency and aesthetical appearance. It’s the responsibility of the engineers to make sure that the design provided by you is viable.

A detailed BIM model can be used to make sure there are no clashing elements between the layout of architects and engineers, pointing out possible problematic areas at an early stage itself so that viable solutions are found.

  • Coordination between engineers and MEP contractors

There is often an issue of materials and equipment not being available or right people not being there at the right spots. Detailed BIM models may be used to generate schedules, estimating the requirements and time slots to avoid this problem.

This would also give MEP contractors an exact idea at the time of planning where structural elements are placed to offer an efficient layout.

  • Architects and MEP contractors

MEP contractors must be aware of an architect’s requirements so that there is no major deviation from the original scheme. For example, they cannot provide an Air-conditioning duct that makes the space look ugly.

It would be a disaster if they provide a cable where the architect is planning to place a classical object. They can be kept on the same page by using a detailed BIM model.

 

The massive responsibility of converting client’s dreams into functionally efficient, visually pleasing structures lies on the shoulders of the Architects and their Architectural Drafting Services team.

Identifying the main challenges in design coordination faced during the design development stage and finding effective ways to overcome them will enable you to produce timeless buildings time and again.

You cannot ensure flawless execution of a building project without handling various challenges in an efficient manner.

It often becomes a tough task for the Design Team to stick to the original design scheme and complete the project within the allotted timeline and budget due to a general lack of coordination among various stakeholders involved despite their individual brilliance and creativity.

“Design coordination during the design development phase” thus assumes great significance for the successful completion of a building project.

Architectural design and drafting play a vital role in making the execution of multi-family residential projects efficient and successful. Through accurate and precise construction documentation, architectural design and drafting services providers ensure that the quality of construction never suffers, and the project is completed within the stipulated budget and time period.

The multi-level residential projects:

The structure of multi-family residential buildings is far more complicated and complex than the stand-alone houses, and there is always a chance of something going wrong during the construction stage. You must produce accurate construction documentation sets to make sure that the construction team and the contractors understand the design perfectly well without any confusion or misinterpretation.

Architectural Design And Drafting

Precise construction documentation:

Architectural CAD Outsourcing firms must adopt latest technology and methodology to make construction documentation effective and efficient according to the modern-day requirements. For instance, it has become a common practice today to use digital photographs, webcam or videos for documenting the construction process in order to make it smooth and error-free.

Some essential attributes required:

Your client invests huge amounts in terms of time and money in a construction project, the stakes are very high for them and also for you. An accurate and precise CD set goes a long way in ensuring that every single stage of the multi-family residential project, from designing to construction and facilities management stage remains efficient and error-free to the maximum extent possible. Following is a brief discussion on a few essential attributes of construction documentation in order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives.

  • An easily accessible skilled workforce

Last few years have seen a steep rise in the construction costs, it’s never prudent to rely too heavily on people issuing instructions through remote control sitting far away from the work site. You must have skilled workforce in good numbers available right at the construction site. Your team should have experienced professionals equipped with the knowhow and expertise to deal with any emergency situation that might arise during the construction stage. An easy access to a set of accurate and precise documents is mandatory for these people to make sure no problem goes out of hand by solving them quickly and expertly.

  • Expertise and specialization in handling residential projects

A top quality CD set is the best possible way of protecting you against wastage of time, heavy financial losses and damage to your reputation. Expertise and specialization in the same type of projects is what you need in order to produce accurate and finely-detailed documents. Third-party services providers employing expert professionals can handle different types of unique challenges offered by complex structures in a timely and efficient manner.

  • Quick access to right information

You need to deal with many specific sets of requirements and make customized solutions while executing multi-family residential projects, making your information pool accessible to everyone involved with the project is mandatory. The right information should reach the intended person without any delay whatsoever. For a successful project, make sure that the entire team is connected and informed on all aspects of the project.

Providers of architectural design and drafting services shoulder a massive responsibility while executing a multi-family residential project through to the end without any delays or hiccups. A set of accurate, precise construction documents is essential to guide the team with clarity and purpose so there are no confusions or misinterpretations, and the project is completed within the stipulated time frame and budget.

The constantly changing concepts of office architecture present a fresh set of challenges for architectural design and drafting companies. Deep understanding of contemporary design principles allows architectural design and drafting firms like The AEC Associates to experiment with new ideas while ensuring that the building conforms to the office standards prevalent worldwide. On one hand, you are supposed to produce a functional and aesthetically appealing structure, and on the other hand, worker satisfaction and productivity also has to be ensured. You can never rule out the future extensions/ changes, and must take care of that aspect as well. In a nutshell, you want a timeless design for your office.

Architectural Design And Drafting

Following are some contemporary office principles to help you create sustainable, timeless office buildings.

• Functional efficiency

It should be the constant endeavor of architectural design and drafting team to design an office with high functional efficiency. The office layout is meant to serve a specific purpose, one cannot leave it confusing or unorganized. Never include details that are wasteful or don’t serve any purpose, they would compromise with efficiency. You should strive trimming down to essentials and make the design very useful. Make it attractive, but it shouldn’t give rise to inefficiency anywhere.

• Always be innovative

The present-day customers just don’t like getting prototype designs, they want something fresh, something unique every time. Always strive to create an outstanding structure and an innovative workplace setting that encourages the employees to give their best. It’s imperative to be aware of and understand current office trends and take them one step further through innovation and experimentation. The workplace needs to be interesting and convenient for the workforce, keeping them healthy, satisfied and productive.

The constant endeavor of architectural design and drafting professionals should be to produce office buildings that are timeless and sustainable. This can be achieved by following certain design principles. We shall continue discussing some more contemporary design principles in our next post

Architectural Design And Drafting
4 Design Principles Of Office Architecture For Architectural Design And Drafting (Continued)

Designing an office building has always been one of the most challenging jobs for The AEC Associates Architectural Design And Drafting as new emerging trends keep changing the concept of office architecture. The real challenge for Architectural design and drafting lies in providing a design that is timeless and is still up to the set standards after many years. You must follow some fundamental principles of office architecture to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. We continue to discuss some more principles here in this post.

  • God is in detailing

Yes, that’s what the renowned architect Mies van der Rohe said. That is also one of the principles of office architecture. If you want to create a timeless office building, you should strive to achieve perfection and excellence. Attention to detailing will help you enforce a great office culture. Little details like optimum lighting, comfortable seating arrangement etc always improve worker satisfaction and productivity. You can improve a sense of loyalty towards the organization by placing the office logo at strategic points. The best way forward is to keep quality over quantity and trying to achieve the best possible environment.

  • Strive for sustainable design

Architectural design and drafting should always strive to adopt the current trends,sustainable architecture is one of the trends they should go for. It’s important that your clients are able to use the present setup for a long time to come for it to be considered a successful design. A sustainable design will avoid a necessity for costly redesigning or renovations and stop wasteful practices.

Architectural design and drafting shoulder the massive responsibility of creating a great office culture through their design; following the above design principles can help them achieve this objective. The office design will become timeless and sustainable if you succeed in inspiring the workers and ensuring their satisfaction and productivity.

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