Use Computer to Design

Just like any other trade, architecture has been influenced by Information Technology wave to a large extent. There is hardly any major construction project these days, which is not being aided by computer techniques. This offers yet another career opportunity for IT professionals or to the students of architecture to venture into the field of computer aided

Computer offers numerous advantages over the conventional pencil and drawing board method of architecture, the foremost being the considerable saving in cost and time from the conceptualizing stage to design to model development. Since software that can create 3-dimensional models of the prepared design and suggest improvement or alterations are readily available, an architect can develop a large number of alternative designs as per the requirement of builder or client. (AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Revit, 3DStudioMax, Sketch-up)

With the help of specialized software not only the viable design and layout is visualized for any civil engineering project, say a skyscraper, hospital, school, dam or a bridge, but an architect or a builder can find out the possible shortcomings during the planning stage itself. The same can be rectified even before the actual construction begins, thus saving heavy expenses that would have occurred at a later stage.

Specialized software that has now been developed can help to determine the quantity of material that shall be required for the construction and the approximate cost that shall be incurred in the project. This gives a fairly accurate estimate of the project and an architect can determine its feasibility before hand. Builders or architects can also prepare complete quotation for a civil tender, keep record of labour wages and maintain accounting or financial records with the help of software packages. (Microsoft Office Project)

In advanced countries, almost all construction projects are undertaken with the help of IT tools and techniques. These not only provide considerable saving in cost and time but also give much better design option to choose from. An architect with proficiency in CAD can carry out complex arithmetical calculations required for designing a structure; say a bridge or a dam. He can also determine the feasibility of a project considering the wind speed, soil or seismic activity in that area. With the help of simulation technique, complete 3D model of a structure can be created keeping into account the impact of external as well as internal factors. (AutoCAD)

Demand for computer-proficient architects shall increase in the coming time as more complex and large civil engineering projects, factories or skyscrapers, airports and dams are constructed.

My experience:

For the past few months, I’ve venture into freelance as an Interior Architect. With an architecture background and flair in interior design, I find that computer tools such as AutoCAD (to produce 2D drawings), Adobe Photoshop and other tools to produce 3D such as 3DStudioMax and Sketch-up helps a lot in dealing with my clients. Here are the examples:

Producing 3D drawing with help the client to visualized better on how the particular space will turn out

2D drawing produce using AutoCAD and Photoshop