With these tools, Architecture Students can produce high-quality work in less time. We've asked recent Architecture Graduates what their time-saving tips and tricks are and put them together for you in this list.
Imagine:
Your 3D printer is printing your building design, your laser cutter is cutting topography layers, and you're sipping hot tea at home wrapping up your final boards at 4 pm three days early on a laptop that keeps up with you. Your sketch models throughout the semester never took more than 15 minutes, and somehow you had extra time for friends and family. It is possible to live like this with the tools on this list.
In This Article:
1. Fast Laptop
2. 3D Printer
3. Laser Cutter
5. Heavy Paper & Tape
6. Hot Glue Gun
7. Trace Paper
9. Clamps
10. Box Cutter
Top 10 Time Saving Tools For Architecture Students
1. A Fast Laptop
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Laptops for Architecture Students
How It Saves Time:
Computer Lag is one of the biggest time black holes Architecture Students deal with, and most don't realize just how much time they lose. It's estimated that Architecture Students who model on the computer click their mouse around 6,000 times per day. If your laptop lags a half second for every click, you are burning close to an hour a day just waiting for your laptop to keep up. When files get heavier, lag can easily hit double and triple the amount of time. This gaming laptop has industry-leading performance specs that are so good, your laptop will be waiting for you to keep up instead of the other way around. Read Full Review
2. 3D Printer
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - 3D Printers for Architecture Students
Our Pick: Creality Ender 3 V2 3D Printer
How It Saves Time:
A 3D printer is like hiring an assistant, but you only have to pay once. It's the difference between doing one thing at a time vs doing two. Once it's set up, all you have to do is put material in and press go, and hours later your model is finished. You can work on your drawing set while a 3D printer takes care of the physical model. Or, you can start a print, go out with your friends, and come home to a completed model. To put it simply, this can cut the amount of time you spend making models in half.
3. Laser Cutter
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - 3D Printers for Architecture Students
Our Pick: xTool D1 Laser Engraver with Rotary - 10W
How It Saves Time:
You can't 3D print wood. Architecture Students use manual cutting tools that burn time and effort that a laser cutter doesn't. It's literally a laser so it cuts very precisely. No cutting pieces twice and three times because you got one measurement wrong. No saws, no X-acto knives, no all-nighters at the studio. Just like a 3D printer, this is autonomous so it will cut pieces while you work on something else (like your presentation boards). Laser cutters make a significant difference in the amount of time an architecture student will spend making a model.
4. T-Pins and Foamcore (For Sketch Models)
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Modeling Tools for Architecture Students
Our Pick: Blulu 2" Steel T-pins 150 piece -&- 16 Pack 3/16in Thick Foam Board
How It Saves Time:
T-Pins and Foamcore work best for fast modeling. Foamcore is one of the easiest and fastest to cut materials already, and using it with T-Pins makes it at least 5x faster by ensuring you don't ever have to wait for any glue to dry. The best part of using T-Pins is they allow you to "Ctrl Z" or "Undo" in real life. If you don't like where you put a piece, just pull the pin out and stick it somewhere else. The top of the "T" in the T-Pin shape gets close to flush with the surface it's pinned into, but leaves enough to grab for easy removal. Plus, this strategy just makes your models look like you're an architectural mastermind, even if your design is a mess. Architecture Students that replace gluing with T-pins will see big time savings.
5. Heavy Paper & Tape
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Paper and Tape for Architecture Students
Our Pick: Neenah White Index Cardstock 110 lb/199 gsm -&- Scotch Desktop Tape
How It Saves Time:
A lot of Architecture Students overlook paper and tape. Specifically, the heavy paper holds its form really well. It can be cut in one slice or folded, resulting in much less time spent cutting. Taping pieces together eliminates the time you usually spend gluing, cutting the overall time spent modeling in half. Your model will be done quickly, your instructor can tear it apart, and it won't hurt because it took 10 minutes to make instead of two hours. This modeling method is great for early concept models and quick ideas and saves both time and heartache.
6. Hot Glue Gun
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Hot Glue Gun for Architecture Students
Our Pick: HOTO Cordless Hot Glue Gun + 10 Hot Glue Sticks
How it Saves Time:
This hot glue gun heats up in 30 seconds, is rechargeable, and therefore wireless. A Hot Glue Gun saves Architecture Students the time they typically wait for regular glue to dry. Hot glue dries by cooling off and can be fully cured in about 5 seconds. Regular glue typically takes 30 seconds or longer to dry. A hot glue gun will be at least 80% faster than most types of glue, so it's great for most models throughout the semester. Just don't use it on your final model, hot glue is a little messy.
7. Trace Paper
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Trace Paper for Architecture Students
Our Pick: ALVIN 55Y-G Lightweight Tracing Paper Roll
How it Saves Time:
Most Architecture Students already have this, but if you don't, the link is below. Trace paper is the fastest and most liberating way to try out different versions of the same idea. Print off a floor plan and sketch over it with trace paper. There's no need to do the whole drawing again just to try a different furniture layout or see what happens if the kitchen gets bigger. There are many digital ways to do the same thing, but they never quite match the speed and ease of use that pen and paper achieve.
8. Electric Eraser
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Electric Eraser for Architecture Students
Our Pick: AFMAT Rechargeable Electric Eraser
How It Saves Time:
Electric Erasers are the best! It takes all the manual labor out of erasing, saves you time, and does a better job. This one has an average 4.7 Star Rating on almost 6,000 Reviews. A luxury for Architecture Students, but it's worth its weight in gold.
9. Clamps
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Clamps for Architecture Students
Our Pick: FRICHOM 10 Pack of 3.5-inch Professional Spring Clamps
How It Saves Time:
Anytime you can have more than one task going at a time, you're getting your work done more efficiently and saving yourself time. Holding pieces together while they glue is a huge time waste when you can be doing something else while these do it for you. They're less than a dollar apiece and are certainly a time-saving tool for Architecture Students.
10. Box Cutter
Time-Saving Tools for Architecture Students - Box Cutter for Architecture Students
Our Pick: WORKPRO Premium Utility Knife
Your Xacto knife is great for cutting a clean edge on just about everything. Sometimes, you don't need a clean edge. You've got a stack of cardboard in front of you and you need to turn it into something in 10 minutes. It's nice for Architecture Students to have a heavy-hitting option in their back pocket that will get through a material in one slice. They're also just useful to have for opening all the amazon packages we get these days.
All 10 Best Gifts For Architecture Students:
1. Fast Laptop
2. 3D Printer
3. Laser Cutter
5. Heavy Paper & Tape
6. Hot Glue Gun
7. Trace Paper
9. Clamps
10. Box Cutter
Take a look around our website for more about the best Architecture Student Materials!
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