A geometric, orange and gray 3D shape is centered on a dark blue background, overlaid with white, vertical and horizontal, ruler-like measurement lines.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.

VCD YEAR 10 AOS 2

Design a cool
Tiny house.

How can living small save the planet quicker?

In this task, students will use the Define, Develop, and Deliver stages of the Design Process to understand audiences and users and to develop and resolve design solutions for a Tiny House using manual and digital-based methods. They will investigate users and their housing needs and use that information to inform the development of design ideas. They will learn how to document design concepts using the conventions for environmental design in two-dimensional drawings. Students will learn how designers deliver design solutions using two- and three-dimensional methods. They will practice divergent thinking to develop ideas and convergent thinking to select, resolve, and evaluate design concepts and solutions.

outcome

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What students need to do
ON COMPLETION OF THIS UNIT THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO

  • Design and depict a small, domestic dwelling using manual and digital-based methods, in two and three dimensions.

knowledge

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What we will learn about
knowledge demonstrated in this Area of study
  • The define, develop and deliver stages of the VCD design process to support the visualisation, development and presentation of design ideas, concepts and solutions
  • Circular design practices
  • Characteristics of audiences and users
  • Communication need
  • Development of design ideas and resolution of design concepts
  • Two-dimensional manual and digital drawing methods and media to depict form and function
  • Conventions for documenting information in environmental drawings
  • Three-dimensional paraline or perspective methods for representing form
  • Delivery of design solutions
  • Documentation and evaluation of design decisions

Skills

A simple, stylized illustration of a stand mixer with two beaters and a large base, shown in light purple and white.
How I will demonstrate the knowledge
Skills Demonstrated in this area of study
  • Use the define, develop and deliver stages of the VCD design process to support the visualisation, development and presentation of design ideas, concepts and solutions
  • Explain the application of circular design practices
  • Define audiences and users’ needs, referring to demographic and psychographic information
  • Develop design ideas and resolve design concepts
  • Use two-dimensional manual and digital drawing methods and media to depict form and space
  • Use conventions for documenting information in environmental drawings
  • Use a three-dimensional paraline or perspective method for representing form
  • Deliver design solutions
  • Document and evaluate design decisions
Model answer
Architectural drawing of a tiny house featuring ground floor and mezzanine floor plans, elevation, and sectional view, with labeled areas for kitchen, dining, bathroom, and bedroom, plus measurements in millimeters.

Completed plans and elevations for a tiny house at a scale of 1:50 on an A2 sheet.

A pencil sketch of a building with a rectangular main structure and an attached semicircular entrance featuring a conical roof. The drawing is in an isometric perspective with light construction lines.

A planometric drawing of tiny house with manual methods.

A simple black-and-white line drawing of a room with three windows, a rectangular sofa, a rectangular table, and a bench against the back wall under the central window.

A one-point perspective drawing of a tiny house with a digital method. Instructions for this drawing are shown at the end of this page.

VCD Design process

The VCD design process is a framework that illustrates the process designers use. It is based on a model conceived by the UK Design Council in 2003. There are four stages to the VCD Double Diamond design process. Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. Each uses different kinds of thinking. Sometimes designers need to think outside the box. Thinking outwards is called Divergent Thinking. At other times, they are trying to narrow and refine their ideas. This is called Convergent Thinking. The design process structures everything a designer does, from generating their first inspiration to delivering a design solution to their client.

Areas of study in Target Learning VCD emphasise different stages of the VCD Design process.

A double-diamond diagram illustrates the design process: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. It shows divergent and convergent thinking, with iterations, and icons for each phase including a lightbulb, document, and framed solution.

The VCD Double Diamond design process. Note the positions of Divergent and Convergent thinking. 

A graphic of a red sailing ship on the left with a dashed red arrow curving over a blue globe on the right, all within a gray circular border.

Discover

Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions and explore design problems and opportunities.
A circular icon with blue and green arrows pointing outward in eight different directions from the center, set against a light green background.
A circular icon with a red and white quartered design, inspired by the Double Diamond Design Process VCD, is centered on a background of blue and light blue checkerboard squares.

Define

Use Convergent Thinking to analyse, evaluate and present information for Human-Centred design.
A pink circle with six red arrows pointing inward toward the center, creating a star-like pattern where the arrowheads meet.
A circular graphic with three stylized airplanes in blue, white, and red, layered diagonally on a light gray background. The planes have simple outlines and minimal details.

Develop

Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions, test and explore ideas with unexpected results.
A circular icon with blue and green arrows pointing outward in eight different directions from the center, set against a light green background.
A red delivery truck with a white airplane icon and motion lines on its side, symbolizing fast or express shipping, on a light grey and blue background.

Deliver

Use Convergent Thinking to evaluate, refine, resolve and present design solutions to meet audiences and users' needs.
A pink circle with six red arrows pointing inward toward the center, creating a star-like pattern where the arrowheads meet.

Graphic indicators representing each stage of the design process used in Target Learning VCD.

Jump to
Solving housing crisis
Audiences needs constraints
research
Develop design ideas
Visualise design ideas
Select & resolve design concepts
Document Design concepts
Scale
Plans
Elevations
Deliver Design Solutions
Two-dimenisonal drawing
Three-Dimensional drawing
Prepare for submission
Assessment Criteria

Solving the housing crisis

In this section, students will explore and gain insight into the housing needs of contemporary audiences and users. They will learn how understanding audiences’ and users’ needs and requirements informs the writing of a communication need. They will also research various existing designs and regulations for towing trailers.

A graphic of a red sailing ship on the left with a dashed red arrow curving over a blue globe on the right, all within a gray circular border.

Discover

Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions and explore design problems and opportunities.
A circular icon with blue and green arrows pointing outward in eight different directions from the center, set against a light green background.
A circular icon with a red and white quartered design, inspired by the Double Diamond Design Process VCD, is centered on a background of blue and light blue checkerboard squares.

Define

Use Convergent Thinking to analyse, evaluate and present information for Human-Centred design.
A pink circle with six red arrows pointing inward toward the center, creating a star-like pattern where the arrowheads meet.

Background

The current ‘housing crisis’ is caused by several factors. These include Australians’ preference for large blocks of land with enormous houses known as ‘McMansions’. These dwellings are expensive to construct and use excessive amounts of land and resources for building, heating, and cooling. Expanding the already sprawling suburbs is simply unsustainable.

 

One way to contribute to solving this crisis of unsustainable unaffordability in housing is to build relocatable tiny houses. These frequently ‘off-grid’ housing solutions offer all the space and comfort a couple needs without consuming large areas of land. They can be adapted for permanent, transient, or temporary accommodation. This task will explore the benefits of tiny houses.

The Tiny House

A tiny house is a small, often relocatable housing solution. They often incorporate environmentally sustainable features such as off-grid electricity and water collection systems. They provide an alternative to the ongoing consumption of land and resources caused by endless urban expansion in new suburbs, which suits a more minimal lifestyle. Tiny houses use less land and material than traditional housing. They can help address Australia’s housing crisis. This task will explore the benefits and design of tiny houses.

Circular Design Practices

Designing a more sustainable future is a current trend in design practice. Governments are helping businesses shift from the ‘Linear Economy’ to a ‘Circular Economy’. This latter model focuses on reducing waste by minimising energy use and reusing non-renewable resources. The tiny house often includes key sustainability features, such as renewable materials, including wood and fully renewable solar energy. Students can find out more about Circular Design Practices by visiting the page linked below.
A cozy wooden patio with a bar counter and stools, large sliding glass doors, a covered pergola, and an outdoor seating area with a couch and umbrella beside a modern tiny house in a wooded area.
Exterior view of Aussie Tiny House Teewah. (Image: used with permission from Aussie Tiny Houses.)
A modern tiny house interior with wooden floors and ceiling, a gray sofa, a cozy green pillow and throw, a loft with a ladder, large windows showing trees outside, and a compact kitchen with open shelves.
Living space interior view of Aussie Tiny House Teewah. (Image: used with permission from Aussie Tiny Houses.)
Modern, bright tiny house interior with a kitchen featuring white cabinets, wood countertops, and black fixtures. A cozy living area, ladder to loft, plants, and large windows with forest views complete the space.
Kitchen space interior view of Aussie Tiny House Teewah. (Image: used with permission from Aussie Tiny Houses.)
A black metal trailer frame on wheels is parked on pavement, with two completed tiny houses and modern buildings visible in the background under a clear sky.
Trailer for transporting your Aussie Tiny House. (Image: used with permission from Aussie Tiny Houses.)
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For further information on Circular Design Practices, click the link at right.
White recycling symbol with arrows in the center of a green circle, a stack of round objects on the left, and torn paper pieces on the right, representing paper recycling.
Circular Design Practices
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Audiences, needs and constraints

A smiling man and woman stand in front of a modern tiny house with wood and black metal siding, surrounded by trees. The tiny house has a lit porch and steps leading to the door.
A family of four, two adults and two children, sits smiling on the steps of a small wooden house in a yard with trees and a fence in the background, during early evening.

Consider the kinds of people, users of tiny houses are. (Images: AI generated.)

Before students start designing, they need to understand who might want to live in tiny houses. People who use a design are called the audience or users. Consider the images above. When we define an audience, we look at facts about them and consider their thoughts and actions. This is known as mindsets and behaviours. Facts about audiences are called demographics. Information about how they think and behave is called psychographics.

Demographics

Three common ways to define an audience with demographics are;

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Location

Psychographics

  • What the audience thinks and the activities they like to do

task

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1.1 Circular Design Practices

Visit the page on Circular Design Practices. Consider the graphics that depict the Linear Economy and the Circular Economy. Answer the following questions;

  1. Write separate headings for Linear and Circular Economies. List the significant steps in each model.
  2. Write one sentence under each heading to explain each model.
  3. Explain the difference between the linear and circular economies
  4. Explain one way the design of houses could use circular design practices to create more sustainable housing
1.2 Audience and users
Referring to the dot points above, define the audience for tiny houses using demographic and psychographic information.
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Research

A gray tiny house on wheels is being towed along a road. The tiny house has several windows, solar panels on the roof, and an air conditioning unit attached at the rear. Cars and trees are visible in the background.
An olive-green off-road utility truck with large tires is driving on a road, pulling a trailer with a small house structure. There are trees and power lines in the background.

Delivery of a Hauslein tiny house being transported to a site in New South Wales.

A modern tiny house on wheels sits on grassy ground near a lake, surrounded by tall trees. The house features wood and dark metal paneling, with large windows reflecting the sunlight.
The Gunyah tiny house. (Image: used with permission from Hauslein Tiny House Co.).
A cozy tiny house interior with wood accents, a small kitchen, a loft bed accessed by a ladder, a sliding barn door, and sunlight streaming through large windows.
Kitchen space of the Gunyah tiny house. (Image: used with permission from Hauslein Tiny House Co.).
Three neatly arranged modern bedroom setups are shown side by side. Each room features a bed, desk, chair, and wall art, with soft lighting and minimal, stylish decor in neutral and green tones.
A computer render of the interior of a Mods on the Move tiny house. (Image: Used with permission from Mods on the Move).
Four illustrated floor plans of a tiny house, showing two external views and two interior layouts: one with a couch and one with a bed, each featuring kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces. Text reads Gunyah Layouts and Hauslen.
Isometric views of two layouts for the Gunyah tiny house. (Image: used with permission from Hauslein Tiny House Co.).

Needs, constraints and expectations

Tiny houses are full of features that their owners prefer. Features or specifications for designs are known as 'constraints'. Some of these are physical features, others are features for sustainability and lifestyle. These are the expectations users have about their homes.

Here are some links where we can find out about Australia’s best tiny houses:

Defining a communication need

A communication need is an open-ended statement that outlines what a designer is required to do. However, it does not specify what a design solution looks like. It is deliberately open-ended to allow a designer to work creatively. Here’s an example communication need for this task:

“Design a tiny house with environmentally sustainable features”

A research summary page on tiny houses with sections 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 & 2.6, including images of modern tiny houses and text about constraints, communication needs, and best sizes for relocatable houses.
A collage titled Tiny House Ideas shows photos of compact kitchen, living, and bathroom interiors, each with URLs and brief descriptions highlighting efficient use of small spaces, modern design, and space-saving solutions.

Two pages of research investigating tiny houses. Amber Pallero.

task

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The following tasks might be best done in table groups. Students should create a page to record the following information.

2.1 Tiny houses

Using the links above, research tiny houses. Collect ten images of tiny houses you like. Stick them onto an A3 page. Annotate them to identify and describe the spaces and materials used. Don’t forget to add the URL under each image you collect.

2.2 Constraints and expectations
Identify three constraints and expectations that users might have for a tiny house. Refer to functional and ‘Circular Design Practice’ sustainability features.
2.3 Communication need

Copy down the communication need shown above. This will set the direction for your design process.

2.4 Finding sizes 1

Make a new page in your visual diary. Work in groups to make a list of then things your think you might need in a tiny house. Search up and record the sizes. Some examples include:

  • Queen size bed
  • Small dining table
  • Toilet
  • Shower base
  • Stove
2.5 Finding sizes 2

Using the links above, discover the best and typical size (length and width) for a relocatable tiny house. Record your findings.

2.6 Finding sizes 3
Visit this website to find out the maximum width allowed for road transport. Write the answer down.
2.7 Plotting sizes

Once we have an idea of the maximum size for a relocatable tiny house, mark the actual size with masking tape in your classroom or nearby space.

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Develop design ideas

In this section, students start to resolve design concepts. They learn how to present their ideas in a collaborative design critique and provide constructive feedback to their peers. They evaluate and select design concepts for resolution and documentation.

A circular graphic with three stylized airplanes in blue, white, and red, layered diagonally on a light gray background. The planes have simple outlines and minimal details.

Develop

Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions, test and explore ideas with unexpected results.

Visualise design ideas

When designing a new product, designers start by creating numerous sketches. Remember, the objective of the Develop stage is to think divergently. That is, creatively and without limits. In this stage, students will produce A3 pages filled with drawings of potential ideas for a tiny house. They will utilise line techniques through the manual method of freehand sketching. Some visualisation sketches are shown below.

A pencil sketch shows four views of a modern, boxy building with notes. Features include geometric forms, a deck, wheels for mobility, and design elements inspired by a grain silo and contemporary shapes.
A page of visualisation sketches. Try to fill you page with alternating two and three-dimensional sketches.
Hand-drawn sketches show two house floor plans labeled Top and Bottom, with rooms and furniture marked, plus exterior views of the houses front and side, and a tree next to the house. Annotations label rooms and features.
Begin visualising your tiny house with freehand sketching. Harlow McCallum.
Hand-drawn sketches of unique modern house exteriors with angular roofs and large glass walls, labeled “exterior ideas.” Notes and design decisions are written on the right side of the page.

Visualise your tiny house by experimenting with different approaches. This image also shows annotations of the design decisions the student made. Amber Pallero.

task

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3.1 Visualise ideas

Create two A3 pages of visualisation drawings for the exterior form of your tiny house. Work in 2D and 3D. Just use line to get your ideas down quickly

3.2 Identify and evaluate design decisions

Identify and describe the design decisions you have made in annotations. Evaluate them and suggest possibilities for improvement

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Select and resolve design concepts

The next step in the Develop phase is for student to evaluate their work and select the concepts that might be best to refine. ‘Refine’ in VCD, means to improve.

We will use a mini critique method to help get feedback and select the ideas that might best suit our users’ requirements and address the communication need. After students have selected their best ideas, they will start improving them in more formal drawings using colour to represent materials.

Hand-drawn two-level floor plan labeled with rooms and furniture. Lower level: kitchen, bathroom, lounge, table, and chair. Upper level: bedroom with bed, pillows, bedside table, closet, and stairs.

Development of concepts includes beginning to use conventions for environmental design. Ariella Rivo.

Hand-drawn architectural sketches of a tiny house on wheels, showing a floor plan, a sectional view, and a perspective view with notes detailing space usage, potential changes, and interior/exterior features.

A page of development sketches using grey lead and coloured pencils.

Identify, describe and evaluate

As students develop their drawings, they need to reflect on their successes and identify areas for improvement. Students record their reflective (convergent) thinking by writing annotations beside their drawings. They should identify the features, design elements, and materials they have experimented with. They should also evaluate the effectiveness of their designs.

task

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4.1 Design critique

Take turns showing your designs to your partner. Have them consider the needs of the audience and identify which designs they believe have the most potential for development. Note your partner’s selections and write down the reasons for their choices.

4.2 Develop design concepts

Develop one of your design concepts. Use two and three-dimensional sketching and colour to indicate materials. Annotate your design ideas and concepts. Identify the features you have included and the design elements you have used.

4.3 Identify and evaluate design decisions

Identify and describe the design decisions you have made. Evaluate them and suggest further possibilities for improvement.

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Document Design Concepts

In this section, students learn the conventions that environmental designers use for formal two-dimensional drawings to communicate information to clients and building practitioners. They learn about the concept of scale and practice creating correctly proportioned views of form and space at different sizes. They learn about the actual sizes of objects used in homes and how to draw them accurately in the scales they will use. Students conclude this stage by creating manual two-dimensional drawings of their selected Tiny House.

Two-dimensional drawings: Plans and elevations

Architectural drawing of a tiny house featuring ground floor and mezzanine floor plans, elevation, and sectional view, with labeled areas for kitchen, dining, bathroom, and bedroom, plus measurements in millimeters.

Completed plans and elevations for a Tiny House at a scale of 1:50 on an A2 sheet.

Architectural floor plan and elevation of a small rectangular house, showing one bedroom, bathroom with WC and shower, kitchen, living room, two windows, and a sliding door. Technical labels and measurements are included throughout.
A plan and one elevation for the Mod 5 Independent 1 tiny house. Note that these two drawings are at the same scale as the ones students are using: 1:50. (Image: Used with permission from Mods on the Move).
Architectural drawing showing three elevations (B, C, D) of a rectangular building with pitched and flat roof sections, labeled dimensions, windows, and cladding details. Title block and construction information included at the bottom.
Three remaining elevations for the Mod 5 Independent 1 tiny house. Note that the elevations are not named by their orientation, as tiny houses can be located in any direction. (Image: Used with permission from Mods on the Move).

Environmental designers, such as architects, use a special kind of two-dimensional drawing to depict information about buildings and environments for their clients. These kinds of drawings use conventions (rules) for how they are drawn and to enable them to be read accurately. Conventions include aspects such as views, scales, symbols, dimensions and labels. We will learn how to incorporate them in our drawings.

The drawing above shows a completed drawing for this task. Let’s work out how to get from freehand sketches to here.

Scale

Before we start resolving (improving and perfecting) our design, we need to understand how big things in a tiny house are in real life, and how big we should draw them on a sheet of paper. Consider the following information:

A tiny house typically measures about 6 m in length and approximately 2.5 m in width. This size will not fit onto a piece of paper; we will have to draw it smaller than its real-life dimensions. Environmental designers utilise a scale to maintain proportionality when creating designs on paper. Builders comprehend ‘scale’ when interpreting a drawing. A scale is represented as follows:

  • 1:50

This is said ‘one to fifty’. It means the drawing (1) is shown fifty (50) times smaller than the real thing. Environmental designers use several different scales, including:

  • 1:100
  • 1:50
  • 1:20
  • 1:10

Scale table

Let’s explore how large we should make things at 1:50. This means we will divide the real size by 50 to determine the size on the drawing. I have created a list of items and their sizes in real life. Fill in the sizes in the table at 1:50. Oh, and by the way, architects use millimetres, not centimetres.

Part of a building

Real size (in millimetres)

Size at 1:50

2 metre wall length

2000

Write the dimension here.

Tiny House wall height

2100

Write the dimension here.

Tiny House door height

2000

Write the dimension here.

Door width

800

Write the dimension here.

External (outside) wall thickness

100

Write the dimension here.

Window sample

800 x 800

Write the dimension here.

Kitchen bench

600 x 1400

Write the dimension here.

Kitchen bench and table height

750

Write the dimension here.

Shower base

900 x 900

Write the dimension here.

Queen size bed length x width

2000 x 1600

Write the dimension here.

task

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Measurement can be quite challenging, especially if students have little prior experience. Let's try a couple of exercises to help students become more familiar with it.

5.1 How big is 'how big is it'?

Imagine some dimensions, such as 50, 200, 600, and 450 millimetres. Use your hands to visualise these sizes. Have a partner check your estimates. Familiarise yourself with how these sizes appear.

5.2 How big is it in scale?

Here, it gets more difficult. In this task, we are working at 1:50. Practice converting all the sizes we tried above to 1:50. How do we do it quickly? Simply divide the number by 100, then double the answer. Try some numbers now and write them down.

5.3 How big does it look on the page?

Now, measure and draw three rectangles at a scale of 1:50. The sizes you need to create are 1 m x 2 m, 2 m x 4 m, and 6 m x 2.5 m in real life. Draw them at the scale of 1:50.

5.4 Scales Table

Create a table like the one shown above. Complete the sizes at 1:50.

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Drawing to scale

A whiteboard drawing of a small room floor plan with measurements, doors, and fixtures. The plan is labeled with dimensions in millimeters, and a black marker rests on the whiteboard’s frame.

A sketch plan of a tiny house. This is not drawn to scale

Consider the drawing shown at left. It is not drawn to scale, but has dimensions shown. In the task below, you will interpret the drawing and draw it to scale in your books. You might be surprised at how the proportions change.

task

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6.1 Redraw at scale

Consider the sketch plan shown above. Redraw it at 1:50 scale in your books.

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Resolving our design

Plans

Now that students have an idea of how big a tiny house and its contents are, when drawn at 1:50 scale, they are ready to resolve their initial ideas. In the task below, students draw a ruled plan of their tiny house at scale. This might not be their very final design, but by using the scale, they will become closer to drawing things in proportion.

Hand-drawn floor plan sketch showing a curved room on the left, a central hallway with stairs, a bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower, and additional rooms to the right.
A sketch working at scale and with conventions.
Hand-drawn floor plans of rooms with the title Drawing Plans to Scale written in blue letters at the top. The scale is noted as 1:50 on the left. The plans show room layouts and basic furnishings.
A student development drawing of a tiny house at 1:50 scale. Amber Pallero.
Jump to
For further information on Plans and elevations and scale, click the links at right.
A simple architectural drawing shows a square floor plan above two elevation views labeled South Elevation with a door and North Elevation as a plain square, over a light green background.
Plans & Elevations
Illustration of a person holding a sign with a yellow SUV and the ratio 1:10, indicating a scale model, against a light green circular background.
Scale

task

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7.1 Drawing a Plan at scale

Use a ruler to help you draw a Plan view of your tiny house at the scale of 1:50. Don’t forget to show the features, including the wall thicknesses, door widths, tables and benches at the sizes you calculated in the previous steps. Label your drawing and include the scale.

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Elevations

An elevation is like a side or end view of a building. Elevations also follow conventions in how they are drawn. They can portray the outside (exterior), the inside (interior), or depict a slice through (section) of a house. Elevations provide information about what things look like when viewed from one point in two dimensions. They are dimensioned in the same way as Plans. When drawing elevations, one must be mindful that lines shown in one plane coincide with the same lines in the Plan view.

Hand-drawn architectural sketch showing a small buildings floor plan (top) and exterior elevation (bottom), with red arrows indicating corresponding sections between the two views.

Note: how to draw an elevation by extending lines from a plan.

A simple line drawing of a building with vertical siding, featuring a tall, narrow window on the right section and a slanted roof over the left section.

A sketch elevation made from the sketch plan shown above.

task

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7.2 Drawing and Elevation at scale

Draw one Elevation of your tiny house at 1:50 scale. Make sure any vertical lines correspond with the same lines on your Plan.

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Deliver design solutions

In this section, students learn how to use the digital media of Adobe Illustrator ® to draw accurate and scalable plans and elevations. They undergo a brief workshop on Illustrator ®, then work independently to construct and print documented design solutions for assessment.

A red delivery truck with a white airplane icon and motion lines on its side, symbolizing fast or express shipping, on a light grey and blue background.

Deliver

Use Convergent Thinking to evaluate, refine, resolve and present design solutions to meet audiences and users' needs.
A pink circle with six red arrows pointing inward toward the center, creating a star-like pattern where the arrowheads meet.

Two-Dimensional drawing

Adobe Illustrator ® Workshop

Screenshot of Adobe Illustrator showing a floor plan design with labeled areas: DINING, KITCHEN, and BATH. Measurement lines, guides, and editing panels are visible on the interface.

A screen shot of a tiny house plan being constructed in Adobe Illustrator ®.

Part 1

Students will follow their teacher’s instructions to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator ®. to make a digital copy of their Plans and Elevations. Teachers may conduct a workshop where students work together, creating one plan. Recommended topics include:

  • Opening Adobe Illustrator ®.
  • Creating a new file
  • Setting Adobe Illustrator ®. Workspace and Preferences
  • Art boards
  • Layers
  • Using the Rectangle tool
    • Fill and stroke
  • Using the Line tool
  • Setting and controlling dimensions with the Transform pallet
  • Using Guides
  • The Line tool
  • Short-cuts: zoom, move/ hand tool, Select and Direct select tools
  • Saving a file

A quick (30 minute) tutorial to show students how to set up the basic shape of their tiny house plan, accurately at 1:50 scale.

task

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8.1 Digital Plan and Elevation

Apply the techniques you learned in the Adobe Illustrator ® workshop to create a digital plan and elevation of the tiny house you designed. Save and print your drawing.

Part 2

In the second part of the workshop, students will learn how to add dimensions, label each view and create a title box for the drawing. Teachers and students should refer to the page on Plans and Elevations for details on conventions. They can also use the drawing shown above for reference. This workshop should focus on:

  • Using the Line tool
  • Controlling the stroke
  • Making crosses to terminate dimension lines
  • Using the Type tool
  • Styling type
Black-and-white floor plans of a small house with labeled measurements, showing kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and spiral staircase; beside an exterior front elevation with two windows and handwritten notes.

Beginning to draw a plan and elevation with digital method. The student has marked up the dimensions she will need to add. Harlow McCallum.

Black and white architectural floor plans and elevations for a tiny house, showing two interior layouts with labeled kitchen, bathroom, seating, spiral stairs, and two exterior roof views with window placements and dimensions.

The completed plan and elevation. Note the changes she has made in resolving the design. Harlow McCallum.

task

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8.2 Add dimensions and labels

Apply the techniques you’ve learned in the Adobe Illustrator ® workshop to add dimensions, labels, and a title box to your drawing. Afterwards, save and print your drawing.

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Three-Dimensional drawing

CAUTION

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Good to know
Paraline and perspective drawing

The paraline planometric and the two-point perspective methods are fantastic ways for students to learn how to represent the form of their tiny-house designs. Students will be required to use these methods in VCE Units 1 and 2 VCD, so it is preferable to introduce them to these systems during Years 9 and 10. However, they can be complex methods for teachers to teach and for students to learn and demonstrate. Target Learning recommends that teachers use their judgment regarding the level of independence they expect from their students in the following tasks. In some circumstances, it may be sufficient for students to reproduce a drawing,

Planometric Drawing

Drawing Plans and Elevations in two dimensions are a good way to ensure that a building is made exactly as it is designed, but it isn’t such a great way for a designer to communicate the look of a building to a client. The best way for to show their client is with a realistic, three-dimensional drawing. One easy method of drawing in three-dimensions is called ‘planometric’ drawing. It is easy to do and using a 45/ 45 degree set square allows people to keep things in proportion as they can measure along the sides of their drawing with real measurements. The drawing below is a planometric drawing of the Tiny House designed in this assignment. A planometric drawing can be easily done manually or digitally, on Adobe Illustrator ®.

For further information on planometric drawing, visit the page linked below.

A pencil sketch of a building with a rectangular main structure and an attached semicircular entrance featuring a conical roof. The drawing is in an isometric perspective with light construction lines.

Planometric drawing of the exterior of Tiny House

A hand-drawn planometric sketch of a rectangular building with three windows and an open doorway, labeled PLANOMETRIC DRAWING in blue text at the top.

Pencil drawing of exterior of Tiny House. Amber Pallero.

Process
Students should follow these steps to draw a planometric drawing of the exterior of their Tiny House using a 45/ 45 degree set square:

  1. Draw a V shape near the bottom of your paper using both sides of your set square
  2. Draw the plan of your Tiny House, rotated at 45 degrees. Draw it at the same scale as your plan. Don’t draw the interior details. You don’t need them for an exterior view
  3. Raise vertical lines about 100 mm from each corner of your drawing
  4. Turn to the Elevation you drew and measure the heights of walls
  5. Measure up the vertical lines from each corner and mark the tops of the walls
  6. Join the points at the top of each wall
  7. Add details like windows and doors
  8. Add 3D details like the inside of window and door frames

Here is a step by step video of how to construct a Planometric drawing with a manual method. You can also find it on the Planometric page, linked below.

One-point perspective

Perspective drawing is used to give a more natural representation of form. One-point perspective is often used for interior views. Teachers may find they need to spend some time introducing and teaching the fundamental knowledge and skills for one-point perspective before their students can undertake the task of drawing an exterior view of their tiny house. Information on one-point perspective can be found on the page linked below.

Manual method
Use a pencil, rulers and paper to construct a two-point perspective drawing of your tiny house.

For further information on one-point perspective, visit the page linked below.

Digital method
As an extension exercise, teachers may instruct their students to use Adobe Illustrator ® or an equivalent digital media to construct a one-point perspective of their tiny house. As a guide, students can follow the steps below to complete their drawing. It is easier than it looks.

A modern kitchen with white walls, wood floors, and a central wooden island. Red and blue lines form a grid, showing perspective and alignment, with a skylight above and large windows on the left.

Note how there are three kinds of lines in a one-point perspective view: vertical and horizontal lines (shown blue) and receding lines (shown red). The receding lines converge (meet) at one point, directly in front of the observer. This point is the vanishing point.

A black and white floor plan showing a rectangular bedroom with a double bed, desk, chair, shelving, and a sink; a side view of the desk area with a window is shown to the right.

Step 1: Prepare a plan and elevation of your tiny house.

A minimal line drawing shows three staggered rectangular blocks at the bottom and a framed square on the wall above them in an otherwise empty room.

Step 2: Create a rectangle the same proportions as your elevation.

A minimalist line drawing of a room with a large, square frame on the wall containing a red plus sign, a low bench or table below, and a taller rectangular structure on the right side.

Step 3: Determine the position for the vanishing point. This does not have to be in the middle and it is at a natural height for an observer.

A minimalist line drawing of a room with a window, sofa, and table. Red diagonal lines with a starburst intersect at the center, illustrating the vanishing point in one-point perspective.

Step 4: Project (draw) lines from all of the corners of the features in the elevation back to the vanishing point.

A geometric line drawing features overlapping squares, diagonal lines, and intersecting shapes. A red square is centered within the design, surrounded by grey lines, boxes, and abstract forms.

Step 5: Estimate a size for your back wall.

A simple floor plan of a rectangular room with a bed at the top, a small sink and counter on the right, a table at the bottom left, three doors, and red diagonal lines forming an X and cross pattern.

Step 6:Divide your plan into quarters using diagonal lines.

A simple line drawing showing a perspective grid with vanishing lines in red converging at a single point on the horizon, overlaid on outlines of a table, a window, and furniture.

Step 7:Divide the floor of your perspective using the same method.

A line drawing of a room in one-point perspective, with red lines converging from the edges of furniture to a single vanishing point on the back wall.

Step 8:Project points for the width of each object back to the vanishing point.

A geometric perspective drawing shows a room with a square window, benches, and red horizontal lines indicating perspective guides, all converging toward a vanishing point at the center back wall.

Step 9: Referring to your plan, determine the depths for each object.

Line drawing of a room in one-point perspective, with red arrows and lines showing how objects recede towards a single vanishing point at the center of the back wall.

Step 10: Determine the height of your first object by finding a top corner on the elevation, then project it to the nearest wall, then project the height back to the vanishing point then to the rear of the object.

A perspective drawing of a room with a window, furniture, and red arrows pointing to the window’s bottom edge where perspective lines converge toward a central vanishing point.

Step 11: Project lines upwards from the corners of your first object.

A perspective drawing of a room with red arrows pointing to vanishing points on the horizon line, demonstrating linear perspective with faint outlines of windows and furniture.

Step 12: Project lines forward from the vanishing point, through the top corners on your object to define its height.

A geometric line drawing showing a room in one-point perspective, with vanishing lines converging at a central point on the back wall. Red lines highlight the top and bottom edges of a rectangular object.

Step 13: Determine the front of the object.

A black-and-white line drawing of a room in one-point perspective, showing a bed in the center, a window on the far wall, and faint outlines of furniture and perspective lines converging at a single vanishing point.

Step 14: Clarify the object.

A perspective drawing of a room with a couch and a table, showing red lines converging to a single vanishing point on the back wall to illustrate one-point perspective.

Step 15: Establish the height and width of your next object. I am doing the kitchen unit on the right. Project a line back to the vanishing point from the height at the front on the elevation and the bottom corner.

A perspective drawing of a room with a bed, showing red arrows pointing upward from different sections of the bed to the vanishing point at the center of the back wall.

Step 16: Rise lines from the corners of your object you have found by projecting lines to the vanishing point.

A perspective drawing of a room with a bed in the center, showing vanishing points and perspective lines; two red arrows point rightward from the side of the bed, demonstrating depth.

Step 17: Establish the top of the object.

Line drawing of a simple room in one-point perspective, showing geometric outlines of walls, floor, ceiling, a rectangular table, and a box-shaped object, with perspective lines converging at a central vanishing point.

Step 18: Clarify the object.

A black and white perspective drawing of a room with furniture, using red lines to show vanishing points and guide the construction of a rectangular object in space.

Step 19: Define your last object, if you have one. I have crated this one.

A black-and-white line drawing of a room using one-point perspective, showing geometric furniture shapes, a central vanishing point on the back wall, and guiding perspective lines.

Step 20: Clarify the object. This is a couch so I have cut into the crate.

A black and white drawing of a room in two-point perspective with red arrows pointing from the corners of objects to a single vanishing point on the back wall. Geometric shapes represent furniture.

Step 21: Trace the height of the window from the front to the back of the box.

A geometric line drawing of a room in perspective, featuring boxes resembling furniture and red arrows pointing toward a vanishing point at the center of the far wall, illustrating perspective lines and depth.

Step 22: Trace the width of the window from the front to the back of the box.

Line drawing of a simple room in one-point perspective, showing a bed, rectangular furniture pieces, and a framed object on the back wall, with construction lines leading to a central vanishing point.

Step 23: Clarify the window.

A line drawing of a room using one-point perspective, with red arrows showing perspective lines converging at a single vanishing point in the center of a back wall window. Basic furniture shapes are included.

Step 24: Set the heights for the side windows by tracing and projecting from the back window.

A one-point perspective line drawing of a room with furniture, featuring red arrows showing vertical and horizontal measurements and lines converging toward a single vanishing point on the back wall.

Step 25: Set the depths of both side windows the same.

Line drawing of a room in one-point perspective, showing walls, ceiling, floor, two sofas, a table, and three windows. Perspective lines converge at a single vanishing point on the back wall.

Step 26: Clarify the windows.

A black and white line drawing of a room in one-point perspective, featuring a window, furniture, and red diagonal perspective lines converging at the vanishing point on the back wall.

Step 27: Add depth to the windows.

Line drawing of a simple room in one-point perspective, showing a window on the far wall, two side windows, a sofa on the left, a table in the center, and a rectangular cabinet on the right. Perspective guidelines are visible.

Step 28: Clarify the windows.

A simple black-and-white line drawing of a room with three windows, a rectangular sofa, a rectangular table, and a bench against the back wall under the central window.

Step 29: Clarify the drawing.

Jump to

For further information on Planometric and One-point perspective drawing, click the links at right.

A white cube is shown above a 45-degree set square on an orange circle background, illustrating an isometric or axonometric projection.
Planometric
A green circle with a white, cube-like square in the center. A gray line runs horizontally through the middle, intersecting an orange dot in the center of the square.
One-point perspective

task

Image
Show I know ...

Please note (as above): Depending on the time available and their local context, teachers may ask their students to represent the form of their tiny house using the paraline method of planometric drawing or one-point perspective, or both. Using both methods introduces students to these methods prior to developing their skills in Unit 1 Outcome 3 and Unit 2 Outcome 1.

9.1 Manual/ Digital Planometric Exterior

Use the process above to draw a manual or digital planometric exterior view of your Tiny House.

9.2 Manual/ Digital Perspective interior

Use the process above to draw a manual or digital one-point perspective exterior view of your Tiny House.

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Preparing for submission

In this final section, students prepare their folios for presentation and assessment. They identify and describe the visual language and conventions they have used, and evaluate their design decisions, giving reasons for their choices at various stages. Students check that they have completed all the tasks and are satisfied with their work.

task

Image
Show I know ...
10.1 Document design journey
  1. Go over your folio and select some images to annotate. Identify and describe the design elements and methods or other components of visual language you have used to communicate ideas and information.
  2. Select images that show where you made design decisions. Explain why you made the choices you did.
White percent symbol (%) on a coral pink background.

assessment criteria

Below is shown a broad indication of the evidence a student should show.

Click here to purchase the Supplementary Materials kit, including the Course Guide, assessment rubrics and test templates.

The extent to which the student:

  • Define audiences and users, referring to demographic and psychographic information
  • Visualise design ideas and resolve design concepts, documenting and evaluating design decisions
  • Use two-dimensional manual and digital drawing methods and media to depict form and space
  • Use conventions for documenting information in environmental drawings
  • Use a three-dimensional paraline or perspective method for representing form

Please note: To achieve good marks in criteria-based assessment, you must include some work for each part of the task. Spread your time evenly across the tasks.

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