One major problem most architectural practices sooner or later have to deal with is how to come up with a logical and scaleable Drawing Numbering System (DNS).

Ideally a DNS needs to accommodate projects from small scale residential to very large and complex institutional projects which may be staged and spread over a variety of sites – while at the same time being relatively easy to understand for all parties involved.

Over the years we have been involved in local and international projects and worked closely with their respective stakeholders and consultants. On most of these projects some party would ‘enforce’ numbering systems, most of which were of surprisingly varying quality. To be frank some were simply not able to handle the sheer quantity of drawings that eventually got produced.

To our knowledge there is no applicable ‘Australian Standard’ outlining a suitable DNS, and the ‘US National CAD Standards’ (USNCS) to which all AutoDesk products & templates are tailored to,can be rather daunting.

So after much research and testing we have developed the following DNS which is based on the ‘USNCS’, however it has been adjusted to suit specific australian requirements. For example this system allows for a Lower Ground vs. Level 1, as well as the later introduction of plant and podium levels.

Additionally it is simplified to reduce the overall Drawing Number length (7 digits) for cross referencing in various markers, whilst retaining the ability to scale to projects of all sizes.

Please also note the above DNS has been implemented into our Smart Archicad Template.

Please feel free to contact us to if you require any additional information.