LESSON 2
Drawing Floor Plans
Architects work with and design space.
In every instance, their designs must take into
account the needs and desires of the people
who will use the space. A critical step in designing any structure, therefore, is preparing
a detailed floor plan. A floor plan is a diagram,
drawn to scale, of a room or building as seen from
above. A floor plan shows the location, size,
and shape of rooms. It also pinpoints such
features as corridors, windows, doors, and
stairs. Another step in the planning process
is presenting a sketch of the building’s exterior (Figure 14–7).
Imagine that your community is planning to build a new shopping mall. You are
the architect selected by community leaders
to design this new mall. They have asked
you to design a unique structure that will
provide enough space inside for businesses
and shoppers to move about freely. They
also want a large parking area for mall visitors. Most important, they want the mall to
be an inviting, convenient, and pleasant
place for people to shop.
Figure 14–7 Have you ever
imagined a closed city shaped like
this one? How might you design an
imaginary structure?
Computer-drawn elevation of an
imaginary city.
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Chapter 14
Architecture
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
You will select and use a variety of art materials and tools to produce an architectural
drawing in traditional and experimental
ways. You will design a floor plan for a onestory shopping mall. Your mall will have one
department store, ten smaller shops, and two
restaurants. The department store should be
emphasized as the most prominent place of
business in the mall. Divide the space in your
mall so that large and small shops are created.
Your mall will have a wide, roomy, public
walkway linking the different stores, and a
large parking lot.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
●
●
●
Pencil, ruler, and eraser
Sheets of sketch paper
Sheets of white graph paper,
18 24 inches
● Transparent tape
WHAT YOU WILL DO
1. Using pencil, ruler, and sketch paper,
experiment by creating different
possibilities for floor plans. A large
department store will be the focal point
of the mall. Decide what kinds of
businesses you will have among the ten
shops. Decide which businesses will be
next to each other along the walkway.
Decide whether either or both of the
restaurants will serve fast food. Decide
how much floor space each business will
need. Provide a large parking lot. Use the
foot as a unit of measurement. Develop a
scale for your design, such as 1/4 inch
equals 1 foot.
2. Carefully line up two sheets of the
white graph paper so their long sides
touch. Fasten them where they meet with
transparent tape. Turn the paper over.
Neatly transfer the final design of your
floor plan to the large sheet. Use your
ruler. Neatly label each store. Label the
walkway and parking area.
3. Show where the entrance to the mall will
be. Add any details that will be used as
decoration.
4. Display your floor plan in a class
exhibition.
Figure 14–8
mall floor plan.
Evaluating Your Work
● Describe Tell which store in your mall
received the most floor space. Explain why.
● Analyze Explain how you divided the
space in your mall. Point out why some
shops received more space than others.
Explain how the department store is
emphasized in your plan. Tell whether the
walkways in your mall are wide and roomy.
● Interpret Show what features you added
to make your mall inviting to visitors. Tell
whether the stores and restaurants will
appeal to many different tastes.
● Judge Tell whether you think your work
succeeds. Explain your answer.
Student work. A section of a shopping
REFLECTIVE THINKING
Critical Evaluation. Analyze the original artworks by your peers in the class exhibition. Form
conclusions about formal properties, historical
and cultural contexts, and intents. How is the
principle of balance used to organize the element of space? What clues do the floor plans
provide about our culture?
Visit art.glencoe.com to survey
and identify career and avocational
opportunities or choices in architecture at the Career Corner. You
will also find:
● Artist Profiles
● Student Art Gallery
Lesson 2 Drawing Floor Plans
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