Building design

This article is about the design of buildings. For the UK magazine, see Building Design.

The upside down house in Bispingen, Germany

Building design refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering and technical applications to the design of buildings. All building projects require the services of a building designer, typically a licensed architect or structural engineer. Smaller, less complicated projects often do not require a licensed professional, and the design of such projects is often undertaken by building designers, draftspersons, interior designers (for interior fit-outs or renovations), or contractors. Larger, more complex building projects require the services of many professionals trained in specialist disciplines, usually coordinated by an architect.

Occupations

Architect

Main article: Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and supervision of the construction of buildings. Professionally, an architect's decisions affect public safety, and thus an architect must undergo specialized training consisting of advanced education and a practicum (or internship) for practical experience to earn a license to practice architecture. In most of the world's jurisdictions, the professional and commercial use of the term "architect" is legally protected.

Building engineers

Main article: Building engineering

Building engineering typically includes the services of electrical, mechanical and Structural engineers.

Draftsperson (Draughtsman)

A draftsperson or documenter is someone who has attained a certificate or diploma in architectural drafting (or equivalent training), and provides services relating to the preparation of construction documents rather than building design. Some draftspersons are employed by architectural design firms and building contractors, while others are self-employed.

Building designer

In many places, building codes and legislation of professions allow persons to design single family residential buildings and in some cases light commercial buildings without an architectural license. As such, "Building designer" is a common designation in the United States, Canada and elsewhere for someone who offers building design services but is not a licensed architect or engineer.

Anyone may use the title of "building designer" in the broadest sense. In many places, a building designer may achieve certification demonstrating a higher level of training. In the U.S., the National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC),^[1] an offshoot of the American Institute of Building Design,^[2] administers a program leading to the title of Certified Professional Building Designer (CPBD). In most cases, building designers are trained as architectural technologists or draftspersons; they may also be architecture school graduates that have not completed licensing requirements.

Many building designers are known as "residential" or "home designers", since they focus mainly on residential design and remodeling. In the U.S. state of Nevada, "Residential Designer" is a regulated term for those who are registered as such under Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design, and one may not legally represent oneself in a professional capacity without being currently registered.

In Australia where use of the term architect and some derivatives is highly restricted but the architectural design of buildings has very few restrictions in place, the term building designer is used extensively by people or design practices who are not registered by the relevant State Board of Architects. In Queensland the term building design is used in legislation which licences practitioners as part of a broader building industry licensing system. In Victoria there is a registration process for building designers and in other States there is currently no regulation of the profession. A Building Designers Association operates in each state to represent the interests of building designers.

Building Surveyor (UK)

Building surveyors are technically minded general practitioners in the United Kingdom, Australia and elsewhere,^[3] trained much like architectural technologists. In the UK, the knowledge and expertise of the building surveyor is applied to various tasks in the property and construction markets, including building design for smaller residential and light commercial projects. This aspect of the practice is similar to other European occupations, most notably the geometra in Italy, but also the géomètre in France, Belgium and Switzerland. the building surveyors are also capable on establishment of bills of quantities for the new works and renovation or maintenance or rehabilitation works.

The profession of Building Surveyor does not exist in the US. The title Surveyor refers almost exclusively to Land surveyors. Architects, Building Designers, Residential Designers, Construction Managers, and Home Inspectors perform some or all of the work of the U.K. Building Surveyor.

References

↑ National Council of Building Designer Certification
↑ American Institute of Building Design
↑ "Building surveyor: Job description". Prospects.ac.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-26.

Design

Outline
Portal
Designer

Disciplines

Communication design	Advertising Book design Corporate design Exhibit design Film title design Graphic design Environmental Postage stamp design Print design Sustainable Illustration Information design Instructional design News design Photography Retail design Signage / Traffic sign design Typography / Type design Video design Visual merchandising

Environmental design	Architecture Architectural lighting design Building design Passive solar Ecological design Environmental impact design Garden design Computer-aided Healthy community design Interior architecture Interior design EID Keyline design Landscape architecture Sustainable Landscape design Spatial design Transition design Urban design

Industrial design	Automotive design CMF design Corrugated box design Electric guitar design Furniture design Sustainable Hardware interface design Motorcycle design Packaging and labeling Photographic lens design Product design Production design Sensory design Service design

Interaction design	Experience design EED Hardware interface design Icon design Immersive design Information design Level design Motion graphic design Sonic interaction design User experience design User interface design Video game design Web design

Other applied arts	Public art design Ceramic / glass design Fashion design Costume design Jewelry design Floral design Game design Game art design Scenic design Sound design Stage/set lighting design Textile design

Other design & engineering	Algorithm design Boiler design Conceptual design Database design Drug design Electrical system design Experimental design Filter design Job design Integrated circuit design Circuit design Physical design Power network design Nuclear weapon design Nucleic acid design Organization design Process design Processor design Protein design Research design Social design Software design Spacecraft design Strategic design Systems design

Approaches

Tools
Intellectual property
Organizations
Awards

Tools	AAD Architectural model Blueprint Comprehensive layout CAD CAID Virtual home design software CAutoD Design quality indicator Electronic design automation Flowchart Mockup Product design specification Prototype Sketch Storyboard Technical drawing Web design program Website wireframe

Intellectual property	Community design Design around Design patent Geschmacksmuster Industrial design rights European Union

Organizations	AIGA Chartered Society of Designers Design and Industries Association Design Council International Forum Design The Design Society Design Research Society

Awards	European Design Award German Design Award Good Design Award (Chicago) Good Design Award (Japan) Graphex IF product design award James Dyson Award Prince Philip Designers Prize