Architectural Drawing Types Explained: Plan, Section and Elevation
But they have good reasons to do so. Architectural drawings are your best tools for laying out your home and figuring out how you can perform a renovation. Here is your guide on plan drawing architecture and what you need to build a new addition or roof.
Plan Drawings
Plan drawings have a birds-eye view of a property. They illustrate the features inside a building, letting the viewer know where rooms and furniture will go in the interior. They also provide information on the size of each room, though most people do not draw plan drawings in perspective.
Roof Plans
A roof plan is a plan drawing that a person draws from above, focusing on the roof. You can see how the roof line will look and what materials your building team will use for it. Some plans will mention what equipment your team will use, which can help you prepare for the noise the team will create.
Site Plans
A site plan covers the entire construction site, including the surrounding landscape, utilities, and roads. Some people draw site plans above the building as though they are showing a roof plan. Others make drawings like first-floor plans, showing how the exterior affects the interior.
Related: Which Site Plan Is Best for You?
Reflected Ceiling Plans
A reflected ceiling plan (RCP) is a drawing of the ceiling inside your home. You can see where lights will go and how high your ceiling will be.
Plan Callouts
A plan drawing may have a quarter-inch scale, where a one-quarter inch of a line represents one foot of the property. A plan callout has a larger scale, usually a half-inch scale, so details are more apparent to the viewer. A callout may be helpful for planning a kitchen or bathroom so you know where to place items.
Plan Details
Plan details have an even larger scale, sometimes three-quarter inch scales. They are most useful for construction, as they can identify the materials used to build a room or structure.
Section Drawings
As the name suggests, section drawings illustrate parts of buildings. They offer views of structures as though they have been cut along an imaginary plane. Some drawings let you see buildings as though they have been sliced in half, which can be very helpful for figuring out the overall layout of your home.
An artist may use various techniques to indicate specific parts of your structure. Some artists use cross-hatches or shading to show where floors or roofs are. The scale for section drawings varies depending on what the view of the structure is.
Related: Types of Section Views
Full Sections
A full-section drawing shows what the entire building will look like from a plane. If the plane cuts through an object or room, the artist uses dotted lines to show what half of the thing looks like.
Half Sections
Artists can draw two half-section drawings to show objects from two different angles. These drawings are best for examining symmetrical rooms, like rectangular bedrooms.
Offset Sections
Offset sectional drawings have planes that do not form straight lines. These drawings let you see features in different parts of a room, and they can help you envision L-shaped or ovular rooms.
Removed Sections
A removed section drawing lets you see part of a building by itself. This type of drawing is helpful if you have trouble envisioning a window wall or patio area. Your architect can figure out how to design that space by itself and then work on the rest of your home.
Broken-Out Sections
Broken-out sections show small parts of a room’s interior without using a straight line. These drawings are helpful if you’re renovating or fixing a portion of one room.
Revolved Sections
Revolved sections also show small sections of an object or room. The artist draws the thing as though they are rotating it 90 degrees, helping you see it better. You can see what problems could occur if the object shifts, which can be helpful for maintenance and future repairs.
Elevation Drawings
Elevation drawings offer views from a vertical plane looking at a building’s exterior or interior surface. Many drawings show the outside of a home as though you are looking at a photograph of it. If your drawing shows the front of your property, the artist will include notes on the height measured from the natural ground level.
Artists do not draw elevation drawings in perspective or with foreshortening. Most drawings show the sides of structures at a 1:100 scale, though you can find images with other scales.
Some images focus on certain parts of a room, like the locations of cabinets in a kitchen. Elevation drawings can be very helpful for renovations and interior design of spaces like offices, and you can use them alongside site plans.
Related: A Quickstart Guide to Your Custom Site Plan
Your floor plan may have an arrow with a number pointing to a section of a room. This arrow refers to an elevation drawing you can look at to get more information about that section.
Many elevation drawings have symbols and stylistic traits to provide further details. Arrows on doors point toward hinges, letting you know which direction the door opens. The thicker the line is, the more critical the architectural detail is. Shading can show depth, like looking through a window.
| FAQ | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the purpose of using different scales in plan drawings? | Different scales in plan drawings are used to show varying levels of detail. Smaller scales (e.g., quarter-inch scale) provide an overall view, while larger scales (e.g., half-inch or three-quarter inch scales) highlight specific areas like kitchens or bathrooms, making details clearer for planning and construction purposes. |
| How do reflected ceiling plans (RCPs) aid in home design? | Reflected ceiling plans (RCPs) are essential for visualizing the placement of lighting fixtures and understanding ceiling heights throughout a home. They help architects and designers plan the lighting layout and any ceiling modifications needed to accommodate fixtures or architectural features. |
| Why might someone choose an offset section drawing over a full section drawing? | Offset section drawings are chosen when the architectural features of a room are not aligned along a straight plane, such as in L-shaped or oval rooms. They provide a more accurate visualization of different parts of the space, which can be crucial for effective design and planning. |
| What are the benefits of having elevation drawings during renovation? | Elevation drawings are beneficial during renovations as they provide a precise view of the building’s exterior or a specific interior wall. This helps in understanding the structural and aesthetic aspects of a space, which is critical for accurate modification and ensuring the design aligns with the intended architectural style. |
| How do broken-out and revolved section drawings improve understanding of a building’s layout? | Broken-out and revolved section drawings allow for a detailed view of small, specific parts of a building or room. These drawings are particularly useful during renovations or repairs as they show how components fit together and reveal potential issues with the structure's current layout or design. |
- Ryan Crownholm
