Understanding and measuring U-values has become increasingly important as we aim to improve the sustainability and performance of our buildings. What is a U-Value? U-Value - is the measure of the overall rate of heat transfer, by all mechanisms under standard...
The following post includes excerpts from our book Understanding Architectural Details - Residential and Understanding Architectural Details - Commercial. Introduction to Foundation Details The main role of foundations is to structurally support the building by...
Metric Data 08 - Standard Furniture Sizes Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom In metric data 08 we will be looking at standard furniture sizes. To make it more useful, we have put together a reference PDF with all of the sizes that you can download for free. On...
Wheelchair accessible living areas In this post, we will explore the necessary requirements to design a wheelchair accessible living area. We will look at living spaces that will enable a wheelchair user to enjoy the spaces and be able to socialise with their friends...
How to calculate slopes, and gradients You can download a pdf of this guide by clicking on the button below.As an architect you will need to know how to calculate slopes and gradients in differing situations. The most common occurrence of this is working with ramped...
What is an architectural site plan? A site plan is a really important part of any set of architectural drawings. The site plan will often show information like existing and proposed buildings, access, landscaping, site boundaries and much more. There are,...
Metric Data 06 - Wheelchair Accessible Dwelling Approach, Entrance and Circulation In Metric Data 06 we look at the approach to dwellings, entrance and circulation for a wheelchair accessible dwelling. This includes details such as requirements for ramps, car...
What is a construction drawing? A construction drawing or set of construction drawings form part of the pre-construction information that is used to construct a building. Before we dive in to construction drawings, what they look like and what they...
Metric Data 05: Approach, Entrance and Horizontal Circulation In Visitable Dwellings In Metric Data 05 we look at the approach to dwellings, entrance and circulation. This includes details such as requirements for ramps, steps, corridors and...
What is straw bale construction? Straw bale construction uses the renewable material of straw, in bale form to act as an infill material to timber frame structures or as a load bearing structure to buildings of no more than two storeys. The...
I am delighted to announce that the long awaited Understanding Passivhaus - A Simple Guide to Passivhaus Detailing and Design is now available! The book explores the Passivhaus key principles and looks at the various building methods that can be employed...
Metric Data 03: Average dimensions of man and woman in wheelchair In Metric Data 03 we look at the average dimensions of a wheelchair, and average dimensions of a wheelchair user. This includes details such as average height, average width, average...
Metric Data 02: Average dimensions of man and woman sitting In Metric Data 02 we look at the average dimensions of a man sitting and the average dimensions of a woman sitting. This includes details such as average height of man when seated, average height...
What is rammed earth construction? Rammed earth construction is the process of ramming a mixture of aggregates, like gravel, sand, silt and clay into a formwork to create walls. When the earth is dry the formwork is removed to reveal solid...
Metric Data 01: Average dimensions of man and woman standing In Metric Data 01 we look at the average dimensions of a man standing and the average dimensions of a woman standing. This includes details such as average male height, average female height,...
I have curated a list of some of the tools and resources I would strongly recommend for anyone studying or working in Architecture.
