oCAD drawing and drafting tools. These CAD advancements have allowed us to expand our architectural limitations and enhanced the accuracy level even more.
CAD designing provides us with the ultimate power of comparing the variety of designs and perspectives created in the set time period. This was almost impossible during the hand drawn or physical cardboard modeling period. In fact, the burgeoning use of CAD services in the architectural industry has lowered (almost nullified) the surprises on the construction site as design team already knows about the 3D environment before embarking the construction process.
We have understood the importance of CAD tools in the architectural world. Do you think CAD has only helped in improving the popular architectural structures around the world? Many architects claim that it would have been impossible to build some convoluted buildings without the use of AutoCAD technology.
Let’s discuss some of the world’s unusual buildings which were either improved or solved its major challenges using CAD technology.
- Sydney Opera House
One of the epic examples of modern and expressionist architectural style is Sydney Opera House. Local officials were worried about the design of the opera house as to whether it would stay up in its real form. This project was led by the Danish architect Jorn Ultron for creating this distinctive building of 20th century. The building structure was the most attractive everyone, but all were sharing the same worry, whether the shell roof designing would be practical post the construction or it would fall.
This project was among the initial projects who used CAD technology. A London-based firm Ove Arup and Partners has led the structural analysis of this design and researched using CAD about the executability and sustainability of the proposed design.
The initial usage of the computers wasn’t as efficient as today’s period. It took almost 8 years for the most alluring design and construction of the shell roof and around 3 years for the specially built ceramic tiles for the shell.
The final result of the building was higher and narrower than the original design plans which were appreciated all over. This beautiful piece of architecture was formally opened in 1973 and still looks stunning; exactly the way it was built.
- The Gherkin, London
A commercial skyscraper in London has broken all the stereotypical square shaped tall building examples. It is formally known as 30 St Mary Axe. The building is famous for its round structure (more like a stretched egg) which would have created air currents swept around the building and would have made the surrounding place quite uncomfortable. This was discovered using the CAD software which further demonstrated that the size and shape of the design would cause such a problem.
To resolve this issue, the architects used the computer models to define the air turbulence and aerodynamic properties of the building designs. The computer model showcased that the cylindrical shape reduces the air disturbances and it led the architects to make the tower bulge out in the middle as it reduces the whirlwinds towards the narrower base.
The Gherkin had successfully set an example for showcasing the utmost importance of CAD in the construction industry.
- Burj Khalifa
The world’s tallest skyscraper was formally inaugurated in the year of 2010, in Dubai, UAE. It has the height of around 2,717 ft which proves that wind must have become one of the prime challenges while constructing and designing this wonderous man-made structure.
Around 50 wind tunnel tests were taken to understand the impact of wind, at such a height, on the building structure and its occupants, and all this was done using CAD technology. The structural analysis, climate analysis, and façade pressure tests were also conducted and as a result, the tower was tilted by 120 degrees to decrease the wind pressure at higher points of the building.
CAD technology would continue to grow and bring out the magical changes to architecture and designing. AutoCAD architecture has been empoweri