SolidWorks an MCAD Program Used for Architecture, Again.
By Richard Williams, 12/27/08
As any writer will tell you, not all posts, articles, newsletters or other things readied for publication are going to be well received or even worthy of their readership’s time. We do try to bring to you something of value each and every time we send it out to you. There are not many of us who do write that could care less about the comments that the readers send back to us. Most of us are extremely appreciative for any responses that we get and it is exciting to know someone in some remote corner of the world took the time to get back to us. It is not that important to me that the comments generally will fall into one of three categories of either praise, condemnation, or to ask for more information. What truly is important to me is that someone out there is reading what we put together for you and publish it. This recently happened to me with a gentleman that read one of my much older posts about Cargo Shipping Containers. That was not an easy conceptualization project to do for me because everything had to be created from scratch. SolidWorks is not an architectural program and its tool sets are not pre-designed to draw walls windows, doors, etc… and it has absolutely no furniture libraries. So it is a tough go from the very start, but SolidWorks can draw anything in my humble opinion and although it can take some time to do it, it is a can do program and lies in the MCAD realm of CAD programs.
A reader by the name of Mr. George Bird, from the Fresno California area who is also a beginning user of SoldWorks and who is an attendee of the City College there with his wife, contacted me and told me in his email how he designed a home he wants to build. Yes he did use the SolidWorks program to do it. He sent me numerous files in the PDF format that I took screen shot of because I wanted all of you out there to see this man’s hard work. He has done some things that I have not attempted to do in the SolidWorks program because other programs I have do it more easily. He just loves this program and would rather stick with it, to do his creations. I really applaud Mr. Bird’s stubbornness in sticking to the program and working things out. I hope SolidWorks hears this because once again this shows a clear call for a money making “add on package” to the core program to allow users who are steadfast supporters of this great program, to use it for architectural designs. Admittedly, I have already seen some absolutely beautiful architectural designs and renderings done with SolidWorks and I know it wasn’t as easy use it, as it would have been in other programs made for that type of work. You have to admire the loyalty of some people to something that they just love to use and get lots of joy with. I will break down Mr. Bird’s files into the basic types with the 2D views first. They are simple and easily understood as far as what he wants to convey to the viewer.
I would call this a plot plan for the first one and some supplemental floor plans with the next three. I must state here that I have no idea what California building codes are so I cannot comment on setback distances or easements, that must be allowed for and or maintained. But he did a nice overview of this building site. (Sorry for the small pics but I had to try to conserve some space.)
Here in this next screen shot is something I would have never thought to do, a landscape elevation plan done within the program. It was nicely done and easily understood. I have seen much less clearer site elevation plans on multi-million dollar jobs and because of a not easily understood plan on one job and I spent three days breaking in a new shovel and pick. Not my most favorite activity.
Now we come to some renderings of the overall house look in the three dimensional views. A nice clean job, Mr. Bird did here. Mind you now, he is still learning this program in his college courses he is taking and I really think he will become an expert user someday because he is stubborn and won’t quit. I hope SolidWorks is listening here. Let’s go see what he did down below.
I really like what he has done here using a non-architectural program to do it with. I believe Mr. Bird, called it his visualizations for his house. Well every dream of something we want to do or accomplish starts our as a vision in our minds. Mr. Gene Roddenberry of Star Trek fame did that very same thing and apparently so has Mr. Bird. Nice house there Sir, and I really hope your dream comes true.
These next shots are something that I am just not too sure about. Mr. Bird, states that the property has a high and a low on the property which is a sloped piece of real estate about +15 feet at the high and -4’ at the low, with the house somewhere in the middle. So for some reason that I do not readily understand, he wants to provide a lifting apparatus to haul pieces of material up to the rooftop area and floor levels. This is a nice idea but not very useful, unless of course he plans to build this himself with maybe just his wife and a few friends. I did not get that part from him understood too well, I admit but I commend him for the foresight in understand how this would get done. Construction crews are very resourceful types and all you have to tell them is that you have a nice cold one waiting for them (non-alcoholic in case OSHA is reading this) and presto the job is done. I know we did it and the boss always was astonished at how we could do things if given the right motivational tools. J So let’s take a look at Mr. Bird’s material hauling rig. Pretty cute I would say. I like Mr. Bird’s work and I had to let you see what could be done by a determined individual and the SolidWorks program. Live long and prosper my friend, you did well. J
