architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

and building engineering, a floor plan is a

technical drawing Technical drawing, drafting or drawing, is the act and discipline of composing drawings that visually communicate how something functions or is constructed. Technical drawing is essential for communicating ideas in industry and engineering ...

to scale, showing a view from above, of the relationships between rooms, spaces, traffic patterns, and other physical features at one level of a structure. Dimensions are usually drawn between the walls to specify room sizes and wall lengths. Floor plans may also include details of fixtures like sinks, water heaters, furnaces, etc. Floor plans may include notes for construction to specify finishes, construction methods, or symbols for electrical items. It is also called a ''

plan A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...

'' which is a measured plane typically projected at the floor height of , as opposed to an ''

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Ver ...

'' which is a measured plane projected from the side of a building, along its height, or a section or ''

cross section Cross section may refer to: * Cross section (geometry) ** Cross-sectional views in architecture & engineering 3D *Cross section (geology) * Cross section (electronics) * Radar cross section, measure of detectability * Cross section (physics) **Abs ...

'' where a

building A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and fu ...

is cut along an axis to reveal the interior structure.

Overview

Similar to a

map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...

, the orientation of the view is downward from above, but unlike a conventional

, a plan is drawn at a particular vertical position (commonly at about four feet above the floor). Objects below this level are seen, objects at this level are shown 'cut' in plan-section, and objects above this vertical position within the structure are omitted or shown dashed.

Plan view In technical drawing and computer graphics, a multiview projection is a technique of illustration by which a standardized series of orthographic projection, orthographic two-dimensional pictures are constructed to represent the form of a three-di ...

or planform is defined as a vertical orthographic projection of an object on a horizontal plane, like a map. The term may be used in general to describe any drawing showing the physical layout of objects. For example, it may denote the arrangement of the displayed objects at an exhibition, or the arrangement of exhibitor booths at a convention. Drawings are now reproduced using

plotters A plotter is a computer printer for printing vector graphics. Plotter may also refer to: *Plotter (instrument), an instrument that marks positions on a map or chart *Plotter (RAF), a person who records the movement of military aircraft in an Opera ...

and large format

xerographic Xerography is a dry photocopying technique. Originally called electrophotography, it was renamed xerography—from the roots el, ξηρός, label=none ''xeros'', meaning "dry" and -γραφία ''-graphia'', meaning "writing"—to emphasize ...

copiers. A ''reflected ceiling plan'' (RCP) shows a view of the room as if looking from above, through the ceiling, at a mirror installed one foot below the ceiling level, which shows the ''reflected'' image of the ceiling above. This convention maintains the same orientation of the floor and ceilings plans – looking down from above. RCPs are used by designers and architects to demonstrate lighting, visible mechanical features, and ceiling forms as part of the documents provided for construction. The art of constructing ground plans (ichnography; Gr. τὸ ἴχνος, íchnos, "track, trace" and γράφειν, gráphein, "to write"; pronounced ''ik-nog-rəfi'') was first described by

Vitruvius Vitruvius (; c. 80–70 BC – after c. 15 BC) was a Roman architect and engineer during the 1st century BC, known for his multi-volume work entitled '' De architectura''. He originated the idea that all buildings should have three attribut ...

(i.2) and included the geometrical projection or horizontal section representing the plan of any building, taken at such a level as to show the outer walls, with the doorways, windows, fireplaces, etc., and the correct thickness of the walls; the position of piers, columns or pilasters, courtyards and other features which constitute the design, as to scale.

Floor plan topics

Building blocks

A floor plan is not a top view or

birds eye view A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object or location from a very steep viewing angle, creating a perspective as if the observer were a bird in flight looking downwards. Bird's-eye views can be an aerial photograph, but also a dr ...

. It is a measured drawing to scale of the layout of a floor in a building. A top view or bird's eye view does not show an orthogonally projected plane cut at the typical four foot height above the floor level. A floor plan could show:Site Plans, Elevations and Floor Plans
''A Community Guide San Jose''. Accessed 11 February 2009. * interior walls and hallways * restrooms * windows and doors * appliances such as stoves, refrigerators, water heater etc. * interior features such as fireplaces, saunas and whirlpools * the use of all rooms

Plan view

plan view In technical drawing and computer graphics, a multiview projection is a technique of illustration by which a standardized series of orthographic projection, orthographic two-dimensional pictures are constructed to represent the form of a three-di ...

is an orthographic projection of a three-dimensional object from the position of a horizontal plane through the object. In other words, a plan is a

section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

viewed from the top. In such views, the portion of the object above the plane (section) is omitted to reveal what lies beyond. In the case of a floor plan, the roof and upper portion of the walls may typically be omitted. Whenever an interior design project is being approached, a floor plan is the typical starting point for any further design considerations and decisions. Roof plans are orthographic projections, but they are not sections as their viewing plane is outside of the object. A plan is a common method of depicting the internal arrangement of a three-dimensional object in two dimensions. It is often used in

and is traditionally crosshatched. The style of crosshatching indicates the type of material the section passes through.

3D floor plans

A 3D floor plan can be defined as a virtual model of a building floor plan. It is often used to better convey architectural plans to individuals not familiar with floor plans. Despite the purpose of floor plans originally being to depict 3D layouts in a 2D manner, technological expansion has made rendering 3D models much more cost effective. 3D plans show a better depth of image and are often complemented by 3D furniture in the room. This allows a greater appreciation of scale than with traditional 2D floor plans.

References

External links

''Renaissance Visual Thinking: Architectural Representation as Medium to Contemplate ‘True Form’'', Federica Goffi-Hamilton
{{DEFAULTSORT:Floor Plan Technical drawing Architectural terminology