At its most basic is the art/science of designing structures. The architect strives to create something functional and aesthetic while satisfying the client in terms of needs and costs.

The role of an architect is an interdisciplinary one that involves knowledge of math, science, and art.

Today architects must worry about the many new aspects. Other than structure and function, an architect must be concerned with the environmental impacts that a building can have and its sustainability.

Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright

To create an architectural work, an artist must start with a basic idea or design, and a floor plan. To start, most architects are given constraints to work with such as space and environment, funds, design aesthetics, and functions of the building.

As well, architects have to keep in mind other requirements such as air vents, insulation, bathrooms, and other such practical things.

In order to draw a floor plan an architect must understand a new kind of perspective, the ‘bird’s eye view’. A bird’s eye perspective is seen from directly above and is similar to something one would see looking down from a plane. In floor plans, each floor is drawn separately and not as if they are on top of each-other or connected.

When drawing floor plans, the perspective is slightly distorted. Objects are drawn symbolically as they are represented from above.

This example shows symbols for indoors and outdoors

cottage design, ludwig persius

An architect will be familiar with drawing the same building from many different viewpoints. As well they will be familiar with different ways to depict the same thing. A wall might be made thicker through thicker lines, through space, or through value.

In a floor plan, the architect often adds detailed information to the drawing, labeling rooms, exits and entrances, and the size of a room.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

Style / Genre and Time Periods