Aspiring Architects Lack Practical Design Guidance

“I'm working on a design for a small home (about 1600 square feet) that will probably be built somewhere between northeastern PA and central MD. I have had mini-splits, but I HATE the cleaning that's involved with the interior unit (we have two dogs and three cats), and I hate losing sleep about the drain line being clogged and water leaking all over the wall (trust me, I've lived that hell). So, what type/brand of heating/cooling unit would be a good fit for a new small house? Import”

“Hello i would like to learn build " on the go " just like old school people mostly had no plan or math. Yet they still managed to build perfect matching roofs or other angled - math stuff. Is there a good book or better YouTube channel or vid where i can learn tips and tricks how old people were building " on the go " ? The main idea is efficiency also i don't like prebuild things because it involves planning and obviously math ... Just waste of time in my opinion is ther”

“Any suggestions on how to best go about starting this process? After googling metal buildings, I've been inodiated with so many different types and options. Back ground: I have my own land, but I'll need to knock down an old barn then get a cement slab laid for this building. submitted by /u/Mcbudder50 [link] [comments]”

“Hello guys! I know this is maybe the most common question or debate subject, what app is the best for X or what software is great for Y, but i can not make up my mind for what i will use it. I am going to use these apps/software for interior design modeling and rendering, but not limited to, i am also a furniture designer and i will maybe only render individual pieces of furniture, trying to achieve a high level of realism while having the options to add my own touch to it and to not be limited.”

“Hi everyone, I'm planning a DIY feature wall inspired by the attached concept image, and I'm looking for advice for it. I have asked various other subreddits but they all seemed to be stummed on how to approach it. The part I'm struggling with is the Japanese temple roof. I'm not trying to build a real structural roof it's purely a decorative architectural feature that will be mounted to an interior wall above a floating shelf with hidden LED lighting. It will be roughly 1 me”

“Hi, I'm looking to practise my Revit skills to transition into the industry, anyone knows any resources for me to refer to floor plans for my practice? submitted by /u/itqanh [link] [comments]”

“Unsure how to deal with these angles! submitted by /u/wanderlust_yogii [link] [comments]”

“How are you all pricing things like built-in wardrobes and under-stair storage? Do you do it manually from a hand sketch or use software like SketchUp? Then work out the MDF sheets you need? With all the new builds there seems to be quite a bit of that type of work. submitted by /u/SAS03_PUBG [link] [comments]”

“I haven’t started this project yet and thought it wise to ask for input before I get too far down a path I will later regret. I want to put in two arches on either side of my fireplace. Added two images for context. 1 is current state the second is a Chat GPT rendering. Arch framing doesn’t scare me. But the drywall.. I plan to hire that part out. However, seeking guidance om the following: Should I open up the drywall at the top, build the arch framing and then the drywallers can tie in the new”

“I’m working on a side project for homeowners planning a kitchen remodel. The idea: turn rough room dimensions into a simple cabinet layout and a “pre‑quote” cabinet report before talking to cabinet sellers. The tool doesn’t place appliances or do full design; it focuses on basic cabinet placement, sizes, and a cabinet list, then compares a few buying paths (ready‑to‑assemble, semi‑custom, custom shop) with planning‑range pricing. The goal is to make the first conversation with a showroom, contra”

“How to split flooring between kitchen, living room, and corridor in such layout? What pattern to use in living room wood flooring? submitted by /u/Vinci95 [link] [comments]”

“Why do you care about its utility in other industries? Are you seriously using computational design for single family residential?”

“BIM is not just Revit. There are a ton of great options that are better than still trying to draft things depending on you project scope and market. Revit just happens to be what the majority of architecture firms worldwide have found to be the most useful for them. It's over a quarter of the way through, try out the 21st century. Aside from the politics, it's reasonably OK. And I've checked in on reddit 3 times today, but good on you for”

“If your work products don’t look good and are hard to read that becomes an issue with your software. Local standards refer to what building department, design reviews, clients, and contractors expect out of your work products. You can try to force a program to get there, but it’s very inefficient and time consuming. It’s like taking your bicycle instead of a car to do a 20 mile trip. Yeah you can bike there and save some money, but the payoff versus the e”

“Have you looked into visual arq? It gives rhino bim features and from what I've heard it's suitable for residential”

“Old school was to use a projector. A full painted/stained mockup in place with existing lighting is always the best.”

“Can you draw it and show me? I’m having trouble picturing it in my head by the description. I’m happy to help in the engineering/designing of the mold, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“So, the waterfall part. I wanted an L shape. One slab, 1.5 in thick. With a lip on it so I could conceal where I put a lip to put a shelf off of the inside. The idea was that the l shape would be a working surface and the “other leg” would be a wall. And under it would be shelving.”

“I appreciate your work but wouldn’t this have been half the job if you used MDF?”

“Yes that's true, I mean when designing it. Is it best to draw it all out on the wall itself, a large draft paper, or normal sheet of paper is fine?”

“Hard to create an efficient cut list without planning beforehand.”

“Sorry if this is a stupid question but i need some advice with pallet building. How can i do it smart and effectively so that one it doesn’t look like shit and that it makes sense. i try my best to use the heaviest to build a strong base. With our pallets, each one has stops. usually 1-15. so for example i can be working on a 6 stop 50 piece pallet. rule of thumb where i work is you build from low # to high. lowest number in back high in front. problem is any route labels i get dont go in order”

“How could I design something like this for a wall, I want it decently big. Also is there a specific software that’s best?”

“Hi, Is there an AI software out there where I can: Upload a DWG or PDF of my Floor Plan Tell the software the ceiling height, window height, door height Click somewhere on the floor plan, and which way I want to look towards And the software spits out a 3D render of how that would look, or even better, a walkthrough the entire floor? I know I may be optimistic, but thought some of you may know. I trie”

“Wait so you mean there is no railing in the design as well? How?? Bro, I’d raise this up with my architect, how did their drawings even get approval. This is grounds to sue them. Let me see the 3D.”

“Why? What's his idea?? Is he from Temu? Or online classes? The only reason you put a stair without using a wall to hold it, is to put in the middle "floating" even in high end housings, the stair is "empotrada" into the wall and floating on the other end, but with such a small gap, let me guess a fist size? 5-10 cm? There's no reason to do it, (ik you said 6 inches but the picture looks like it's diagonal, as if it closes towards the upper part)”

“The walls have furring strips making the horizontal seams have extra support instead of the vertical seams. How is that different than vertical 2x4s with no horizontal support?”

“The walls have furring strips making the horizontal seams have extra support instead of the vertical seams. How is that different than vertical 2x4s with no horizontal support?”

“So we did ask the architect and they want to leave it open and not fill the gap or give a railing there”

“I'm building a pigmented concrete house and am inspired by the finishing achieved in Inigawa Cemetery. Specifically the uneven swirls across the concrete. I'm wondering how was this done? Am I right to understand it is likely lightly ground and lightly sandblasted? https://preview.redd.it/5fw1sevg9m4h1.png?width=1600&”

“Look into space frame structures. While structure isn't really harped on a lot in school, it's something you have to work with. Another thing you have to work with is stormwater design. You're going to have to have a couple pipes that go from the center of the ceiling to a nearby wall, work a flat fur-down into the design somehow to conceal it”

“Out of curiosity, how should it be set instead? I’m trying to learn more about doing trade and craft work the right way”

“I’m hoping to one day be able to buy an existing house and refurbish it to make it as sustainable as possible or design a new sustainable home. Does anyone have any good resources that cover all the aspects of either of these options? Thanks in advance!”

“Hi, all 😄 We are planning on building a house next year and want to be as hands on as possible. I started by learning freeCAD but have since hit a bit of a roadblock in the sense that we don't really know what would work for us. I tried looking up articles and blogs on interior/exterior designs as well as checking Pinterest, but even after disabling AI generated content, I still see so much of it in the latter, and the former has been exclusively AI generated blogs in the same format: paragraph”

“I want to understand how space planning actually work – why certain rooms are placed next to each other, how circulation flows through a home, what dimensions make sense for different spaces, that kind of thing. More about functional logic than aesthetics or decoration. Anyone know good books, PDFs, YouTube channels or websites that cover exactly this?”

“Hi I'm a totally noob about doing modelism, I like architecture and builiding, so want to start with this easy project https://preview.redd.it/j8yish4cl40h1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=7dc266c15d44b85f98ef71610c498cd8ad24f9ab I know the mesasures and I want to do it in 1:20, but I have some questions. I can just stick some carton to make the walls than color it, but for the handle, circled window and the shelves inside how can I do them for a minimum resistan. Just want to start easy t”

“Hi guys, I'm an archi student and this is my final architecture model (along with a process model) for this spring sem. The project is essentially a large open furniture workshop in the form of a warehouse made using materials found around an industrial site. Instead of designing a fixed form first, I explored the idea of assemblage, that is, how different parts, materials, reused elements and structures can come together while still keeping their own identity. The workshop uses things like corr”

“I'd like to learn how to draw the elements of each classical order (base, column, entablature) (mainly Roman, not Greek), but I can't find a good book/video/illustration that shows the proportions in detail and clearly. (I found a video, but all the measurements are in inches). Is there a book that meets my criteria?”

“Hey everyone, I’m currently an intern and had the chance to work around some really high‑quality physical urban/architecture models (the kind used for client presentations). Once I go back to school, I’d love to try recreating something similar on my own as a personal project, but I honestly don’t know where to start when it comes to materials and methods. A few things I’m especially curious about: For the trees, are these usually bought somewhere (like model railroad stuff)? They look way clean”

“Most of what I’ve found is his history and a display of what he built and why he built it how he did, rather than how he conceived these ideas and designed it on paper and then a documenting of how it was actually built. Is there anything like that?”

“At some point you need to spend time making templates, jigs and fixtures. They help you maintain tolerances and repeat steps accurately. Spending what seems like a lot of time on those will actually save time overall and/or reduce wastage.”

“I’m 21 and in mechanical engineering. I want to design my house by myself ( to save money but also make it exactly like I want it). The issue is that I don’t where to start; I dont know how thick a wall should be, how deep a counter should be, how wide should I make a corridor, what shape is optimal for roofing, etc. Is there some sort of book or online resource that is reliable and covers everything I need? I do have access to all the necessary softwares so that’s not an issue. Specifications:”

“Hey everyone, I’m trying to find good content (shows or YouTube channels) that focuses on the appreciation of architecture and well-designed homes — not renovation shows or anything with reality TV drama. What I’m really interested in is: \-Thoughtful home layouts (public vs private spaces, flow, etc.) \-The reasoning behind design decisions A lot of what I’ve found so far feels very “HGTV” — dramatic, gimmicky, or focused on budgets/renovations rather than design itself. Would really appreciate”