You may want to represent a site plan at a scale of 1:500, but perhaps show floor plans at 1:100 for example. The image above shows an example of a drawing set with different scales to demonstrate different aspects of the design. Similarly, if a drawing is in mm, at 1:200 – one mm unit in the drawing will represent 200mm in real life. So, if a drawing is at 1:50 in cm, 1cm in the drawing will be equal to 50cm in real life. It is worth noting that scale drawings represent the same units. A drawing of 1:200 is representing 200 units for every one unit – and therefore is showing the elements smaller than the 1:50 drawing. This is because in a drawing at 1:50 there is 1 unit for every 50 unit in real life. 1:50 – 1:200, the elements in the drawing actually get smaller. You could also say, 1 unit in the drawing is equal to 10 units in real life.Īs the numbers in the scale get bigger, i.e. A drawing at a scale of 1:10 means that the object is 10 times smaller than in real life scale 1:1.

In the real world, one meter is equal to one meter. As we gain a better understanding of scale, we can view a drawing in a particular scale and instantly recognise and understand the spaces, zones and gain a quick understanding of the existing or proposed spatial relationships. If something is ‘drawn to scale’ we expect that it has been drawn, or printed, to a common scale that is used as standard in the construction industry. When a drawing is described as ‘to scale’, it means that each element in that drawing is in the same proportion, related to the real or proposed thing – it is smaller or indeed larger by a particular percentage. Scale drawings allow us to accurately represent sites, spaces, buildings and details to a smaller or more practical size than the original. Follow First In Architecture on Pinterest!.Plan drawings – floor plans, elevations, sections.Working with scales for architectural representation.Understanding the concept of architectural scales and scale drawings.

Drawings of libra scales