The Trade-off: Why We Always Choose Mastery Over Speed.

 This week, we had fewer formal classes, but the high-value problems we solved—from invisible walls to project overruns—proved the power of one core principle: Effectiveness is the only path to mastery.

We believe that chasing shortcuts leads to chronic, frustrating problems that cost you money and time.

Instead, we focus on providing systems and solutions that give you:

Certainty (Like using DCA for fee proposals).

Clarity (Like understanding layer elevation troubleshooting).

Control (Like using Solar Studies for informed design).

If you are tired of fast drawing leading to bad outcomes, it's time to invest in effective mastery.

➡️ Join our community built on effective, premium workflows: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about

Quick preview for files on macintosh #vectorworks #macintosh

 

Good Design Isn't Guesswork. Why Effective Analysis Trumps Speed.

Efficiency might help you draw a wall faster, but Effectiveness ensures that wall is facing the right direction.

Last week, we dove into the importance of Solar Studies—a non-negotiable step in high-quality architectural design.

We covered how to quickly yet accurately run solar analyses to understand shadow impact, daylight penetration, and overheating risks. Effective design is informed design; it means using the tools that give you certainty, not assumptions.

Learn how to integrate critical analysis into your workflow without sacrificing production time.

➡️ Watch the session on effective design analysis:

https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/solar-study

Why Did Your Wall Disappear? The Root Cause is Always Effectiveness.

It's one of the most common, frustrating Vectorworks issues: the element you just drew vanishes.

In our community session last week, we tackled this core troubleshooting problem by answering a member's question: Why are my walls not visible, and what does the Layer plane have to do with layer elevation?

We broke down how effective modeling means understanding the fundamental relationship between the layer's elevation settings and the object's planar constraints. The wrong setting isn't a quick fix—it's a sign of a deeper modeling misunderstanding.

Stop wasting time searching for invisible objects. Master the foundational settings.

➡️ Access the troubleshooting solution and discussion replay: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/trouble-with-wall-component-displaying-fills-in-2d

Create your own Community on Skool.com

Last year I moved my website from a WordPress site to Skool.com. The idea behind us was that my WordPress site had so much maintenance required and that the Skool.com site would not require the same level of maintenance. The platform takes care of all of the maintenance, all of the money, and is continuously updating to a new features.

The most important part of the Skool community is the fact that it is a community. This is a place where you can start your own community getting people involved to help you with your passion, and to help them with theirs. It is a really useful platform for making a community.

You probably know that most of my community is based around Vectorworks. But I also have other communities that are to help people with ArchiCAD and with basic computer literacy.

If you want to start your own community check out Skool.com and check out the people at the classified ads where you can advertise your new platform.

If you want to start your own community, try this link:

https://www.skool.com/signup?ref=318e7b670bcd488997b7ffe9fbb40147

This is my affiliate link if you want to join the classified pages. Yes, I get a little bit from this, but I'll also help to get you on board if you want:

https://www.skool.com/classifieds/about?ref=318e7b670bcd488997b7ffe9fbb40147

Heliodon Tool

 

Master the 'Revert to Saved' Trick in Vectorworks

Jonathan Pickup shares a valuable Vectorworks strategy, focusing on the "Revert to Saved" technique for managing design sessions efficiently. He guides listeners through the process of saving progress and experimenting with design ideas without losing important changes. Discover how to navigate undo limitations and maintain control over your project versions, especially when redesigning complex elements like kitchens or entire house layouts. Join Jonathan as he unpacks this handy tip, ensuring your design work remains flexible and worry-free.

https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about

Teaching Coding: A Crucial Skill for Future Architects

 

Embracing Code: The Essential Skill for Future Architects

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Key Takeaways

• Bridging Design and Technology: Understanding coding opens avenues for innovation and efficiency in architectural design.
• Structured Thinking as a Foundation: Learning coding fortifies structured thinking, which is crucial in design and problem-solving.
• Adaptation Is Key: With AI's rise, pairing it with a solid coding foundation can significantly enhance creativity and productivity.

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The Rising Influence of Coding in Architecture

In the rapidly evolving field of architecture, coding has made its mark as an indispensable skill. The conversation between Jonathan, Max, and Ethan highlights this shift, revealing how architectural technologists can harness the power of code to augment their capabilities. "If only they knew some coding, they could fix some of their," Max asserts, underscoring the latent potential within the industry that remains untapped. 

This statement captures a pivotal shift. With tools like Revit and Vectorworks stepping in, architects find themselves more involved in the technical intricacies of design. As Max shares, "You can then create your own nodes in Pascal or in Python. That's really empowering." Coding not only enhances efficiency but also broadens the scope of what architects can accomplish, reducing their reliance on predefined software limitations.

The broader implications are profound. Architects equipped with coding skills can leverage automation, significantly reducing manual tasks and allowing for more innovation. Moreover, the process of learning code fosters a mindset conducive to problem-solving, critical in architecture's dynamic environment.

Cultivating Structured Thinking Through Code

One of the central themes in the podcast is the vital role of structured thinking facilitated by coding. "The nature of code is structured thinking," Max proclaims, emphasizing its foundational importance. This structured approach is not new to architects who often dissect complex problems into manageable segments, akin to breaking down building designs into comprehensible elements.

Through practical examples, such as building a bookshelf using Vectorworks' Marionette, Jonathan illustrates the intersection of coding and design. "You need to have that make into a rectangle, then you need to have an elevation, a start elevation, and a top elevation," he explains. This process demands a clear, logical sequence—skills directly transferable to architectural problem-solving.

Structured thinking doesn't merely aid in coding; it streamlines the entire design process, allowing architects to foresee potential challenges and innovations during the conceptual stages. This mindset accelerates the transition from ideation to tangible outcomes, propelling architectural technology forward.

Positioning Coding as an Educational Imperative

Max, Jonathan, and Ethan converge on a compelling argument for incorporating coding into architectural education. "Is it important enough to put coding as part of that course?" Jonathan probes, to which Max conclusively responds, "The short answer is yes." This call for integration reflects a consensus that the future of architecture relies heavily on technologists adept at coding.

Max emphasizes, "There are books in four or five-year-olds learning to read that are written to teach them code," highlighting the urgency of this educational shift. In a world where young learners are already adopting coding, denying the same opportunity to architectural students risks their future competitiveness. As Ethan notes, coding facilitates the development of critical technical libraries, reducing redundancy and enhancing design capabilities.

This forward-looking approach to education carries broader implications. By embedding coding into the curriculum, educational institutions can nurture agile, innovative professionals ready to contribute to an industry in flux. Such a shift not only future-proofs students' careers but also ingrains a culture of continuous learning and adaptation—a necessity in any technological domain.

The dialogue seamlessly bridges the present with the future, encapsulating a shared belief in evolution. As AI and coding continue to intersect, professionals prepared to navigate this terrain will be invaluable, setting a new standard in architectural technology that aligns with global advancements. Emphasizing technology in education forms the bedrock for this progress, ensuring that future architects are equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive amidst change.

Listen here...

Murphy Bed

 

Efficiency is Overrated. Let’s Talk About EFFECTIVENESS.

This week's focus in our community is all about a core business philosophy: Stop working quicker at the wrong thing.

This Week's Deep Dives on Effectiveness 🛠️

Masterclass Highlight: The Premium Method for Handling Revisions.

With our guests, we tackled the high-stakes workflow of managing Title Block Borders, Issues, and Revisions, emphasizing how effective use of classes and the Title Block Manager maintains project integrity.

Newsletter Tip: Eliminating the Mindless Nudge.

We introduced the Move by Points Duplicate and Distribute technique, proving that a single command can be infinitely more effective than minutes of repetitive, imprecise work.

Architect Classroom: Refining Design Presentations. We covered how effective use of directional lighting and textured elevations elevates the quality of your client presentations.

Landscape Classroom: Strategic Symbol Use and Data. We dove into the effective use of symbols and Auto Hybrids for reusability, and assigning data for budgeting, ensuring project accuracy.

Are you ready to swap quick-fixes for long-term effectiveness?

Read the full story on eliminating the mindless nudge, subscribe to the newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gR2pb4bm

Join the conversation and access all class replays: https://lnkd.in/gUEu5H8S

What's one "quick-but-wrong" method you used to rely on before learning the effective way? Share your story below! 

When Mistakes Get Costly: Mastering Revisions in Vectorworks.

 If you think managing client revisions is just about placing a cloud and stamping a date, you're sacrificing effectiveness.

Our Masterclass this week tackled a high-stakes topic: The Premium Method for Handling Revisions.

We explored the crucial difference between Issues and Revisions and showcased tools that maintain clarity across large drawing sets, including:

Efficiently using Title Block Borders and the Title Block Manager.

Leveraging classes for control over revision clouds.

Effectiveness here means ensuring every person looking at your drawing knows exactly what changed and why, preventing errors that cost real money and time.

➡️ Join the community to access this critical Masterclass replay: https://lnkd.in/gMnMPTqU

The Secret to Effective Budgeting: Mastering Symbols and Data.

 In landscape design, efficiency often means reusing elements, but effectiveness means ensuring those elements are accurate and data-rich.

This week’s class dove into Strategic Symbol Use:

The effective differences between Auto Hybrids and Symbols.

How to assign data for budgeting to your reusable elements (like clotheslines), turning them into smart, functional objects.

Stop wasting time drawing the same thing repeatedly; start building an effective, data-driven library that automates your costings.

➡️ Master the data-driven workflow: https://lnkd.in/gEk-nsNH

Why Your 3D Elevations Need More Than Just Speed.

In our Architect Classroom last week, we reinforced the rule: Effectiveness means making the presentation count.

A fast model that looks flat is not effective. We focused on refinement techniques that give you an edge:

Using directional lighting to sculpt shadows effectively.

Generating textured elevations that accurately convey material intent.

Implementing complex elements like curtain walls with precision.

Learn to refine your presentations and elevate the quality of your architectural design output.

➡️ See the discussion replay inside the community: https://lnkd.in/g9P3hBpv

Why Your Next Common Stair Needs 3D Verification: An Architect's 30-Year View

⚠️ The High-Traffic Hazard: The Stakes for Common Stairs

The statistics on stair-related injuries are alarming, but when we move from a single private dwelling to a Common Stair (serving blocks of flats or multi-user buildings), the stakes are immediately higher.

In the UK, thousands of serious falls occur annually, and in a shared building, the design must accommodate everyone: the young, the elderly, and those carrying heavy loads or mobility aids. Any flaw in geometry here is a danger multiplied by every resident and visitor.

As a design professional, my mandate is safety and strict adherence to code. This requires a level of precision that demands a powerful 3D BIM workflow.

🇬🇧 Zero Tolerance for Error: UK Common Stair Regulations

In the UK, the design of a Common Stair is governed by Approved Document K (Protection from falling, collision and impact), falling under the General Access Stair category. These standards are intentionally stricter than those for a Private Stair:

Dimension	UK Regs (General Access/Common Stair)	Why it Matters
Maximum Pitch	38º	Significantly shallower than a private stair (42º) to improve usability for all ages and mobility levels.
Maximum Rise (R)	170mm	Lower rise height is crucial for easy ascent by the elderly or those with limited knee flexibility.
Minimum Going (G)	250mm	Deeper tread is required to provide more stable footing and reduce the risk of overstepping or tripping.
Critical Formula	550mm < 2R + G < 700 mm	This core relationship must be met with the tighter R and G constraints, making accurate calculation essential.
Headroom	Minimum 2000mm	Mandatory clearance to prevent users from striking their head.
Guarding	1100mm Minimum Height on Landings	Higher barrier for increased protection in public areas (often 900mm on the flights).

The challenge is fitting these tighter, safer dimensions into a realistic floor plan. A simple error of 5mm the rise on a Common Stair is a code violation and a guaranteed trip hazard for daily users.

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💡 The Solution: My 30 Years of Vectorworks Expertise

For three decades, my use of the Vectorworks BIM (Building Information Modeling) workflow has been the definitive tool for resolving these high-stakes design conflicts with absolute precision. This is what I teach:

1. Instant Code Enforcement (Beyond Manual Check)

When training designers on Common Stair construction, we embed understanding on the Building Regulations you are working with, for example, the precise 170mm max rise and 250mm min going and ensure we put this directly into the Vectorworks Stair Tool. This is not a manual check—it’s an enforced compliance tool that:

• Allows the designer to quickly iterate through design options (riser/going combinations).

• Flags a critical error immediately if the design exceeds the 38º pitch limit or violates the 2R + G formula. This proactive approach eliminates the most common sources of code failure.

2. Verification of Complex Geometry in 3D

For any stair that deviates from a straight run—especially those with winders—the difficulty increases exponentially.

In Vectorworks, we use the 3D model to confirm that the minimum 250mm going is maintained along the critical walking line for every single tapered tread. This geometric assurance is vital when designing for multi-user buildings.

3. Headroom and Double Handrail Assurance

Common Stairs often interface with complex structural elements. The 3D model is essential for:

• Headroom Clearance: Conducting virtual walkthroughs to verify that the 2000mm minimum headroom is maintained across the entire flight, especially at structural overlaps.

• Handrail Placement: Visually and dimensionally confirming that for stairs over 1 metre wide, handrails are correctly placed on both sides at the required heights (e.g., 900mm on the pitch line, 1100mm on landings), as mandated for General Access Stairs.

The take-away is clear: For safety-critical, high-traffic elements like a Common Stair, your design tool must do more than draw lines—it must engineer compliance. My 30 years of Vectorworks expertise ensures that you not only meet the legal minimums but deliver a stair that is safe and predictable for every user.

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Are you designing common access routes in the UK? Let's discuss how BIM can guarantee your stair compliance. Follow me for more professional insights into technical architecture.

Join my community to access my 30 years experience: https://www.skool.com/vectorworks-training/about