Contest Coordinator: Amy Stuart, Central Community College
Develop a floor plan, exterior and interior elevations, wall section, and schedules to present to a residential client.
Students will need to bring:
- Laptops
- Power Cords
- Software Revit, AutoCad or Sketch Up
- Pen, Pencil, Eraser
- Sketch Pad
- Architectural scale (triangular recommended)
- Calculator
- Pin Drive
The Architectural Blueprint Reading contest challenges students to demonstrate their proficiency in interpreting and analyzing residential construction documents. Contestants will receive a comprehensive set of house plans and must accurately extract critical information, interpret architectural conventions, and apply technical measurement skills under timed conditions.
Skills to be Demonstrated: Contestants will be evaluated on their ability to:
- Read and interpret multiple drawing types including site plans, foundation plans, floor plans, building sections, and elevations
- Identify and understand architectural symbols, abbreviations, and notation systems
- Extract specific dimensions directly from construction documents
- Calculate missing or implied dimensions using mathematical reasoning and scale conversion
- Accurately measure drawing segments using an architect’s scale
- Locate and interpret material specifications and construction details
- Determine quantities of building components from plans
- Understand spatial relationships between different views and sections
Preparation and Study Recommendations: To prepare for this year’s competition, contestants should:
- Master architectural scale usage – Practice measuring with triangular architect’s scales at various scales (1/4″=1′-0″, 1/8″=1′-0″, etc.)
- Study residential construction terminology – Familiarize yourself with common building materials, framing systems, and construction methods
- Learn standard architectural symbols – Review symbols for doors, windows, electrical fixtures, plumbing fixtures, and structural elements
- Practice dimension calculations – Work on finding missing dimensions using given measurements and geometric relationships
- Review drawing coordination – Understand how information on one drawing relates to details shown on other sheets
- Study building code basics – Know common residential code requirements that appear in construction documents
- Develop speed and accuracy – Practice reading plans under time constraints while maintaining precision
Materials Provided:
- Complete set of residential construction drawings
- Answer sheet
- Contest instructions
Contestants should arrive prepared to work independently and demonstrate their technical reading skills in a professional manner.
Good luck to all participants!