What is the difference between architectural design and structural design

They are more of a rare find than you think. Very good point. These are the key points in design and structure in the way I see them. Thank you for this article. Hello Sekgota, I totally understand your problem.

You could get a good job if your final year project has been done properly and professionally. That is why we have thesis in our final year where we show our talent in the field.

If you fared well in your research project and are still unable to find a job then maybe you should recheck your resume. The two main designers of a building are the architect and the engineer. This may seem a bit confusing at first, as the roles and responsibilities of engineers and architects are not clear cut and overlap a bit. Let's try to clear things up, starting off with things that we know.

What is an engineer? An engineer is a person who designs and builds things for the benefit of society. Engineers use math and science to design and build structures, equipment and processes. What is an architect? An architect is a person who develops the creative designs for buildings or structures. So, the jobs of an engineer and architect, although similar, vary in some details.

How do architects and engineers work together? The architect is more concerned with the look of the structure, whereas the engineer is primarily concerned with the safety and functionality of the structure. The engineer figures out which materials to use and how to safely construct the building the architect has envisioned. Skyscrapers are a good example.

Think of skyscrapers and how tall they are — what a massive feat to design and build such a tall structure. Figure 1. Sturdy steel "I-beams" allow skyscrapers to be constructed. Has anyone ever been in a skyscraper? Skyscrapers did not exist until about 90 years ago. Before there were skyscrapers, the tallest buildings could only stand about 10 stories high.

This was because the main material used in constructing structures was wood. Architects had plans and hopes for taller buildings, but the materials available at the time did not allow for buildings to hold the weight of buildings greater than about 10 stories tall.

Engineers began to develop steel beams that are much stronger than wood and could be used in the construction of buildings and bridges. Today, we call these sturdy beams, I-beams see Figure 1.

The development of steel I-beams was precisely what architects needed in order to build taller buildings; as a result, skyscrapers began to shoot up high into the sky. Clearly, modern cities — with their amazing skylines — are the result of a joint effort between engineers and architects. The height and beauty of buildings and other structure cannot be accomplished without the efforts of both types of engineering.

Figure 2. Architects discuss a blueprint. So, we know that architects wanted to make bigger, more elaborate buildings, and engineers helped them to figure out how to make it possible. It seems, then, that architects come up with an idea and then make a plan that engineers help them execute.

The architect's plan has a special name — it's called a blueprint see Figure 2. Has anyone seen a blueprint? What is the purpose of a blueprint? After the architect creates the blueprint building plan , the engineer goes over the architect's design and decides what materials must be used to make bring the architect's design to completion and to make the building strong enough for use.

Many types of engineers also work on other systems within a building, such as elevators, lighting, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, plumbing and much more. It requires a lot of engineering teamwork to design, construct and finally prepare a building for daily use. From selecting appropriate furniture to energy efficient window coverings to sound proofing carpet, there are a lot of details that go into building design. An architect and engineer both participate in designing and building a structure, whether it is a house or a skyscraper.

An architect designs and draws up plans for buildings, bridges, and other structures. Third is the coverage of its training and education background. Architects and engineers are required to gain sufficient training for their respective fields.

They do perform separate work. Architects usually gain experience from architectural design firms while engineers are exposed on site visits, structural calculations, project scheduling, manpower and equipment handling and others.

Another difference between them is branches or field of specialization. Architects primarily covers all fields of construction including various engineering scopes, landscaping, urban planning, client representation and construction management. Structural engineers on the other hand are expected to perform various engineering fields, quality control, safety inspection, building site security including public safety outside of the building perimeters. Lastly, they have difference in terms site development context.

Architects are primarily responsible for utilizing land usage, relationship between buildings, occupant or human traffic flow including transportation traffic , spaces appropriated inside a building. Structural engineers on the other hand, performs the same role on each building and other facilities within the site.

However, some of these functions can mix up due to the demand of the project. Both architect and engineers are equally important to ensure strict implementation of the project bounded by existing laws and building codes. To summarize the key difference between two great professions that shapes our modern cities,. Difference Between Architect and Structural Engineer. He ensures the materials used to construct the building will support its weight. A structural engineer works with an architect to ensure the soundness of a structure, whether it is a home, a high-rise or a bridge.

An architectural engineer designs a building's essential systems, such as lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing and acoustics. Like a structural engineer, an architectural engineer coordinates his efforts with the architec. Products By Bayt.