Digital Sketching: Computer-Aided Conceptual Design

John Bacus is a Senior Director of Product Management for the Trimble Design & Engineering Solutions Group, where he works on new product strategies for the AEC industry. John has worked for over eighteen years on the design and development of SketchUp, a 3D sketching tool for design. John has degrees in Architecture from The Cooper Union and Rice University, and is currently a lecturer in the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado.

Prologue ix Chapter 1 Sketching For Conceptual Design 1 Introduction 1 Creative Rigor in Design 1 How Do You "Design"? 3 Design Starts in the Studio 5 How to Sketch 6 Sketching Digitally 10 Be the Designer 12 It (Really) Isn't about the Tools 14 Stay Agile 19 Version Control Systems 31 Chapter 2 The Elements of Design 33 Designing the Elephant 34 The Measurement of Space 35 The Qualities o f Space 40 Geometry and Form 44 Freeform Curves 52 Surface 56 Building Objects and Other Higher-Order Primitives 64 Chapter 3 Representations of Space 71 Descriptive Geometry 73 Architectural Scale 76 Cutting Planes 79 Orthographic Projection 80 Plans 80 Elevations and Vertical Sections 82 Oblique Projection 83 Perspective Projection 88 Cinematic Perspective 92 Free Perspective 93 Stereoscopic Perspective 95 Unfolded Projections 98 Sketching in Diagrams 101 Chapter 4 Sketching In 2D 105 Your Sketchbook 105 Sketching with Purpose 106 Let's Get Sketching. . . 110 Physical Sketching 110 Materials for Physical Sketching 114 Carry a Sketchbook, Really 115 Tools for Digital Sketching 116 Physical and Digital Together 120 Chapter 5 Sketching In 3D 123 There Is No Hiding in Models 123 Benefits of Sketch Modeling 123 Physical Modeling 127 Digital Modeling 132 How 3D Modeling Actually Works 138 Sketching Lines in 3D 141 Sketching Surfaces in 3D 144 Sketching Forms in 3D 14 7 Assembling 3D Models from Parts 150 Chapter 6 Sketching In Code 157 Rules-Based Design 157 Materials for Digital Sketching 159 Getting Started with Programming 162 Chapter 7 From Sketch to Production 185 Sketching for Presentation 185 Sketching for BIM 189 BIM Levels of Development 191 Sketching in LoD 100 BIM 193 Sketching for Construction 198 Chapter 8 Epilogue 205 Technology Is Incremental - Even Revolutionary Technology 205 Computation Is Powerful, But It Isn't Limitless 206 An Imaginary Scenario about Construction 20 7 How Close Is This Future in 2020? 208 Appendix A What Computer Should I Buy? 211 Appendix B Integrated Development Environments (Ides) For Architects 223 Appendix C Sketching In Virtual Reality 227 Bibliography 233 Index 237