Intro

This is a compilation of recommendations, hacks and timesavers you should know in order to excel as an architecture student or professional.

In this article

1.Asset library (including free downloads)

2. Filing system

3. Mouse shortcuts

4. Backing up

5. Books

6. Workflows

Start Building an Asset Library

An asset library is your arsenal for CAD drawings and architecture visuals. As you slowly build up a collection of dwg trees and cutout people for Photoshop etc. Take the extra second to save them to your asset library so you can quickly find and use them again. There are some FREE assets for you to download on our Resources page. Download them now to start your asset library! 👇

Filing System

Organising work is so important for your project management and great practice for professional life. Be disciplined, it will become a habit. Saving in the right files, using a methodical naming /revision /dating system will save you a lot of stress and time. Instead of searching for that latest Newnewnew1.dwg

 toscaleblog offer a free filing system for download on their website. If you are familiar with :scale’s content you will already know organisation is one topic they focus on. Therefore, this filing system will be carefully curated and well worth it! Their store has loads of great resource’s you should check out!

Mouse Shortcuts

 A mouse is probably the tool you depend on the most for drawing, rendering and 3D modelling. So, it makes sense to invest in the best mouse that allows you to assign multiple shortcuts to save you time.

The action of custom shortcuts is particularly glorious for those mind-numbing repetitive tasks such as; ‘trim’… ‘extrude’… ‘chamfer’… you know the ones. With a simple click of the mouse, the command runs, it almost makes trimming little lines fun.

I have used the Logitech MX Master as my daily mouse for years now because the additional bottoms allow me to set multiple timesaving shortcuts across a variety of software. Check it out!

Back-Up Your Work

The unthinkable did happen to me once in third year during deadline season. My laptop flatlined and I nearly lost my whole degree. Since that traumatic event, I do not take the risk anymore by regularly backing up my work. There are heaps of options available including cloud syncing, however, the simplest way is an external hard drive. Here is the one I use. 4tb of storage, stays on my desk, reliable, piece of mind. Oh, and don’t forget to back up your asset library 😉

Books

I have written a whole article recommending the best books for architecture students that are tried and tested by myself. In short, the information in these books will help you progress as a designer. From black and white detail drawing examples or conceptual topics to help you create. Check the list out here 👇

Photoshop Workflows

If you want to slicken up your Photoshop production you must check out Become A Master in Photoshop with these 4 Constructive Workflows for a comprehensive guide to constructive editing in Photoshop 👇

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