Loheed Design Partnership
Architects - Urban Designers
|
Loheed Design Partnership
|
|
| This PowerCADD one-point perspective was created over a purpose-made aerial photograph of downtown Chicago. Elevations were placed into perspective by shifting and scaling layers containing orthogonal planes, then "connected" with distorted plan and side elevation elements. The final drawing was used both as a "pure PowerCADD" drawing, and as a raster image using a Photoshop "impressionist" filter (illustrated here). |
LDP was founded by Phil Loheed, AIA, NCARB, in 1990. Our graphic system began originally as a combination of software such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Virtus WalkThrogh, PageMaker and the like. Prior experience with AutoCAD had established the fact that such software is useless for design work by principals, and nearly so for presentation or communications. We also found that AutoCAD's plotting-oriented layer system, preposterous learning curve and need for constant practice made it inherently a "draftsman's" tool for old-fashioned architectural "production" -- really an inappropriate engineering tool being foisted off on the architectural community. With dismay, we realized that the installed base of AutoCAD would require us to send files to and from it.
Thus, we searched for programs that could "bridge" between the worlds of CADD (DWG, DXF, etc.) and publishing/illustration (PICT, JPEG, TIFF, etc.) We also knew that the ability to print to PostScript and QuickDraw devices was critical for both technical and presentation output (that would include colors, tones, patterns, imbedded images and numerous fonts). At that time, we found that PowerDraw was unique in this "bridging" ability, combined with intuitive tools to create any drawn image desired with speed and efficiency.
In the decade since our search, we have been gratified with
the continuous improvements made to PowerDraw/PowerCADD and its
externals -- especially WildTools. We continue to create effective
graphics, presentations and technical drawings with significantly
greater ease and speed than those using "traditional CADD."
Our primary graphic "stable" now includes: PowerCADD,
Design Workshop, Canvas, Photoshop, Illustrator, and PowerPoint.
PowerCADD remains the point-of-origin and workhorse-creating about
eighty percent of
our images and production documents.
Phil Loheed
Phil Loheed is an architect in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. Prior to establishing Loheed Design Partnership, he worked with AIA Gold Medallist Benjamin Thompson, FAIA, in Cambridge for twenty years. His architectural career has included work around the world, including many large projects such as the redevelopment of Union Station in Washington, DC and Grand Central Terminal in New York; and many small ones like the East Park Music Pavilion in Worcester, MA. Phil was educated at the University of Michigan (M. Arch.) and Harvard's Graduate School of Design (studies in Landscape Architecture). He is an illustrator, designer and maker of sailing canoes and furniture. He occasionally plays guitar, banjo and piano when not repairing the office computer network. Loheed Design Partnership, 1310 Broadway, Suite 103, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144 USA Telephone: (617) 623-4366 Fax: (617) 623-4362 Email: phil@ldparch.com or PhilLoheed@aol.com
Drawings by Loheed Design
Urban Planning Perspectives Grand Central Terminal Union Station Loft Apartments
