Three dimensional form

How does one move from dream to reality when designing a home? The answer is through a fascinating creative process that architects and designers perform every time they work on project.

The movement from conceptual imaging to tactile reality is one of the most enjoyable aspects of architectural design. I still remember my first built project – a small, very modest basement renovation – that I saw finished just after graduating architectural school. Up to that point everything I had designed had been conceived in the more abstract world of the school studio and never went beyond the conceptual drawing phase but now, after years of imagining things, I was confronted with the three-dimensional reality of my architectural musings. It was an amazing feeling of surprise and satisfaction and proved to be a very important learning experience as well. Certain features that looked good on paper were less convincing in reality while other elements that I had reservations about during the design process seemed to work out perfectly.

What I learned was that the physical realization of an idea can be quite different from the original concept if one isn’t thorough enough in the design process early on. Through my early years of architectural work I would always build a physical model of the project I was working on. Made from cardboard or heavy stock paper, these miniature creations helped me fully understand the three-dimensional form I was constructing. I would bring the model up to eye level and pretend I to inhabit the tiny world, trying my best to get a feel for the object and space being creating. I would continuously sketch snap-shot perspectives of interior and exterior details all the time trying to come to terms with the form taking shape. The idea was to rationalize exactly what was being created, to take the guess-work out of the process.

As years went by I would take note of spaces and forms I liked and would even go as far as to sketch an element that interested me or pace out a room if I liked its proportion and scale. Colour combinations that worked were always put to memory as were the use of interesting materials or the creation of interesting compositions. It’s essential when designing three-dimensional space to have a grasp of what the space will feel like when built. This can be very challenging when one’s limited to a two-dimensional graphic medium.

I still sketch when designing but rely more and more on 3-D graphic software programs that allows me to quickly and easily mock-up a ‘virtual’ worlds in which I can test my ideas. I use a fun, easy-to-learn program called Google SketchUp. I encourage folks so disposed to give it a look. The standard version is free to download.

Regardless of the process, the objective is the same: fully understand what’s being designed before it’s built. It takes years for an architect or designer to be able to look at a two-dimensional plan for the first time and see it in three-dimensional space. Expecting a homeowner, likely with little or no experience in this area, to be able to do just that is unreasonable. For this reason I feel it’s essential for the homeowner to request as much 3-D information from their design professional as possible. The more they know and agree upon early on, the happier they’ll be in the end.