Understanding Building Sections: Exploring Sheet A4.1 Details

Navigating Building Sections: Understanding Sheet A4.1 Layout and Annotations

Discover the ins and outs of interpreting building sections in architectural drawings. Learn about the significance of image positioning on the sheet, how to identify unique keynotes and material legends, and the importance of dimension notations.

Key Insights

  • The article highlights the importance of understanding that the placement of images on architectural sheets typically starts with the lowest numbers on the top, gradually increasing as you move down the sheet. This order is maintained because drawings are usually viewed from the right and opened towards the left.
  • Each sheet in a set of architectural drawings contains unique keynotes and material legends, providing specific information and detailing the materials used in that section of the building. Sheet information also includes dimensions, but vertical dimensions are emphasized in building sections rather than the horizontal dimensions found in floor plans.
  • The article reveals the significance of the datum symbol in architectural drawings, which is used to denote vertical dimensions between floors. These datum dimensions appear in both building elevations and building sections, providing crucial information about the relative vertical heights within the structure.

46—Secciones del Edificio—Parte 1 Let's start by looking at the sections of our building, which are on sheet A4.1. If you look right here, you can see that it says image number 1, sheet A4.1, down here, on image 2, sheet A4.1. You will see that when we start working on the sheets of details, when we have multiple images on a sheet, it is very typical to start with the lowest numbers here. And as we go down, the numbers increase, that the image numbers will start at 1, they will go down to 2,3 and 4, and then images 5 and 6 will be here on the left. The reason why we do this is that normally the drawings are stuck on the left side and people open the drawings on the right and open them to the left.

So, again, the image numbers tend to be 1 up here and 2 there. So, what we have here is like before, we have the number of the sheet, the name of the sheet, we have the number of the project, who drew them, who reviewed them, the date of review. We have Keynotes, and again these Keynotes tend to be unique for each sheet.

You can see that here, I am showing some information in a picture and the Delta for when I presented the modification. I have my Notes for this drawing and my Material Legends. And again, the Material Legends tend to be unique for the sheet.

You can see that I am showing a different pattern for Earth, for Sand, for Concrete and for Gravel. I am also showing a Steam Barrier. Steam Barriers are usually something like a piece of plastic that prevents water from penetrating the building.

When we were working on the Floor Plans, in the dimensions, you realized that our dimensions were Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions. Again, the Floor Plan is a Horizontal Slice through the building, the dimensions tend to be linear. Again, going horizontally or vertically.

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When we work in a section of a building, we are not asking for the Horizontal Dimensions that are reflected in the Floor Plan. Instead, we are showing Vertical Dimensions that are relevant for the section of the building itself. If you look down here, you can see that we are showing the heights of the slab and different elevations.

This symbol here is called a Datum Symbol. And what we are doing is that we are writing down Datum Dimensions and if you look at the Verticals. You can see that I am writing down the Vertical Dimensions between the Floors.

So, again, we usually do not duplicate the dimensions of the Floor Plan in the sections of the building. In the Elevations, but we include the information of the Datum. And you can see that here I am showing that the upper part of the Floor Plan, which is the upper part of the wall, is at a relative vertical height of about 30 feet.

So again, I am pointing out the Vertical Dimensions with the Datum. We will find that these same Datum are in both, the Elevations of the Building and in the building. Sections.

Now, what is happening up here is that I have an Enlarged Detail for the upper part of the Floor Plan. So, if I want to see this Enlarged Detail, I would go to image 6 on sheet 7.4 to see that image. If I want to see the detail of what is happening here, I would go to image 1 on sheet 7.1. So again, here is the section of the building.

You can see that once again I have Calls that say that if I want to see more information about what is happening. Here I need to go see this detail on this page to see that information.

photo of Al Whitley

Al Whitley

Al was the Founder and CEO of VDCI | cadteacher for over 20 years. Al passed away in August of 2020. Al’s vision was for the advancement and employment of aspiring young professionals in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries.

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