Floor plan - definition, tips and software
What is a floor plan? A floor plan is the first phase of any real estate project. Thanks to the floor plan, you understand how the building is (or will be) structured and how it can be furnished.
In this article you will learn the difference between free and open floor plans, the different views and sections and the best software to create a floor plan yourself.
What is a floor plan?
A floor plan is a true-to-scale, drawn, two-dimensional representation of a spatial feature or floor. For this purpose, a horizontal section of a floor is made approximately one meter above the floor and the floor is viewed from a bird's eye view. In addition to the load-bearing and non-load-bearing interior and exterior walls, the horizontal section also shows the position of the windows and doors, as well as the layout, position and size of the rooms.
The floor plan illustrates the relationship between rooms and the circulation of people within the building. Floor plans are part of technical drawings, such as construction drawings.
Although the scale varies (the most commonly used scale is 1:48, 1:100 for the building authority and 1:50 for craftsmen), the correct proportions are crucial.
Free and open floor plan
Open floor plan
With an open floor plan, the external walls and individual columns bear the entire load of the building. Accordingly, there are no load-bearing walls within the storeys. The architect therefore has a great deal of freedom when designing the interior. Partition walls can be used flexibly and can also be changed at a later date. The open floor plan is a constructive principle.
Open floor plan
The open floor plan, on the other hand, describes a spatial principle. The floor is not divided into individual rooms, but a continuous living area is created, separated at most by screens. However, there are no doors and all rooms merge into one another.
While open floor plans tend to be used in conventional apartments or detached houses, open floor plans are used in office or exhibition buildings, such as museums.
The view and the section
The elevation
The elevation shows the façade, i.e. the vertical structure of a building. You see the building as if you were standing in front of it. A view is created for each side of the building.
The section
The section illustrates the vertical structure of the interior. In a section, the building is cut open so that the interior can be viewed.
Sections are marked in the floor plan by a dash-dot line. The viewing direction is marked by an arrow. The drawing of the section shows everything that lies behind the section until the view meets a wall. A section through the long side of a building is a longitudinal section. A section through the short side is a cross-section.
How do you create a floor plan?
There are many ways to create a floor plan: by hand with a ruler, pencil and paper or with a special architecture program or house planning software.
What are the most important requirements that the building should fulfill? What size are the various elements and where are they located? To answer these questions, a few criteria must always be taken into account:
- Floor area
- Location of doors and windows
- Width and height of the exterior and interior walls
- Size and location of the furniture already installed
- Other furniture that must be present in the rooms
- What functions should individual rooms have?
Certain software solutions are suitable for transferring this information to a floor plan. We have made a selection for you.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart offers a floor plan planner that allows you to draw professional, true-to-scale floor plans. No previous architectural knowledge is required to use the software. Lucidchart offers floor plan templates and a library for quick and easy planning of any type of space. A scale tool ensures precision in creating an accurate and true-to-scale representation of the space.
Thanks to many sharing options, floor plans can be used anywhere and with any device and shared with other employees. A presentation mode allows changes to be presented directly.
Lucidchart
Sketchup
Sketchup is a software for creating three-dimensional design and building models.
Sketchup behaves more like a pencil than a complicated CAD application and helps you to visualize sketches quickly. It is also ideal for visualizing designs such as plans, elevations, sections and building details in 2D.
With animations, images and videos as well as AR and VR apps, Sketchup offers a wide range of presentation types. So there are no limits to your creativity when it comes to communicating your project.
Sketchup
Revit
Revit is a multidisciplinary BIM software for high-quality, coordinated designs.
The software also offers functions for the visualization, analysis, production and execution of your project. You can model in 3D, automatically update floor plans, views and sections, and automate routine work. In addition to tools for teamwork and many display options, Revit also offers numerous interfaces and add-on modules.
Revit
The floor plan - the basis of your real estate project
With our tips and the right software, you too will be able to create your own floor plan. Share your experiences on the subject of floor plans with us in the comments!
Article translated from German