CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. CAD software has been widely used by Architects to create two-dimensional (2D) drawings or three-dimensional (3D) models.

 

It was in the early 90s when I started using CAD software (possibly AutoCAD R10 !) but things were very different before CAD.

 

The drawings were done by hand using technical pens/Rotring rapidograph pens on tracing paper. Some examples below.

Window detail - note the different line thicknesses, the text and numbers. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Window detail – note the different line thicknesses, the text and numbers.

 

Rotring rapidograph pens with different thicknesses. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Rotring rapidograph pens with different thicknesses

 

Market - Lower Ground Floor Plan, hand drawn. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Market – Lower Ground Floor Plan, hand drawn

 

Different technical pens, note the VERY old ones to the right hand side. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Different technical pens, note the VERY old ones to the right hand side

 

Restaurant - Floor Plan, hand drawn. Note the different symbols (tables, doors, etc). © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Restaurant – Floor Plan, hand drawn. Note the different symbols (tables, doors, etc)

 

Mistakes or changes were painful to correct. The ink had to be rubbed off or scraped with a blade, then the tracing paper to be made smooth again and then new lines could be drawn (if we were lucky enough not to make a hole in the paper!).

Different tools to remove ink from tracing paper. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Different tools to remove ink from tracing paper

 

3D of Science Museum, hand drawn. This sheet was nearly 3 meters long! © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

3D of Science Museum, hand drawn. This sheet was nearly 3 meters long!

 

Urban scheme overlaid to map, hand drawn. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Urban scheme overlaid to map, hand drawn

 

Patterns had to be cut to size from a special pattern sheet.

Patterns had to be cut to size from a special pattern sheet. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

 

Apartment block - Floor Plan, hand drawn. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Apartment block – Floor Plan, hand drawn

 

Letters and numbers were done using template letters rulers like the ones below.

template letters rulers. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Apartment block - 3D, hand drawn. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

 

Curves and symbols were done with template stencils.

Template stencils. © 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Template stencils

 

© 2017 Isabel Barros Architects

Can you imagine how long it took to design 12 storeys with these stairs?

 

The all design process was very time consuming and our necks suffered immensely, but the end result was somehow a  piece of art.

 

What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,

Isabel
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All images in this post are subject to copyright.

© 2017 Isabel Barros Architects