Tag: architectural graphics

Architectural Working Drawing Series, Design, Education

Episode 5: Section Working Drawings

Mariya Aminu Kabir

The working drawings of a building’s various sections are an intricate puzzle of details, providing the vital blueprint for the construction process. Just as the floor plan working drawing unravels the spatial dimensions and design elements of a structure, section working drawings dive deep into the vertical dimension, offering an in-depth exploration of the building’s cross-sectional view. These drawings reveal the details of walls, openings, fixtures, staircases, and more, offering a comprehensive understanding of the structural components that shape a building’s form and function.

Much like the floor plan working drawing, section drawings also disclose the choice of materials and finishes employed, in addition to other graphical details that breathe life into the design. In this post, you will learn the information conveyed in section working drawings, while also gaining invaluable insights into their critical role in the construction of buildings.

Dimension and Sizes

  1. Dimension floor to ceiling.
  2. Dimension floor to lintel of doors and windows.
  3. Dimension floor to ceiling of windows.
  4. Dimension ceiling to lintel of windows.
  5. Dimension height of parapets
  6. Dimension risers, steps, half landing etc.
  7. Dimension thickness of slabs, pavement etc.
  8. Dimension height of ground floor above natural ground level.
  9. Dimension of balustrades, shelves, counters, worktops above floor levels.

Materials, Finishing and Levels

  1. Indicate level of all rooms through which section passes.
  2. Indicate floor finish of all rooms through which section passes.
  3. Indicate wall finish of all rooms through which section passes.
  4. State type of roofing sheets.
  5. State type of ceiling.
  6. State type of roof trusses (if further details are provided by other consultants, state so) and at what centers.
  7. State type of flashing to all walls.
  8. State finishing to concrete roof gutters.
  9. State type of skirting to all walls.

Opening and Fixtures

  1. Indicate width of all doors, windows and other openings.
  2. Indicate swings of all doors.
  3. Number all doors, windows and curtain walling etc.
  4. Locate all sanitary fittings and label them appropriately.
  5. Indicate position of all fixtures and label them appropriately.

Staircase and Ramps

  1. Width of all treads at staircases and all level changes.
  2. Number of all risers at staircases and all level changes.
  3. Indicate direction of flight at all staircases and all level changes.
  4. Indicate direction of the slope and the slope degrees/percentage.
  5. Indicate width of slope and all level changes.

Annotations and Additional Information

  1. Indicate functions of all rooms through which section passes.
  2. Provide grid lines.
  3. Indicate areas (if any) where further details are provided in subsequent drawings or by other consultants or manufacturers.

Graphics of Section Working Drawing

  • Scale

The scale for a section working drawing, should be large enough to expose details of the drawing. 1:50 can be adopted for relatively smaller sections, while 1:100 can be adopted for larger buildings. However, it is necessary to blow out certain parts of the sectional drawing with a bigger scale to reveal more information.

  • Dimensions

All parts of the drawing should be fully dimensioned; however, repetition should be avoided to prevent confusion. Dimensions should be accurate and legible.

  • Symbols and Annotations

Here are some symbols and annotations used in section working drawings:

Symbols and Annotations for Section Working Drawing
  • Specifications

Materials and finishing should be fully specified in the drawing. This information can be provided in the drawing, in schedules or in the specification document of the project.

Section working drawings are an essential part of the construction process, offering detailed insights into a building’s vertical aspects. They reveal the design elements, structural components, materials, and finishes crucial to transforming architectural vision into reality. Just as floor plan working drawings are vital for the horizontal layout, section drawings are indispensable for the vertical dimension.

To have access to a complete checklist of information to be provided, you can click the download button below:

Section Working Drawing ChecklistDownload
Example of Section Working Drawing (Section A-A)
Example of Section Working Drawing (Section B-B)
Architectural Design Stage Series, Design, Education

Episode 1: Introduction to Graphic Communication

Mariya Aminu Kabir

How do we represent our designs as architects? We do so through either 2D or 3D drawings, but the bigger question is how do we communicate? How can a person you’ve never met understand your drawings without your presence? The answer is simple, through graphical communication. Drawings are made up of different elements such as lines, shapes, textures which give meaning to the drawing. We communicate through those elements, which helps other architects, or other professionals from our industry such as engineers, builders and the rest understand our designs.

In this post, we will be discussing the following graphical elements that make up architectural drawings

  • Lines
  • Symbols
  • Textures
  • Lettering

Lines

A line is a continuous point/dot. It can also be defined as the distance between two points. Every other element is made up of lines. They come together and form up drawings. Every line in a drawing has a specific meaning. In architecture, a combination of different line types and weights are used in communicating the meaning of each line.

Line Types

The two major types of line include solid lines and dashed lines. Solid lines are used in different weights or thicknesses to depict certain roles. Solid lines are majorly used to form the edge or boundary of a shape or plane. Dashed lines are used to indicate hidden elements. However, different pattern in dashed lines have different meanings.

Fig. 1 Lines

Line Weight

The thickness of different line types has different meanings. Thin solid lines are used for construction lines, dimension lines, extension lines, grid lines etc. Thick solid lines are used to depict boundary lines, visible edges or outlines of building elements etc. Thin dashed lines (or chained lines) are used for hidden edges or outline of building elements, center lines etc., while thick dashed line or chained lines are used for section lines, property lines etc.

Symbols

In the construction industry, nearly all professions have symbols that are unique to their line of work, for example, mechanical and electrical engineers have electrical symbols, plumbing symbols, fire alarm symbols, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning symbols. The architect, who is in charge or construction drawings, also has construction symbols which consist of component symbols and labelling symbols. Fig 2 is an example of some symbols used in architectural drawings.

Fig. 2 Symbols

Textures

In addition to the previous elements, a drawing also needs to communicate different textures. These textures can be material either in section or surface view. The image below is an example of some textures used by architects in design.

Fig. 3 Textures

Lettering

Good lettering is also a vital part of architectural graphics. An architect is expected to have legible and neat lettering. Using thin lines as guides and appropriate fonts can help achieve good writing.  

Fig. 4 Lettering

All these elements play side by side in helping the architect communicate his designs to other professionals. Consulting books like Architect’s Data, Architectural Graphic Standards, Design Drawing etc., will surely help in learning more about architectural graphics. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next episode!