Types of Architectural Drawings Used in Construction

In construction, various types of architectural drawings are used to communicate the design and intent of a project. These drawings serve as a blueprint for the construction process.

As discussed earlier, architectural drawings can be categorized into several types, each with its own unique purpose. The most common types include floor plans, elevations, and cross-sections.

Floor plans, for example, provide a two-dimensional representation of a building's layout, including the location of walls, doors, windows, and other features. They are essential for understanding the spatial relationships between different elements of a building.

Elevations, on the other hand, show the exterior of a building from a specific angle, providing a visual representation of the building's facade and its relationship to the surrounding environment.

There are 9 main types of architectural drawings. These drawings are essential for communicating design ideas and construction plans to stakeholders.

Let's take a look at the list of architectural drawings. Here are the 9 main types:

These drawings will be explained in more detail later in the article, including their order and typical construction drawing sequence.

Drawing is a fundamental part of the architectural process. There are two main drawing styles in architecture: sketches and diagrams, which are done by hand, and computer-aided design (CAD) drawings, which are made using computer software.

Sketches and diagrams are often the starting point for architectural projects, allowing designers to quickly explore ideas and communicate them to clients. CAD drawings, on the other hand, are more precise and can be easily revised and updated.

There are several types of architectural drawings, including floor plans, sections, elevations, and more. These drawings serve different purposes and are used at various stages of the design and construction process.

Here's a list of some common types of architectural drawings:

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is a crucial type of architectural drawing that brings designs to life. CAD drawings are 2D or 3D computer-generated detailed illustrations of an architectural project.

CAD drawings show a computer-rendered depiction of the design, including its dimensions, textures, and materials. This level of detail is essential for architects to communicate their vision to clients and contractors.

The process of creating a 3D object using CAD is often referred to as "rendering" or "modeling." This allows architects to create highly detailed and realistic representations of their designs.

CAD drawings can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional formats, giving architects the flexibility to choose the best approach for their project.

A concept drawing is a preliminary building sketch that visually communicates architectural ideas to clients. It's a way for architects to capture the essence of the design through quick ideation and iterations.

The concept drawing is typically prepared by an architect as per the client's brief for initial discussion. It indicates the basic layout with approximate sizes of rooms, setbacks, and circulation areas.

The client is free to give suggestions and can request changes to the concept drawing. The architect makes necessary changes based on the client's further suggestions and takes approval from the client.

Concept drawings are not detailed, but they provide an overview of a building that helps clients understand the architectural ideas. Only after the client's approval does the architect move on to the next stage of architectural detail drawing.

Detail drawings are incredibly helpful in the design process, allowing you to see each decorative element up close. This magnified perspective is made possible by combining many close-up views.

Detailed drawings provide accurate information on design, materials, dimensions, and instructions on assembly to minimize errors and ensure quality in fabrication and construction. They include dimensions, materials, and features with symbols and annotations to improve accuracy and clarity for architects, technicians, and engineers.

Working drawings are an expansion of tender drawings, offering detailed technical information about a project. They are issued on the construction site for execution purposes and include additional details such as cardinal direction, scale, and issue date.

Here are some of the key components included in a set of working drawings:

Excavation drawings are a crucial tool for construction teams. They illustrate the measurements of a building's foundation, helping to determine the necessary depth of excavation and foundation dimensions.

These drawings are essential for guiding construction teams through the excavation process. They specify the materials that need to be removed, the methods to use, and the tools required to accomplish the excavation.

Excavation drawings provide details about the dimensions of the building excavation, including excavation extent, soil removal, and excavation sequence. They outline strategies for site preparation, safety measures, depth measurement, excavation, and equipment use.

Construction teams rely on these drawings to plan and execute the excavation process efficiently.

Detailed drawings offer a magnified perspective of a specific portion of the construction, allowing for a closer examination of how individual components interconnect.

This type of drawing can be particularly helpful in the design process, as it enables you to see each decorative element in detail. You can use this information to make adjustments and ensure that all components fit together seamlessly.

Detailed drawings can also serve as a useful reference during the construction process. They can show how reinforced concrete beams are assembled, for example, which can be incredibly helpful for contractors and builders.

By examining detailed drawings, you can get a better sense of how all the different components of your project fit together. This can help you identify potential issues before they become major problems.

Scales on architectural and technical drawings are essential for conveying the level of detail and accuracy required for each project. A location plan is typically drawn at a scale of 1:1000, which provides a broad overview of the site.

Different types of drawings require different scales. A site plan scale is usually 1:200, while a floor plan is drawn at 1:100. Room plans, on the other hand, are often depicted at 1:50.

If you're working with very intricate or small details, you may need to use a larger scale. Even full-size drawings, or 1:1 scale, can be used for very detailed elements.

Finishing is a crucial aspect of building design that goes beyond the structural and functional aspects.

Finishing drawings are a key part of this process, illustrating the aesthetic value of the building and including finer details such as floor patterns.

The type of floor is also an important consideration, with various options available to suit different tastes and purposes.

Paint color is another essential element of finishing, as it can greatly impact the overall look and feel of a space.

False ceilings can also be included in finishing drawings, adding an extra layer of design and functionality to a building.

Single-line drawings are a type of representation drawing used to visually illustrate preliminary design ideas. They are commonly used for architectural, mechanical, and electrical systems.

Single-line drawings use lines to illustrate room structures in different configurations. This helps to convey the design idea effectively.

These drawings accurately label room sizes, which is a crucial aspect of the design process.

Drawing details is a crucial aspect of any construction project. A block plan is a scaled representation of a city area that includes neighboring buildings, roads, and other assets.

These plans help architects, builders, and engineers coordinate better for accurate project execution. They serve as references for construction and organizing the building process.

Survey drawings are essential tools for measuring and understanding the layout of buildings or land. They provide an accurate representation of the area under survey.

These drawings are valuable for identifying features and landmarks, including levels and slopes for surrounding sites and topography.

In A-2, we learned that details can be added to a drawing using various techniques.

For example, a small line can be used to indicate a thin object like a pencil or a thread.

The size and weight of lines can also convey different textures and materials in a drawing, such as the roughness of a tree trunk or the smoothness of a mirror.

Adding small circles or dots can suggest the presence of eyes, buttons, or other small features on an object.

These details can help bring a drawing to life and make it more believable and engaging.

Preliminary drawings are a crucial step in the architectural process. After the concept drawing is approved, the architect prepares these drawings.

The preliminary drawings include plans, elevations, sections, and sometimes 3D views. This gives the client an idea of how their building will look.

At this stage, the client can provide feedback and suggestions, which the architect will incorporate into the drawings. The set of preliminary drawings will also include a furniture layout to show how furniture will be placed in each room or space.

The architect may also provide a perspective or walkthrough (at an extra cost) to give the client a three-dimensional view of the building. This helps the client visualize the final product.

These drawings will also give an idea of the parking area, garden area, play area, and other site development.

Sanction drawings are a crucial part of the architectural process, and they need to include site layout, floor plans, elevations, and sections in the required format and scale as per authorities.

You'll also need to mention the owner's details, site details with adjacent properties, survey numbers, and the architect's details with Council of Architecture (COA) registration number.

Sanction drawings are a must when you need to take permission from the authorities.

Consultant drawings are prepared by the consultants and approved by an architect.

These drawings include plumbing drawings, H.V.A.C. layout, landscape layout, and electrical layout.

Construction planning is a crucial aspect of any construction project. Contractors rely on comprehensive architectural designs to carry out their work safely and efficiently.

These designs include elevation and section views, which serve as a blueprint for the construction crew. Every contractor will adhere to the architectural drawings to ensure a safe and compliant construction process.

Eliminating unwanted surprises during construction is also a significant benefit of using architectural drawings.

Construction projects rely heavily on well-defined architectural drawings to ensure a safe, compliant, and successful process.

These drawings, including elevation and section views, serve as a blueprint for the construction crew to follow.

Comprehensive architectural designs provide the guidelines that contractors need to carry out their work accurately.

Every contractor adheres to the architectural drawings during the construction phase to guarantee a process that meets client design and preferences.

Construction blueprints eliminate any unwanted surprises during construction, saving time and resources.

Tender drawings are essential for contractors to understand a project completely, and they're also a great resource for consultants to prepare final drawings.

Tender drawings include exact dimensions, wall thickness, column and beam positions and sizes, building height, levels, and a schedule of openings.

These drawings help contractors prepare bills of quantities and specifications for tenders.

Tender drawings are informative for consultants to prepare their final drawings accurately.

Site and floor plans are essential components of architectural drawings. They provide a detailed illustration of a building's layout and design.

A floor plan is a technical scale drawing that shows the layout of a building from above, capturing intricate design components and precise measurements. It's a crucial tool during the design process, helping you arrange furniture, decide on a perfect flow in your space, and build a home according to construction codes and building regulations.

A plot plan, on the other hand, is a drawing required for any project you plan to undertake on your parcel of land. It's an essential part of legal documentation for property development.

Here are some types of floor plans you might encounter:

These floor plans provide a 2D, top-down view of a room or building, made by cutting through it horizontally from 4 or 5 feet above the ground.

A site plan is an architectural drawing that shows the lot, its surroundings, and every structure located on it. It's essential for getting any type of building permit.

The site plan shows the boundaries of your property and nearby structures if they are in any way relevant to your project. This is crucial for understanding the project scope.

Site plans are based on bird's-eye views of a construction site including the primary and auxiliary structures. It also shows neighborhood surroundings and site accessibilities.

Having a site plan is one of the most important architectural drawings in any construction process. Without it, you won't be able to get the necessary building permits.

Site plans are used for understanding the project scope, building enhancements, and topography that include pavements, roads, etc. They also show the exact distance between structures on your lot and the existing and proposed buildings.

Modern site plan software enables homeowners to design and visualize site plans on their own, without the need to hire architects, landscape designers, engineers, or urban planners. This can save you time and money.

A floor plan is a technical scale drawing that illustrates the layout of a building from above, capturing intricate design components like electrical or plumbing systems.

Having a custom floor plan can help you arrange your furniture, decide on the perfect flow in your space, and build a home according to construction codes and building regulations.

A floor plan is a 2D, top-down view of a room or building made by cutting through it horizontally from 4 or 5 feet above the ground. We remove the roof and walls above the cutting plane so the reader can see straight into the rooms.

Floor plans are essential for every building project, and most other types of architectural drawings make references to floor plan drawings. We use floor plans for both client presentations and construction documentation.

A floor plan illustrates the room layouts in detail, including dimensions and other asset installations. It indicates the spatial use of limited room space.

Here are some key elements that a floor plan typically includes:

A floor plan can be drafted for construction, and it's always a good idea to draft one for construction documentation.