1. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan

2. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Bubble Diagrams
Quick Sketches

3. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
How to Begin
I want to design a small one-story dwelling for a single person.

4. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
I want the design to include a great room around which all other design elements are focused.
Great Room

5. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
A front porch or balcony would be nice.
Porch
Great Room

6. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
I want the design to include a large master bedroom.
Porch
Great Room
Master Bedroom

7. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
The master bedroom should also have a bathroom.
If I connect the bathroom to the great room, I could simplify the plan and just include one bathroom.
Porch
Great Room
Bathroom
Master Bedroom

8. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
I will include a large closet open to the bathroom and the bedroom.
Porch
Bathroom
Great Room
Closet
Master Bedroom

9. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
I will add a kitchen and an area for a table.
Porch
Bathroom
Great Room
Closet
Master Bedroom
Kitchen
Dining

10. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Bubble Diagrams
Freehand sketches used to determine locations and relationships
Great Room
Porch
Master Bedroom
Bathroom
Closet
Kitchen
Dining

11. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Quick Sketches
Great Room
Porch
Master Bedroom
Bathroom
Closet
Kitchen
Dining
Bubble diagrams can then be converted into quick hand sketches to show the layout of the rooms.
Windows and doors might be included.
Sometimes furniture layouts can help a client envision a design.
Once initial sketches have been created, the designer will transfer the ideas to 3D architectural software.

12. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Bubble Diagrams
Quick Sketches

13. Planning and Sketching a Floor Plan
Civil Engineering and Architecture®
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Residential Design
Image Resources
Microsoft, Inc. (n.d.). Clip art. Retrieved July 16, 2009, from