I've been studying for this exam for a few weeks now. I have come to realize a few things that are easy to miss so I wanted to lay them out for others.  It's one thing to do it while practicing, but you DON'T want to do them in the exam.  I hope this list will help. This isn't a step by step what to do - there are several really useful threads on that already (see next post for list) - just how to not miss anything.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE PRACTICE PROBLEMS, DO THE TUTORIAL!

You have to know how all the tools work, even if you think you know them already from the other graphic exams. They AREN'T the same!

1. When writing your furniture list, draw the diamond as the first piece of furniture for the reception area.
   
2. First things to do - turn on ortho, change to full cursor, draw a bunch of sketch circles (3' and 5') and sketch rectangles (4'6x5'0), (5'0x4'6), and (4'0x4'0).
   
3. IMMEDIATELY place a 4x4 rectangle at the entrance door to the suite and place the reception area symbol inside of it.
   
4. Last thing to do - walk through your suite with the sketch lines and grid OFF.  Try to sit in/use each piece of furntiure.  Walk from room to room to make sure each has a door and the adjacencies and windows are there.  You'll be amazed to realize that you may have drawn a wall into a window without realizing it, had a chair facing the back of the door, or a door you thought you placed no longer exists.
   
5. Do not make any changes without turning the sketch layer back on first.

1. First things to do - turn on ortho, change to full cursor, draw all of your rooms on the site. 
   
2. VERIFY that you drew the rooms on the correct floor by going through your list and moving them over to the side. Don't just eyeball it because an extra room could be there or one missing.
   
3. Last thing to do - just like in IL, walk through your building.  Walk from room to room to make sure each has a door from the corridor and the adjacencies and windows are there.  Once again, you'll be amazed to realize that a door/window/wall opening you had placed no longer exists, doors/visual windows still exist in a location they shouldn't because of something you relocated, rooms don't actually open to a corridor, or you never even drew the corridor (remember, it never leaves the list so that isn't helpful.)

Last edited on Fri May 26th, 2006 02:00 am by gnrbernstein

Last edited on Thu Jun 29th, 2006 04:09 pm by gnrbernstein

Last edited on Tue Mar 21st, 2006 02:45 pm by gnrbernstein

stl-guy :  Thanks for the additional tips.



~gnr~

• carefully read the design vignette program
• carefully read the design vignette code
• Follow only these instructions and nothing else regarding CODE. Some good design judgement will be needed but not code.

• All problems will have one large room. This room will usually have a high ceiling. This room will by program need two exits. By code, if a room needs 2 exits, they always need to swing out of the room. These are the only rooms where doors should swing out.
• All exit doors from lobby and from first floor stair shaft to exterior should swing out.
• All circulation corridors should be continuous and each end needs to lead directly to an exit.
• All building exit doors should swing out of the building in the direction of exit travel. Use exiting through stairs for efficiency, in addition to the lobby entrance/exit.
• Separate all required exits at least 1/2 the maximum diagonal distance of the room.
• Dead-end corridors are corridors that don't have 2 ways out from a corridor and are 20' or more in length.
• Near is about 20' from door to door.
• Direct access is an adjoining door
• visual access is usually an interior view window, reasonably close.
• room sizes should be usable. A 7' wide toilet room is not usable. Try for about 2:1.
• Elevators are best drawn at 10' x 10'
• Best not to draw equipment rooms or mechanical rooms on the second floor.

Last edited on Wed Mar 22nd, 2006 05:53 am by stl-guy

Last edited on Mon Mar 27th, 2006 12:59 am by stl-guy

Last edited on Sun May 21st, 2006 03:52 am by gnrbernstein

Last edited on Mon Apr 17th, 2006 06:28 am by kevin881

Last edited on Mon May 22nd, 2006 05:15 pm by cjayzdad

We're STICKIED!!!  Thanks moderator!

Last edited on Fri May 12th, 2006 05:28 am by gnrbernstein

Last edited on Mon Jun 26th, 2006 08:01 pm by awu72