At Mark Houston Associates, Inc., not only is computer aided drafting a means of articulating good design, but drafting by hand is also a means of expressing the spirit and vision of a project during the preliminary design phase.
Computers have replaced many manual tasks over the past 20 years and the same is true of architectural drafting. CAD (computer aided design) software is the mainstay of most commercial and residential design firms these days.
As Mark passionately explains, “Our experience is that most clients relate to and better understand hand drafting more clearly than CAD drawings especially during the preliminary design phase. Drawings done by hand more clearly convey the nuances of the design, and the drawing itself has a language that speaks to the beholder about the ‘spirit’ of the design.”
Anyone familiar with the expertise and artistic skill level needed to draft drawings by hand will attest to the historic beauty and artistry that can be created with the right skill set.
Mark has definitely mastered the art of drafting and sketching by hand. His preliminary designs are always expressed with hand drawings.
Mark states, “I’m more in touch mentally with the proposed design and design details when I draft by hand.”