The visual presentation of a project, which architects are responsible for, must effectively communicate and analyze the organization of the project's material elements. This essential creative process allows those involved to effectively identify and even modify key aspects and components of the building during all phases of its conception.
Because of the inherent challenges of material selection and other practical issues, the development of what exactly will be built tends to be relegated to the end of the design process. But a true understanding of minor yet invaluable details is among the most interesting and important aspects of the best architectural projects.
In our search for the most outstanding recent examples of construction detail representations, we've collected a series of ten drawings that celebrate different styles and approaches.
*Editor's note: the following article was written by an editor of ArchDaily in Spanish. Some project descriptions mentioned have not yet been translated into English, but we are actively working to make this information available to our global readers.
01. Freehand Sketches
When it comes to materials and details, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the project's constructive elements in both formal and spatial terms. For this, freehand sketches can be an effective tool to show organizational and material links.
+ House in el Carrizal / Daniel Moreno + Sebastián Calero
(Project description available in Spanish)
02. Construction Details
Recognizing the way two different structural elements will meet clearly demonstrates the design challenges that must be solved. In many cases, the work's final aesthetic is the result of approaching the project on the scale of these important yet inconspicuous details.
+ Råå Day Care Center / Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter
+ Tasting Room at Sokol Blosser Winery / Allied Works Architecture
03. Integrated Sections
Understanding, analyzing and communicating the material behavior of an architectural project in its totality is an essential step to avoid serious problems such as issues with the isolation of architectural elements or even mismatched joints.
+ Cabaña-torre Karadya BIO-RESERVA
(Project description available in Spanish)
+ Centro Holístico Punto Zero / Dio Sustentable
(Project description available in Spanish)
04. 3D Schemes
Whether one must identify the relationships between a project's constructive parts or study the design's performance, three-dimensional representation allows for a clearer spatial understanding of material components, providing clear and precise visualizations of material organization.
+ Bodega Navarro Correas / aft Arquitectos
(Project description available in Spanish)
05. Perspective Sections
In order to understand aspects of construction alongside other types of information, it's important and interesting to visualize the relationships intended to occur between spaces, giving an idea of the resultant spatial atmosphere.
+ Nest We Grow / College of Environmental Design UC Berkeley + Kengo Kuma & Associates
06. Construction Models
Another possible approach to the reality of construction is the development of models—a process that helps focus on key elements such as the performance of the structural system.
+ RDP House / Daniel Moreno Flores + Sebastian Calero
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on 26 June, 2017, and republished on 8 May, 2019.
