It is officially the month of November, and therefore shaving is completely prohibited…by law. Studio V has a head start on this holiday because most of us have not had the time to shave for a few months. By the end of the semester, we should all be looking a little grizzly (including the ladies). Also in the month of November, we have started Construction Documents. Before we can start building all of the different pieces of this structure, they have to be drawn precisely in AutoCAD. This helps us to understand our construction process and allows us to estimate our materials cost more accurately. Every single component must be drawn and dimensioned in order to prepare for the fabrication process. We are all excited to put down the mouse and pick up the hammer, but there are still a few more drawings to complete before we can turn off the computers.
The current drawings we are working on will be used to create the formwork for our wall segments. Each wall is customized according to its location and therefore must be cast from custom formwork. By developing a set of accurate construction documents, we will be able to efficiently cut and assemble the formwork in the shop. We will also be developing CDs for the trusses and bench details, that will slide into the concrete blocks after they are cast. Although drawing CDs is no one’s favorite thing to do, it is a necessary part of any construction process, and an important aspect of our architectural education. Being in Studio V allows us to take part in every phase of the design build process, which means we that we are not only required to build something, but we are also required to develop all the necessary components of “building something.” This process has been a great experience and we all look forward to the next phase of this incredible project!
-Nick B.