Working Drawings Handbook
level only, the size of the building and the appropriate
scale determining the basic size of sheet for the whole
project.
Leave plenty of space on the sheet. Apart from the fact
that this tends to get filled up with notes, etc. during the
course of the drawing’s production (the addition of three
strings of dimensions on each face alone adds
considerably to the original plan area of the drawing), it
must be remembered that the drawing’s various users
will in all probability wish to add their own notes to the
prints in their possession.
General arrangement elevations—external
Given the plan view and sufficient sections through an
object, it is arguable that it is unnecessary to show it
in elevation for the object to be fully comprehended.
That so much often goes wrong on a building site, even
with the benefit of elevations, is an illustration of the
fact that the construction process often has little
connection with formal logic; in practice, to erect a
building without a set of elevations is like trying to
assemble a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the
lid to refer to from time to time.
Nevertheless, it is as well to remember that the
elevation’s function is primarily informative rather than
instructive, and that in consequence it should not be
made to carry information more sensibly conveyed by
other means.
If elevations are to be of relevance they must be
complete and this means not just the four views—front,
back and two sides—that sometimes suffice, but
sectional elevations covering re-entrant points in the
plan shape and the elevations of courtyards.
Remember too that the building consists of more than
that which can be seen above ground. One of the more
useful aspects of a properly produced set of elevations
is that an indication can be given of the sub-structure
and of the building’s relationship with the immediately
surrounding terrain or pavings.We have mentioned sectional elevations and we may as
well deal here with general sections also, for in this context
they serve the same purpose as the elevations, in that
they present a general picture of the building without
necessarily providing any specific information from which it
can be built. They are of particular value to the contractor
when he is planning the sequence of his operations on
site, and for this reason those items of particular relevance
to this function—the relationship of floor levels to one
another and of the building to the ground are obvious
instances—must be shown adequately.Elevations too should carry grid lines and finished floor
levels. Other than that they should be simply drawn, with
all visible features included but not unduly elaborated.Windows in particular tend to be overdrawn; there is
really no point in elaborating glazing bars and beads
when these aspects are going to be covered much more
fully on the appropriate components drawings. Brick
courses merely confuse the eye. We are not dealing
here with an artistic pictorial simulation of the building
but with a schematic factual representation.There are four areas where elementalisation of the
elevations should be considered, particularly on larger
projects:1 They may be used to locate external openings and
this can be a helpful means of cross-reference back
to the external openings schedule. All that is
necessary is for the opening reference—(31)007,
(31)029—to be given on the appropriate opening in
the elevation. The practice, sometimes attempted, of
using the elevation as the actual external openings
schedule, is not to be recommended. More needs to
be said about the average window than can sensibly
be carried in a small box on a 1:100 elevation.