Pancyprian TS Arch. Drawing flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Plan cut height

A floor plan is a horizontal section taken about 1.20–1.50 m above finished floor level, so windows, doors and most wall openings are cut while beams and high-level elements appear as thin projection lines.

Hidden line convention

Dashed lines represent edges not visible in the chosen view, such as an overhead beam in a plan. They are used sparingly because dense hidden linework obscures the visible construction.

Grid line labelling

Structural grid lines are marked with circles at both ends of the drawing, numbered in one direction and lettered in the other, typically omitting I and O to avoid confusion with 1 and 0.

Level annotation

Levels are written as signed figures with two or three decimals and a downward triangle on a leader, for example +3.450 for a first floor, with ±0.00 set at the main entrance floor.

Line weight hierarchy

Cut elements are drawn heaviest, visible outlines medium, secondary detail light, and dimension or hatch lines thinnest, giving a roughly 4:2:1 ratio that lets the eye read depth instantly.

Pencil grade selection

Harder leads such as 2H to 4H suit construction and dimension lines because they stay sharp and light; HB to B suit freehand sketching; H is a good compromise for lettering guides.

Material hatching symbols

Standard hatches identify cut materials: 45-degree parallel lines for general material, cross-hatch for insulation, stipple for concrete, coursing for brick, and random wavy lines for earth.

Lettering height rules

Construction notes are lettered 2.5–3.5 mm high, subtitles 5–7 mm, and sheet titles 10 mm or more, always uppercase single-stroke sans-serif readable from the sheet's bottom or right edge.

First-angle projection

In first-angle projection the object lies between the observer and the projection plane, so the plan is drawn below the front elevation and the left-side view appears on the right.

Projection alignment

Plan, elevation and section views are aligned so shared dimensions transfer directly: plan and front elevation share widths, plan and side elevation share depths, elevations share heights.

Section drawing convention

A section cuts the building with a vertical plane; cut material is drawn heavy with poché, while everything visible beyond the cut plane is drawn with thin background lines.

Elevation content

An elevation shows only externally visible elements - roof profile, openings, cladding, downpipes and ground line - with levels noted; hidden construction is omitted rather than dashed.

Dimension line parts

Each dimension has a thin dimension line with arrowheads or oblique ticks, thin extension lines starting clear of the object, and a figure placed above or beside the line.

Chain versus overall dimension

Chain dimensioning lists consecutive small dimensions, and one overall dimension must equal their sum. If the total disagrees with the chain, the drawing is ambiguous and must be corrected.

Units on building drawings

Building plans and sections dimension in millimetres without a unit symbol, while levels and site coordinates use metres with three decimals, such as +3.450 or 12.300 m.

Setting-out dimension targets

Dimensions are given to structural faces, grid lines and structural opening edges rather than to plaster or tile finishes, unless the drawing explicitly states that finishes are being dimensioned.

Scale ratio calculation

Scale equals drawing length divided by real length. At 1:50, one millimetre on paper represents 50 mm real, so a 3.60 m wall measures 72 mm on the sheet.

Graphic scale bar purpose

A graduated scale bar stays accurate when a drawing is photocopied or resized, whereas a printed ratio becomes wrong; therefore every plan sheet carries both the ratio and the bar.

Scale by drawing type

Site plans use 1:500 to 1:1000, general plans and sections 1:100, detailed plans 1:50, construction details 1:20 to 1:10, and component junctions 1:5 or 1:1.

Revision cloud

A revision cloud is a scalloped outline drawn around an amended area, tagged with a triangle and revision letter that matches an entry in the sheet's revision table.

Cavity wall components

A cavity wall has an outer leaf, a 50 mm minimum clear cavity, wall ties at about 450 by 900 mm centres, insulation, and a damp-proof course at least 150 mm above external ground.

Stair comfort formula

Stair proportion is checked with 2R + G between 600 and 650 mm, where R is riser and G is going; residential main stairs keep risers at or below 180 mm and goings at or above 250 mm.

Stair riser count

The number of risers equals total floor-to-floor height divided by the chosen riser height, and a single flight has one fewer going than risers because the top riser lands on the floor.

Roof pitch notation

Roof slope is stated in degrees or as a ratio such as 1:4, and a roof section detail must show ridge, eaves overhang, fascia, gutter, underlay, insulation and the ventilation path.

Kitchen work triangle

The sink, hob and refrigerator form a triangle with legs of 1200–2700 mm and a total perimeter of 4000–7900 mm, keeping worktop runs unobstructed by circulation routes.

Circulation percentage

In residential layouts, corridors, halls and stairs typically occupy 10–15 percent of net floor area; higher proportions signal inefficient planning and wasted construction cost.

Stacked wet areas

Grouping kitchens and bathrooms vertically on successive floors lets them share soil stacks and service shafts, shortening drainage runs and giving maintenance access in one location.

Accessible door clear width

An accessible internal door provides a clear opening of at least 800–850 mm, with level or gently ramped thresholds no higher than about 25 mm to allow wheelchair passage.

Two-point perspective setup

Two-point perspective places the horizon at eye level with two vanishing points on it; verticals stay vertical and all horizontal edges converge to one of the two vanishing points.

Isometric versus axonometric

Isometric projection sets all three axes at 120 degrees with equal foreshortening, while axonometric keeps the plan true and projects verticals, showing plan and volume in one image.

Cyprus building permit law

In Cyprus, planning permission falls under town and country planning legislation and the building permit under the Streets and Buildings Regulation Law, Cap. 96, issued via district or municipal offices.

Building coefficient

The building coefficient, in Greek συντελεστής δόμησης, is the permitted total built floor area divided by plot area; with site coverage and setbacks it is fixed by the zoning zone.