Using Adobe Illustrator in architecture and building design

Adobe Illustrator allows architects, engineers and construction professionals to create high quality digital representations of their work that can be integrated with other computer aided design (CAD) drawings and Photoshop artwork. These can be helpful to showcase the vision for a project as part of a proposal or as part of the construction process. Illustrator's tools translate visions and ideas into designs, which is why many of the nation's top architects, engineers, and construction firms use this digital design tool when creating their projects.

Award-winning architect implements digital design
​Bloomberg Businessweek recently highlighted the works of Liz Diller, an architect and partner at the Diller Scofidio + Renfro architecture practice (DS + R). Diller has won several awards for her works and has been responsible for building some of the nation's most unique structures, such as Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art. According to the story, Diller places a heavy emphasis on blending architecture with technology and art, especially through digital means.

Structures created by DS + R are especially known for their innovative features. Diller explained to Businessweek that while she designs buildings that implement modern and risky elements, sometimes they don't play out just right.

"I'm typically one for adaptive reuse," Diller said. "Sometimes it doesn't work out."

While Diller's designs don't always pan out, using an application like Adobe Illustrator is the best way to view whether a structure will work in the real world, and easily make changes and adaptations to make sure the architect, client, and contractor have the same vision for a project. By creating a digital rendering of the building, artists can accurately measure dimensions, explore the use of various materials, and determine the architectural and aesthetic integrity of a design.

Illustrator tools translate well for architects
Adobe Illustrator features a number of tools that are perfect for digital designers, ranging from grids that provide points of reference for artists to altering colors featured in the design. GoMedia Zine suggested that one of the best ways for architects to take advantage of the software is by uploading pre-existing photographs, then manipulating the surroundings. Illustrator allows designers to turn pictures into sketches, which provides them the ability to examine designs and make structural modifications.

The benefits of using Adobe Illustrator in an architectural design start early on in the process. Being able to create an effective marketing proposal in response to an RFP or RFQ requires that designs be visualized. Using tools to import existing artwork and images, convert them to line art, and enhance them with the new designs allows for the creation of visually compelling presentations. After a project gets under development, architects and engineers can make digital alterations to the structure, interior, and landscape.

Investing in training courses is the best way for architects, engineers, and construction professionals to improve their digital designing skills. Adobe Illustrator Classes, such as those offered by the American Graphics Institute, teach architects and design professionals to efficiently manipulate designs as well as use tools to create designs that win projects and accurately convey a design vision.

While city planners once had to rely primarily on pen and paper to create blueprints for their creations, digital software has rendered these objects all but obsolete, as applications allow for artists to draw, measure and edit layouts with the use of digital programs. Whether they're relying on 3-D software or using digital drawing programs, these applications have revolutionized the way architects develop their plans.

Design applications offer a preferred method for architectural visual design
Adobe programs, such as Illustrator and Photoshop, allow for architects to create realistic, scaled buildings and streets. The Economist detailed the creation of the Eurotunnel, or the structure that connects Britain to the rest of Europe. The first plans for this tunnel were created by pen on tracing paper. For the printed text, artists had to use Letraset, or plastic sheets that adhered printed text when pressed down. The author of the article explained that creating designs like this took an extensive amount of time during this year - especially for more complex projects like the Eurotunnel.

While developers had to rely upon a mixture of these tools when creating renderings less than 30 years ago, technology has come a long way since then. Now, the author explained, companies use digital software to craft their projects, as they not only provide a uniform surface on which they add both drawings and text, but they also allow for accurate, scaled additions.

"Today our production is almost entirely digital," the author wrote. "Adobe Illustrator is still our preferred software. Unlike in days of yore, we can make edits right up until the final minute of production."

He added that since these applications allow for much quicker, more accurate drawings, artists have more freedom to refine their designs and make adjustments when plans go awry. 

Software adds real life to 3-D renderings
Metropolis magazine reported that when creating buildings and surroundings for Pier 42, a design project in New York City, the architecture firm used five different programs to finalize its plans. To begin, artists used a picture of the area as the base, then began adding in mockups and renderings for buildings. They used 3-D software to develop grid-based buildings, then went back to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to add in people, trees, color and texture.

Adobe products provide an expansive range of benefits for developers, whether artists are looking to create mockups for buildings or create an accurate drawing of an area. American Graphics Institute offers Adobe Illustrator courses and Photoshop training classes, both of which can help people understand how to best use these tools to their disposal.