Learning to be Architect

When choosing a shower heater, there is two broad categories in the market - instant hot water heaters, and storage water heaters. Here's a look at their differences Instant Water Heater Heats water up instantly as water runs through the equipment Control dial controls the amount of heat transferred to the water Is more limited in how much water could pass through to become heated as water is heated up when the water pipe passes by a heated copper unit - as such, the diameter of the pipe is limited in order to ensure good heat transfer Usually a more fixed design outlook that is combined with a set of shower tap, mixer and shower head Usually not used in low rise landed developments where water pressure is limited by unstable pressure directly from the government supplier Storage Water Heater Always contains a storage amount of hot water Control dial controls the amount of stored hot water mixed with cold water Is less limited in how much water could pass through ...

When examining the discharge outlets in toilet and shower areas, we may come across 2 different types of floor discharge symbols - FT for floor trap and FW for floor waste Floor Trap Has a grating to catch the first layer of dirt and debris Has a "trap", like a S or P bend, that traps dirt and debris before getting connected to a sanitary stack Requires deeper depth for this bend, usually below the soffit of the slab Usually for dirtier regions Floor Waste Has a grating to catch the first layer of dirt and debris Does not have a trap right underneath it, and may connect directly to the sanitary stack Requires less depth since there is not bend, and can sometimes be embedded in a floor slab directly Usually for showers and other areas with less debris Needs to be connected to a floor trap eventually; usually, only up to 2 floor wastes are connected to 1 floor trap

When preparing the foundation of a building at a place near water bodies or in a location simply with more water, there are cases where we encounter a high water table. The water table is the level below ground at which the ground is saturated with water. When dug to this point, ground water will appear around the soil and is not a desirable condition for keeping foundations stable. When building close to a water body, the water table will also change with the time of the day. At high tide, the water table will be higher than at lower tide. Sometimes, this is useful when planning the construction work load in order to avoid digging too much when the water table is high. Additionally, a pump is necessary to pump out the extra water so excavation works can continue in a safe manner. For architects, this high water table is a concern when building underground basements as well as any sort of semi-sub subterranean structures such as lift and escalator pits. Proper waterproofing material...

The colour of light can have a very profound effect on how Architecture looks like during the night, and sometimes even in the day. With the advent of LED technology, there has been an ongoing refurbishment works across the globe to change many street lights from the warm yellow hue to cold bluish tones. But what is colour temperature? As shown by this chart from  https://www.downlights.co.uk/faq-which-colour-temperature-.html , light can have a variety of "temperature" which corresponds to its colour. Temperature is measured in Kelvin and the higher the value, the more bluish it becomes. 2700K - Extra warm white LED: Appears warmer 3000K - Warm white LED: Slightly white but not too cold 4000K - Cool white: Slightly bluish When choosing lighting, it is recommended to get a warmer hue when used in areas intending for relaxation, while choosing a colder tone when it is important to be alert and see all details. As such, a bedroom may be using 2700K while a clinic may...

Cold joint is a specific word used to describe a process in concrete casting. In standard conditions, a piece of concrete needs to be cast in one shot in order to ensure its cohesive strength, however, when it is cast in a few batches where the time between each batch is too long, it will cause "cold joint", which is a phenomenon in which the two separate batches do not join together well and result in a "layered" look between the two pieces. This affects the strength of the casted concrete and is to be avoided whenever possible. Nevertheless, different storeys and sections of a building are usually "cold joined". In these cases, various measures needs to be taken to ensure the integrity of the joint pieces. For example, ribars are to connect between the joints, edges are to be roughened to improve connectivity and bonding agents are used.

There was a time when it was pretty confusing to understand all the different types of pipes that are involved with a Mechanical Engineer's works, so here's a simple breakdown of some involving liquid elements: Plumbing Pipes Deals with fresh water supplied to the development Supplies to water points such as taps, shower heads, WC, etc. Could be running two separate lines because of different types of water used, for example: In Singapore: Between fresh water pipes and NEWater pipes; NEWater is used for non-potable uses such as AC system and toilet flushing (to score on Green Mark points, it is recommended to use NEWater for non-potable sources if it is available for your development) In Hong Kong: Between fresh water pipes and sea water pipes. Similarly, sea water is used for non potable uses such as toilet flushing For small developments, pipes are connected directly from the main public water line, this is for low rise buildings where the water pressure from PUB i...

There are many types of piles used by the Civil engineer when preparing the foundation of a building. Here's a look at 2 common kinds: Spun Pile Precast concrete pile - stable conditions, uniform strength Of fixed length Tends to be cheaper (at least in Singapore) Could be (and is usually) hollow inside the pile Cast using a machine that pushes the pile into the ground, could be damaged during driving Needs excavation to cast, and may push unstable soil around Cannot be driven in very large diameters Could be used quickly after piling Could carry less weight per pile and is usually used for low to medium height buildings Bored Pile Cast in place concrete pile - depends on weather, not so uniform strength Could be extended to desired length Tends to be more expensive (in Singapore) Is solid inside the pile Cast using a bored piling machine that drills into the ground to remove soil, and is thus more stable to surrounding conditions Could be cast without excava...

S trap and P trap are Mechanical terms that relate to sanitary plumbings. Both types of pipes are used at the discharge point of grey water and black water. To be put simply, both are bent pipe systems. The bends are to ensure that the grey/ black water do not back flow, and ensure that the stack it discharges to does not allow rats, insects and bacteria to travel back into the WC/ tap point. In addition, they help to trap objects not intended to flow down the pipes at the curve. S trap Pipe is in the shape of a S (Sometimes considered) an older design In Singapore, used more for WCs, but may also be applied to sinks and floor traps Require more space for the S bend P trap Pipe is in the shape of a P (Sometimes considered) a newer design In Singapore, used more for sinks and floor traps Require less space for the P bend For both cases, because the bends tend to collect objects and sediments, maintenance on the bent portions are necessary in order to ensure a well fun...

Electrical related rooms are an essential part of most developments simply because modern buildings are so dependent on electricity. Here's an attempt to break down what some of these rooms contain to understand them better. In small developments such as a small shop front, electricity is obtained in a Low Tension format and used directly. However, in larger developments, electricity is obtained first in a High Tension format from the electricity supplier, then converted to Low Tension within the development itself for common day usage. To put it simply, Low Tension is electricity at low voltage, while High Tension is electricity at high voltage. While both high and low voltage are deadly to the human touch, the difference in voltage value is important in the transportation of electricity across electricity grids in terms of efficiency. (A little physics if you want to understand more) High voltage electricity loses less "energy" (i.e. Power) when transported across ...

It is imperative that Architects work closely with the three types of engineers mentioned above in the design of buildings. However, it could be confusing in the beginning when trying to understand what role does each engineer play. Here's a simple breakdown (that may be updated later on). Please take note that this is the understanding in the Singapore context, and may differ from country to country: Electrical Engineer He prepares the electrical, lighting and data items for your building; usually, architects need to talk to him during the design stage if there are any specific lighting looks in the room or specialised electrical equipment to consider His lighting designs have to meet minimum lux requirements based on the location and function of each space, if you are thinking of using a mixture of daylight and electrical light in a space, you need to have more lengthy discussions with his as well as lighting suppliers He will tell you his requirements for the location an...

When preparing sanitary ware for specifications and drawings, we often come across terms like "flush valve" and "cistern", which are different types of flushing systems for WC and urinals. Here's a general breakdown of their differences: Flush Valves Commonly used in non-residential projects, where there are higher volumes of water needed and more flushes per day Does not require a small water tank for each WC/urinal that you see either hanging from the wall or as a part of the WC at the bank (Commonly where they hide guns and important objects in old movies) Will not have a delayed flush after each flush, as water from sanitary pipes flow directly into the WC/urinal for flushing Usually concealed in the wall behind the WC/urinal, and would require a space of 200-300mm; could be serviced from the top (where the pipe space behind it is not full height, and looks like a ledge where you can put stuff on) and from the back (if there is a corridor between two ...

What grade of steel should be used for your railings? Carbon Steel Most affordable Low resistance to corrosion Coating is necessary to prevent corrosion; most popular method is powder coating, allowing for many different colours Requires regular maintenance to look its best, to fix scratches etc. Suitable for indoor use, where there is minimal exposure to the elements; not suitable for indoor environments where there is a lot of usage (e.g. hospitals, airports) Contains a small amount (~ <2%) of carbon to be stronger 304-Grade Stainless Steel Affordable Higher resistance to corrosion Coating is not necessary, but could have coating of paint or powder; non coating finish could be satin to finer finishes including mirror finish (satin finish is easier to maintain, mirror finish offers ultimate corrosion resistance) Suitable for indoor application, and outdoor environments that are not overly harsh or extreme; as long as not too much salt/chlorine, outdoor is fine Co...

There is a myraid of tiles available out there for wall tiles and floor tiles, and there are many different types of tiles. Here's a general overview for reference: Homogeneous Tiles Whole tile is made of the same material. A section of it will let you see the same material and colour as the surface Lower water absorption rate and higher density than ceramic tiles Stronger and tougher than ceramic tiles Could be polished to have a reflective shine like those of a mirror Suitable for both floor and wall Affordable Ceramic Tiles Made of clay with glazed surface. A section of it will let you see the clay below (Non-porcelain ceramic tiles) More interesting surface designs possible as compared to homogeneous tile Are glazed, and not polished More suitable for floor as it will not be able to withstand loading of high human traffic Affordable or expensive depending on design Porcelain Tiles Made of clay, newer form of ceramic tiles A type of ceramic tiles Lowe...