plans

I was thinking about some of the plans I saw yesterday and wondering how to add clarity and information to them, while simultaneously increasing visual interest. I also think plans can often be boring to read, which is why you all may want to consider ways to make them interesting.

Above is an example that I found to be quite effective at conveying the typical plan information while also selecting one area to be delineated with material and shadow. This is most effective when you are trying to communicate an opening in the floor or some vertical connectivity across several floors, otherwise it may draw more questions than answers. If you decide to appropriate this idea, make sure that if you model it in 3d, that you use an orthographic projection and not perspective. That way both areas are consistent. I suggest you use shadows that are more soft than harsh; otherwise they may become distracting and confused with other elements in the plan. Finally, this can easily be done in Photoshop in case you are not familiar with a 3d program.