Rice University logo
 
Top blue bar image OIT News
Office of Information Technology
 

Tech Profile: A Glimpse into an Archi’s World

Metinee Ding – sophomore archi

Metinee Ding is a sophomore Sidizen majoring in Architecture. She is currently taking a studio class – a course all Rice archis have to take each year – that specifically focuses on a project that is centered around a theme set by the professor. Ding explains, “The two projects that I have done were of a residential house and an artist colony. This semester we’re working on an ecology center – so there’s a huge range of building types that we get exposed to. We are guided through a design process by the professors in a way that gives us enough flexibility to create something that is completely our own, but also such that we have guidance and aren’t completely lost.”

Left: Ding’s 2D sketch for her project. Right: 3D model corresponding to the sketch.

With current developments in technology, architects are often the forefront users for many powerful sketching and modeling programs. In her studio class, Ding mainly uses two programs, which were both introduced to her during the first semester of her freshman year: the Rhino3D and the Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom). Rhino3D is a computer-aided drawing program that assists archis in drawing 2D structures and modeling in 3D, allowing them to visualize their ideas before they construct it in real-life. The Adobe Creative Suite, on the other hand, is useful for finer editing and correcting any photos that will be used in the frequent architectural showcases. Ding adds, “Because we use these applications so much over the course of the semester, it becomes second nature by sophomore year. You start off learning all the commands and understanding what each one does, but once you’re familiar with everything it’s fairly easy to use the programs to help you.” When asked about her top tips for using Rhino3D and any of the Adobe Suite collection, Ding responded, “I’d say the hands-on experience is what helps the most with these applications, and any application in general!”

Photo by Metinee Ding

Comments are closed.