By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Mastering these skills will help you confidently tackle real architectural projects and contribute valuable insights to your team.
A case study in architectural project design is a detailed study of an existing building of the same type as the project being designed, for example a hospital, school, hotel or market, so that the designer learns from how it works in use. Before visiting the case study, the student assembles the tools and equipment needed to measure, record and photograph the building safely and accurately, and obtains permission from the owner or management. A complete kit avoids repeat visits and gaps in the data. Example: a student designing a sub-county hospital in Kerio Valley prepares a kit list and an authorisation letter from the institution before visiting an existing level 4 hospital as her case study.
A measuring tape is used to take dimensions of rooms, doors, windows, corridors, furniture, stairs and external features. A 5 m or 8 m steel pocket tape is convenient for room and furniture dimensions, while a 30 m or 50 m fibreglass tape is used for long walls, plots and site features. Measurements are recorded in millimetres on a measured sketch. Two people work together on long runs to keep the tape straight and level. The tape is checked for kinks and a worn zero end, which give false readings.
A laser distance meter measures distances by timing a laser beam reflected from a surface, giving readings up to 50 to 100 m with an accuracy of about ±2 mm. It is ideal for room lengths, ceiling heights and spaces where a tape is hard to use, and many models calculate areas and volumes directly. It needs a clear line of sight and a target surface; in bright sunlight outdoors a target plate helps. Batteries are charged before the visit, and the laser is never pointed at people's eyes.
A core cutter is a steel cylinder driven into the ground to extract an undisturbed soil sample, from which the in-situ density of soil is found. In a case study it helps the student understand the ground conditions the existing building sits on, and how this affected its foundation choice. Its use needs permission and is done only in open ground away from services such as pipes and cables. Samples are sealed and labelled with location and depth. In many case studies the student instead records the foundation type from drawings or the facilities manager.
A camera, or a smartphone with a good camera, is used to record the building, its spaces, details, materials and the way people use it. Photographs support the analysis of aesthetics, materials, circulation and services. Each photograph is referenced on a key plan with its number and direction of view. A wide-angle setting helps in small rooms; a tape or scale object in the picture shows size. Photographs of people are taken only with their consent.
Safety gear protects the student during the visit, especially on construction sites, plant rooms, roofs and industrial buildings.
A notebook or A3 sketch pad is used for measured sketches, notes, interview records with users and staff, and observations of activity. Sketches are drawn freehand but in rough proportion, with dimensions written on them, and include plans, sections, details and annotated views. Pencils, eraser, scale rule, clipboard and coloured pens are carried with it. Entries are dated and labelled with the building and room so that they can be turned into case study drawings later.
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| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Measuring tape 30m | Sketch pad |
| Digital compass | HB pencil |
| Anemometer | Eraser |
| Thermometer | |
| Camera | |
| GPS device or smartphone | |
| Clipboard |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measuring tape 30m | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Digital compass | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 3 | Anemometer (wind speed meter) | 1 Pc per 5 Candidates |
| 4 | Thermometer | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 5 | Camera (digital or smartphone) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Sketch pad | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | HB pencil | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 8 | Eraser | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 9 | GPS device or smartphone with GPS app | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 10 | Clipboard | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Site Survey and Environmental Data Collection | |||
| Wears appropriate PPE (safety boots, high visibility vest) (Award 2 marks for correct PPE use or zero) | 2 | ||
| Uses measuring tape correctly to measure site boundaries (50m x 40m) (Award up to 4 marks for accurate measurement technique and recording) | 4 | ||
| Records wind direction using digital compass at four cardinal points (Award 3 marks for correct use and recording) | 3 | ||
| Measures wind speed using anemometer and records data (Award 3 marks for correct use and data recording) | 3 | ||
| Measures ambient temperature using thermometer and records data (Award 2 marks for accurate reading and recording) | 2 | ||
| Photographs key site features including access points, vegetation, and adjacent buildings (Award 3 marks for clear and relevant photos) | 3 | ||
| Sketches site layout showing key features and measurements (Award 3 marks for neat and accurate sketch) | 3 | ||
| Records GPS coordinates of site corners accurately (Award 3 marks for precise GPS data logging) | 3 | ||
| Sub-Total | 23 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Site dimensions accurately recorded as 50,000mm by 40,000mm (Award 4 marks for exact measurements within ±100mm tolerance) | 4 | ||
| Environmental data correctly tabulated including wind direction, speed (m/s), and temperature (°C) (Award 4 marks for complete and accurate data) | 4 | ||
| Site sketch accurately shows boundary lines, access points, vegetation and adjacent buildings, to scale (Award 5 marks for clear, scaled, and labelled sketch) | 5 | ||
| GPS coordinates of all four corners recorded and labelled correctly (Award 4 marks for correct and complete GPS data) | 4 | ||
| Sub-Total | 17 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 40 | ||
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Measuring tape 5m | Sketch pad A3 size |
| Laser distance meter | Drawing pencils HB, 2B |
| Architectural scale ruler | Eraser |
| Computer with AutoCAD software installed | Sharpener |
| Ink pen (black) | |
| A3 printing/plotting paper |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measuring tape 5m | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Laser distance meter | 1 Pc per 3 Candidates |
| 3 | Sketch pad A3 size | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 4 | Drawing pencils HB, 2B | 1 set per Candidate |
| 5 | Eraser | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Sharpener | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | Architectural scale ruler | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 8 | Ink pen (black) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 9 | Computer with AutoCAD software installed | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 10 | A3 printing/plotting paper | 2 Pcs per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Conduct field measurement and hand sketch | |||
| Observed use of PPE and adherence to safety during site measurement (Award 1 mark for correct PPE use and 1 mark for safe measurement practices) | 2 | ||
| Used measuring tape and laser distance meter correctly for building dimensions (Award 1 mark each for proper use of measuring tape, laser meter, and verification of measurements) | 3 | ||
| Produced a clear, scaled hand sketch of the floor plan on A3 sketch pad (Award marks for scale correctness, clarity, and completeness of sketch) | 3 | ||
| Included all major building elements: walls, doors, windows, and fixed furniture in the sketch (Award 1 mark each for inclusion of doors and windows) | 2 | ||
| Demonstrated neatness and use of appropriate drawing pencils and ink pens (Award 1 mark for neat and legible sketch) | 1 | ||
| Organized and maintained tools and materials during the process (Award 1 mark for good housekeeping and tool management) | 1 | ||
| Sub-Total | 12 | ||
| TASK 2: Produce AutoCAD drawing of existing building floor plan | |||
| Selected and launched appropriate AutoCAD software (Award 1 mark for correct software selection, 1 mark for proper launch) | 2 | ||
| Set drawing units, scale (1:100), and layout correctly (Award 1 mark each for units setting, scale setting, and layout configuration) | 3 | ||
| Accurately traced and dimensioned the floor plan to 12000mm by 8000mm (Award marks for correct length, width, and proportional scaling) | 4 | ||
| Placed doors, windows, and fixed furniture correctly according to measurements (Award marks for correct placement and dimensioning) | 3 | ||
| Added appropriate layer management, line weights, and annotations (Award marks for correct use of layers and clarity of annotations) | 2 | ||
| Saved drawing correctly in AutoCAD native and PDF formats (Award 1 mark each for correct saving in both formats) | 2 | ||
| Sub-Total | 16 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Finished AutoCAD floor plan drawing dimensioned at 12000mm length and 8000mm width (Award 2 marks for each dimension correctly represented) | 4 | ||
| Sketch and CAD drawing show all building elements: walls, doors, windows, and fixed furniture accurately (Award 2 marks for sketch accuracy and 2 marks for CAD accuracy) | 4 | ||
| Drawing is neat, legible, and correctly scaled at 1:100 (Award marks for neatness, legibility, and correct scale) | 3 | ||
| Annotations and dimensioning are clear and correctly placed (Award marks for clarity and correctness of annotations) | 3 | ||
| Sub-Total | 14 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 42 | ||
At the start of this chapter we promised you would be able to:
Tick each one you can genuinely do.
So, are you there yet?
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