Author: Lukasz Kostecki (Page 2 of 2)

During our last class we were introduced to the reading drawings in an unusual and fun way. For the first time we had an opportunity to work in groups. By doing the first assignment in which we needed to organize and match drawings that belonged to different buildings, we have learned how the different drawings correspond to each other. It was a challenging task as some of the buildings were similar to the other and we needed to pay attention to all the details, even the small ones. From this exercise we have learned how the different drawings relate to each other. These drawings were most of the time the same scale so when you are looking at the floor plan and the elevation you can easily see that the windows and doors are the same size so you can infer that these belong to the same building. 

In the other exercise, we were asked to read a set of drawings in 5 minutes, and try to take as much information as possible. By this exercise we practiced hierarchize the information from the drawings.we only had 5 minutes for this exercise so we looked at the drawings as site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections as these were the most important drawings to understand how the building will look like. With the limited amount of time we had, we ignored other drawings as general notes, door/window schedules, and details as these drawings did not give us as much important information to understand what the building looks like as the other drawings.

From the second assigned reading I have learned that egress is a very important element for fire safety of the building. There are many elements about which architects need to think before the construction of building. The egress requirements are highly dependent on the building occupancy and use. It a wise idea to design multiple exits for the buildings that many people are using such as schools or hospitals. In addition exit route should have illuminated marking in case the power is down during the fire so it can be easily found by the people that are evacuating from the building. As well the emergency lighting should have a separate battery in case the power is down during the fire. As the time is critical during the fire, Exit doors should be clearly marked so people that are escaping from the fire do not confuse the other doors with the exit. The exit doors should always open towards direction of egress. In addition the egress route and stairwells should be fire rated so these won’t catch the fire immediately so, it gives time for the evacuation. The exit also should discharge into a safe space such as a street or alley.

Another aspect that I learned from the second reading was stair design which are very important element of egress. Stairs should be designed in a way that each thread and each riser has uniform dimensions so people can move comfortably between floors. Stairwells should be also fire rated and air pressurized so the smoke and fire does not enter them quickly. The stairwell enclosure should be at least 2hr fire rated for the public buildings. When designing the stairs it is also very important to think about the dimensions of handrails to prevent falling hazard. In addition the width of a landing should be at least the same size as the width of a stair to allow the comfortable passage during the fire evacuation. 

From our first assigned reading I have gained knowledge about different system in the building that need to be designed before construction of the building. These systems work together as a whole so the building can function properly. Structural system is required for the building so it can stand still, while enclosure system is needed to protect the interior from the outside weather such as wind and rain. Enclosure elements consist of exterior wall, doors which provide access, windows which provide light and air. Mechanical systems consist of elements such as plumbing system which provide water for sanitation and consumption; electrical system which provides light and electricity; HVAC system which provide environmental comfort for the interior; etc. Reading #1 also gave me an understanding of different materials used in building construction and their advantages and weak points. While steel is great in both tension and compression, it loses it properties in high temperatures, and it can corrode so it must be protected against it. On the other hand, wood can decay so it needs to be well seasoned. Some of the construction materials are natural such as stone and wood while others are fabricated such as brick and steel. In my opinion it is very important to learn about each of the building construction materials as much as we can, so we know which is the best material, or which combination of materials is best to use for our designs.

From the concept map I can infer that architecture is composed of many different elements which are connected together. When creating architectural space mainly for the shelter purpose, we should also be thinking about making it pleasing to the eyes and to have other functions as HVAC/water/electrical systems. The concept of the space is also interconnected with structure and materials. Different materials may be used for different structures depending on what kind of space we need to create. If designing a large open space bearing wall with steel may be a wiser choice, on the other hand while designing one story house, wood and point load frame system can be more economical choice. Thus based on the concept map, architecture is about many different choices that we need to make and combine them together to create something that will have the purpose, functionality, and aesthetics.