This course is geared toward students majoring in architectural design. It focuses on developing the core capacity in two-dimensional drafting and three-dimensional modeling necessary for contemporary architectural practice. Weekly exercises toward the development of a final two-board presentation will guide the course material, utilizing techniques in 2d drawing, 3d modeling, rendering, post-processing, diagramming and composing.

Course Syllabus

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Course Schedule

Week 1 - June 28th - 2D DRAWINGS AND REPRESENTATION

During this first class, we'll be going over the class outline, and introducing 2D design thinking and representation. We'll be using Rhino 5 and Illustrator during this lecture.

WORKFLOW: Tracing 2D Drawings in Rhino
ASSIGNMENT: Trace a Plan and Section of the Hargrove Music Library

Week 2 - July 5th - 3D MODELING 1

This class will leap into 3D design thinking and representation, utilizing the 2D skills from the previous week as a springboard that will aid in the creation of a 3D model of the Hargrove Music Library. We'll be using Rhino 5 for this class.

WORKFLOW: 3D Modeling from 2D Drawings in Rhino
ASSIGNMENT: Create a 3D model of the Hargrove Music Library

Week 3 - July 12th - 3D MODELING 2/DIAGRAMMING

This week, we'll be covering diagramming as a means to convey information about a project. The distinction between subject and object is important here, and allows us to determine exactly what needs to be a part of a diagram and what can be left out. We'll be using Rhino 5, Illustrator and Photoshop.

WORKFLOW: How to create a basic axon drawing
ASSIGNMENT: Create your own Axon Drawing of the Library

Week 4 - July 19th - RENDERING

Render Power! This week, we'll be going over rendering with Vray. We'll be looking at setting up the sunlight system, cameras, saved views, and basic materials setup. We'll be using Rhino 5, and Vray 1.5

WORKFLOW: Creating Composite Materials with Vray
ASSIGNMENT: Complete one basic interior and exterior rendering of the library

NOTE: At the end of class, I’ll introduce the final drawing set focus; each student will choose a theme

Week 5 - July 26th - MATERIALITY

This week will explore how we represent materiality in our renders, including a discussion on when it is beneficial to render something with a rendering engine or add it in post-processing (photoshop) instead. We'll be using Rhino 5, Vray 1.5 and Photoshop for this exercise.

WORKFLOW: How to add complex materials into a scene utilizing Alpha Channels and Material ID in Vray and the associated selections in Photoshop.
ASSIGNMENT: Add materiality to all building materials in your two renders from last week.

Week 6 - Aug 2nd - COMPLEX ENTOURAGE

For this week, we'll be exploring complex entourage practicies. Utilizing skills from the previous Materiality exercise, we'll be learning how to add entourage with the appropriate scale, perspective, and location in our renders, with a look at conventions, opportunities and pitfalls of entourage. The entourage, a.k.a. supporting elements in a render, can make or break it, so it's important that it always supports the subject of the render, rather than confuse it with clutter or distractions that merely "look cool" or get thrown in haphazardly.

WORKFLOW: Interior Post-Processing
ASSIGNMENT: Add people, nature and context in your two rendered scenes. Create a quick mock-up of your final boards using the InDesign file provided to you.

Week 7 - Aug 9th - DAYLIGHTING ANIMATION, FINAL PREP

Being the last week before the final presentation, I wanted to continue to expose you to new material, but not require that you use it for the final. To this end, I thought a daylighting animation tutorial would be beneficial. Many major decisions in architecture are hinged on daylighting and how a building uses light functionally, conceptually and efficiently. Therefore, predicting where light will be and how it will be experienced and utilized in your designs is very valuable, both in school and in practice.

WORKFLOW: Daylighting with Rhino Render and Vray (For Future Benefit Only)
ASSIGNMENT: Work on completing/updating/refining all drawings for final presentation.
FINAL PRESENTATION: (2) 24"X48" vertical boards, printed in color and pinned up in the 1st floor lobby on time.

Week 8 - Aug 16th - FINAL REVIEW WITH GUEST CRITICS

Each section will pinup 15 minutes before class begins in the 1st floor lobby. Exact locations for each student still to be determined. Please bring push pins for your work.
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