Types of Documents and characteristics 

Design Drawing Phases. The most common design drawing process is in five distinctive
phases.
1. Concept design Sketches (CS):
2. Preliminary Design (PD
3. Design Development (DD):
4. Construction Document (CD):

Drawings

Drawings encompass the architectural, civil, structural, and mechanical professions, and are the

means of conveying diagrammatic detailed aspects of the design components of a structure.Shop drawings prepared by individual subcontractors, suppliers and/or manufacturers providing labor and/or material to the project. They illustrate how their product is built and accomplishes the intended design function. Drawings are submitted to the general contractor or construction manager who then submits them to the architect and/or engineers for review and approval for project conformance.

Architectural Drawings. Architectural drawings convey the aesthetic and functional

aspects of the project, and include the fire-rated classification of the structure, occupancy,

exiting requirements, 

Structural Drawings. Structural drawings indicate the design loads and applicable building

code criteria, and define the structural framing systems and their supports and foundations.

These drawings will contain the following:

Foundation plan:
Framing plans:
Column schedule:
Elevations:
Sections and typical details:
General notes:

Mechanical Drawings.

Mechanical drawings designate the heating,

ventilating, airconditioning systems,

electrical distribution requirements,

fire and security systems, sprinklers

and necessary

plumbing requirements.

investigation.

Civil Engineering Drawings.

Civil engineering drawings indicate site and project locations,

vehicle accessibility, topography, site drainage, and possibly landscape requirements,

although this aspect may be performed by a licensed landscape architect rather than

the project architect.

These drawings generally contain the following:

Title/cover sheet:

In addition to the title of the project, it usually designates the project

footprint, location, and area coverage

with respect to the total property area, key plan, the

true north arrow, project plan north arrow, applicable local building code references,

classification of the building for occupancy and fire rating, and a list of consultants.

Plans:

Designate the project program space allocations, generally a service “core”

which may contain elevators, stairs, toilets, and mechanical space requirements such as

duct and piping shafts, electrical and communication closets, mechanical rooms, and the

roof and basements or cellars.

Elevations:

A pictorial view of each façade of the building indicating windows, doors, etc.

Building sections:

A detailed sectional view through the building taken usually in the

project north-south and east-west direction.

Sections and details:

A larger-scale dimensional detailed presentation of pertinent construction

components, their interface connections with other materials.