Let's agree to disagree

Building process is a teamwork and starts with design. The design process is also teamwork and includes several phases: architectural design, project construction, projects of installation, fire projects, etc.. Regardless of any possible disagreements among engineers who work various stages of design, the end is always a compromise, if the facility is under construction or already build.

But what happens in a compromise between authoritativeness of all architects involved?


I believe that all architects have encountered, at least once in his or her career, with dissent by architectural authorities in municipalities where the project should be accepted and approved for construction. Sometimes it looks like a Sisyphus work. I do not know if there is disagreement in the way of understanding the architectural requirements for a given location according to urban plan or simply misunderstanding attitudes?
Often is felt lack of creative thinking by fellow architects who work in that office job municipalities. Urban project is consist of rules and restrictions, which has the task to mold the space beyond  in the level of a creative way, avoiding confusion and creating favelas. In this sense, urban project suggests creativity in architectural expression within the allowed parameters for a particular location.

But what happens in a concrete example. The following are visualizations of a project which is developed under the urban requirements and with no trouble would be approved in the municipality.

The building is located on the urban stamp of 10m/12m. Within that rectangle should be placed all secondary deviations from the facade including eaves. Furthermore, the object should be placed in limiting the amount of up to 7.2m to the final wreath and 4.5 meters to the top of the roof. Under roof space can not be used for living. It emphasizes that the total gross of surface floors is 240m2.

It leads to a situation according to project building numerical rules and it looks rigid as shown. If we built a whole range of urban plan according to the specified parameters, the space would look like a model trapped in a lifeless proportions.

At that point required compromise between architects. It takes a designer to be free to fully express their creativity and responsible municipal architect to recognize intention with respect to the parameters. It involves creative reading of the urban project.

If the space under the roof height allows to organize life without an additional openings, just by setting the roof windows, then it comes to no changing the parameters given in the plan. Furthermore, if the plan allows conversion of garage space in stores, small apartment gallery under roof is  not raising utility costs.

Certain small architectural interventions in secondary plastic of building does not have to be placed within the boundaries of the construction line. This reduces the useful space in the building and unnecessarily harmed profits of investor in in selling of useful space.

When you consider all the possibilities, the object can get better shape and can become the topic of conversation between creative architects of two opposing sides. The creative compromise will lead to a solution and agree when we are disagree.




Here's my attempt to compromise the previously described situation.

BIM technology paved the way for creativity

This week I couldn't find much time to do projects,so  I've dealt with education in  architectural drawing. In fact, me and my friend from Australia, are trying to establish online teamwork in architectural design and therefore to agreed with the computer program in which we'll work. Analyzing that I came to question How did BIM technology paved the way for creativity? 

I studied "classical" studies, and by that I mean, the study where the architectural design has been done manually via the graphical drawing. Later, I started to work using the computer tools in AutoCAD. As I was developing as an architect, computer technology and software were developing too, and supporting the architectural design. Now, more than six years I work in ArchiCAD. It is program  based on the so-called BIM technology. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_information_modeling) 

The basic facts of BIM is to allow the designer three-dimensional work in every segment in projecting process.  This means that what is done in depicting the basics at the same time happens in the sections and in the 3D model. Architect thus controls the process of design and visual co-present in all three dimensions. In this way, allows himself to be more detailed and project lineup to greater competitive ladder with in relation to the others. Today's architecture is in the same way  competitive at market as well as any other product. Representativeness ensures competitiveness, but also the freedom of creativity. 

There is an opinion that BIM technology has destroyed creativity, that today anyone who has a good graphics card to computer with good software can achieve a creative solution. My opinion is that creativity is something that a person has as a talent, something with we are born, and we can not learn. Certainly, as each talent is required  held training and exercise to experiences. With that,  BIM technologies offer practice, training and competitiveness in the architectural creative potential.

As I mentioned , I'm an ArchiCAD user. Me and my colleague, came to conclusion  that we will absolutely be compatible with working in ArchiCAD. Working in the software based on BIM technology , for the first time in the history of architecture , designers can in a relatively quick way to visualize their idea, and even more importantly to shape their vision on the way in which the sculptor chisel their work of art . With that , the architecture even more emphasizes its artistic value. 

But BIM technology allows not only a visual display of 3D visualization in space and time . It is also a concept that design down on construction project, with which the whole process includes constructive budget , needs of instalaciones budgets and all the data list . At the end there is the calculations and equipment for buildable system , the consumption of the object through time and finally the behavior of the object to the environment .

It is clear that BIM technology are useful . Every architect who wants their creativity and knowledge offer to the world, knows that today it is impossible to work without BIM.

(I gave examples of designs that displayed different levels of architectural visualization. I used examples available on the Internet , made in ArchiCAD software in combination with 3D visualization in Artlantis . Authors are mentioned as the name of the picture or video.)

Oliver Shalabi

Dragos C. Rank

Danny Lopez

XeLna Ling

Oliver Shalabi 01

Marco Antonio Calles Rios

Miguel Paixão    

Enrico Ragni

Franco Alanis

Jesus Elias Braun 01

Jesus Elias Braun

NouRo SiNsii

Yousfi Montassar

Michael Lennie

All you need in 37m2

In today's real estate market there is almost no flat with an area of 35 to 45m2 for which is no buyer . It is a perfect space for students which come to study in the big city , the prentice at the beginning of his/her career, an apartment for a young couple or apartment for retirement couple. This is an app that has everything they need.

The apartment is part of a small residential building oriented to the north , west and south . According to architectural standards this should be studio, but because of openness on three sides, it is possible to get the apartment with a bedroom .

The entrance to the apartment is through a space that is both entrance and anteroom from where approaches to bedroom, bathroom and living room. The living room is combined with the dining room and kitchen niche with minimal dimensions. The entire space is arranged around a centrally positioned fireplace.The kitchen  is connected to living space via bench bar .

The apartment has a small terrace, oriented to the south and west .

Although the entire apartment contains areas with relatively small size, all that functionally segmented meets all needs for life. The bedroom is separated from the daily resident via anteroom and allows contact for entry or exit regardless of events in living room, and vice versa. Bathroom is equally operational for those who reside in daily resident and for those in the bedroom, but also as a separate utility.

Although the kitchen is a small niche, the functional structure of household appliances meets the needs for smooth operation. Is naturally lit and ventilated with the window .

The fireplace provides an additional quality of life.

In this way , the space of 37m2 has everything you need and more. Such functional space worth it for all the money. As always, I emphasize, that this is not an interior design. This is the only architectural analysis and sketch of that, how 37m2 apartment can contain elements of an apartment with one bedroom. The assessment is a quality and pleasant space .

http://tloris.jimdo.com/2014/02/14/all-you-need-in-37m2/

Achievable new look of 50m2

Compose an apartment design is always matter of various requirements. There is no ideal situation out there in the real landscape. Buildings are designed according several conditions and depend of the urban planning. That is way apartment of 50m2 may have many faces. Creativity allows us to design functional solutions for satisfying the clients wishes.

This is an attempt to compose one bedroom apartment with extra room (working or child room). As it's shown on a draft, it is about a pretty good position of the apartment within the building. Originally apartment is oriented at north-east, east and south-east, allowing open on three sides. This fact give opportunity for design extra room and good disposition of the spaces.


Entrance section is solved in traditional way with an entrance hall where is lavatory and connection with all the rooms through doors. This allows to save familial intimacy from the first contact when entering the apartment. Also allows functional separation path as it is the entrance to the kitchen or in the sleeping rooms.

Main bedroom has minimum dimensions,  but allowing accommodation of all the necessary elements of furniture: bed, cabinet, library and working corner. Small room may be organized as a child room, or an working office for peaceful intellectual work. Bathroom is placed between the two rooms in a good position available for use. Living room is also a bit of small, according of its dimensions, but functional in a point of view of its usability. It's connected with the kitchen and has exit to the terrace. Kitchen has the necessary elements and is combined with the dining room. Both, kitchen and living room have fireplace (sided open) which gives additional quality of being in an apartment.

 This isn't attempting to present an interior design of this apartment. This is draft analysis of architectural design to achieve new look of 50m2. 50m2 is several thousand euro and that is why is important to be also a good and quality conceived living space.

http://tloris.jimdo.com/2014/02/07/achievable-new-look-of-50m2/