Changing the Course Design to Include Habitat for Humanity Improved Course Outcomes and Broadened Student's Perceptions of Community Service

摘要

Architectural education often includes course(s) pertaining to the creation of architectural working drawings. Working drawings require the individual creating them to have knowledge of principles, conventions, standards, applications, and restrictions pertaining the manufacture and use of construction materials, components, and assemblies. Working drawings are a vital component of the architect's ability to communicate the design to the construction team. In the initial phases of design, the owner often meets with the architect to discuss the intricacies of the design, and when the graphical representation is not completely conveying the design intent, the architect is able to verbally clarify and 'paint a picture' of the design for the client. However, the architect is typically not on the construction site every day to 'paint a picture' for the construction team. The architect does conduct and participate in construction phase start-up meetings, site visits, phone and/or email inquiries, and request for information (RFI) documents, but verbal communication between the contractor and the architect is limited. This means that the ability for the architect to communicate design graphically through architectural working drawings is one of the most important skills required to have an architect's design concept interrupted into constructed form.