CAD programs and the imagination they bring to reality

I was talking to a friend about modern day jobs, one in particular that really interested me was architecture. Back in the day you would have someone who would probably basically be an artist, or at least acquire amazing drawing skills to be able to sketch out endless building plans, etc. As my friend and I discussed it, we came to the realization that most larger architecture companies probably do a LOT less hand-drawn plans and instead use programs such as CAD (Computer Aided Drawing) to make the buildings they imagine come to life.

While there can be negative stigmas about technology these days, and how it possibly takes away from the skill levels required in the past, there is also beauty to be found in ways that imagination, the arts, and technology can tie together to create amazing things, such as a new skyscraper in New York or some family’s dream home. An architect takes something purely from within their imagination, views it in a different way, and then uses tools such as CAD to help make this imagined creation a reality. This is very similar to the newest book we have started in our MCS 499 course, Reel World. The author, Anand Pandian discusses viewing life from the cinematic viewpoint, seeing life as if you were filming it.

These two examples each hold some differences, however they both hold the similarity that an imagined thought was made a reality through the use of some form of technological advancement or thought process to help execute it. While CAD may be a technological aid, it in no way hinders the fact that a human being came up with what to create with it: Nor does it take away from the artistic skillset that careers such as architects display project to project, despite the tools and steps they might use to complete them.

There are many different types of CAD programs that people can use. Even the everyday person can download a simple version to their household desktop. While each program serves a similar purpose and holds different levels of simplicity, it needs to be recognized that it was an original created thought that brought someone to its use. Someone had to sit there and dig into their imagination to figure out which room would go where, how they want the layout to be, what the desired room size needs to be, and so on. It takes an initial spark of creativity to envision how you want something to be, and then be able to use the tools around you to truly create it.

Careers such as architecture may advance with the technological age, however, no matter what they will always require a keen sense of artistic ability and imagination to create things that the average person is not always capable of achieving. It goes beyond the knowledge and use of a computer program, and continues to dig deeper into the depths of a particular person’s imaginative world. Instead of programs such as this holding people back, I believe they are only helping those who are capable, take something imagined and be able to share it with the real world.