Architecture

Quality Guideline: Architecture

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Possible Assessments

Approvable	Title	Description
	More work needed	This lot needs more work on the architecture.
	More work needed fantasy/sci-fi	This lot needs more work on the architecture, even if it is meant to be a fantasy/sci-fi building.
	Architecture pass	The architecture looks good. :)

General Guidelines

The way the lot is built should be unique, interesting, and more than just a basic box with four walls and a roof. Lots based on an actual building type or specific building should look like what it supposed to resemble (for example a castle should not just be a huge building with stone walls, but should look like an actual castle with appropriate features like turrets).

Choosing the appropriate windows and doors, and putting them in the appropriate place, can make a big difference in how your lot is perceived. For example, a house with the structure of a cute little cottage but styled with futuristic windows may look strange. Similarly, windows may look out of place if they're all bunched up together or if there are large window-less stretches of wall.

Also pay attention to the interior layout, as this can make a huge difference in how practical and fun it is for downloaders to play with your lot. Try to consider having rooms of varying shapes and sizes that are appropriate for their function, and avoid things like having sims enter the house through the bathroom.

Lots not intended to be realistic can be more fanciful, but should still have some logic to them, and be aesthetically pleasing. Think about creating a cohesive structure which makes sense within the context of the "universe" that it's from, and consider drawing inspiration from movies, TV, comics, or other media that features a similar style.

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Examples

Simple but well done

This house isn't anything too fancy, but it isn't just a box (notice the right side of the front is bumped out) and the door and windows work together to complement the overall style.

Windows and doors gone wrong

Choosing windows and doors that don't work well can make a big difference! These mismatched styles clash with each other, and do not improve the appearance of the house.

Unique architecture

Building mansions can be quite difficult when it comes to architecture. The house doesn't feel like a box, but does have a lot of interesting features going on. The balcony is connected with a garage and there's a staircase leading up to the second floor where the front door is. A complex build can also be a unique build!

Not so unique architecture

Making mansions can be quite difficult! Especially architecture-wise. The architecture here feels a bit boxy. In this case, adding more walls going outwards or diagonal walls would definitely help making it feel less boxy!

Interesting interior

Even though the exterior shape of this house is fairly simple, the interior layout is interesting and logical, with a natural "flow" between spaces and no oddities like needing to go through the bathroom to access other rooms.

Uninteresting interior

This interior layout isn't working very well. While it is technically functional, it lacks interest, with very boxy rooms that don't flow well together.

Boxy and boring

The whole exterior of this house is just..."meh". It's just a cube, with no parts of the structure that stand out, and the doors, windows, and roofing are all unflattering.

Tutorials - General (All games)

General tips to improve your architecture

Look at real-world buildings for inspiration. The internet is full of inspiration! Be specific to the style and kind of lot you're making. If you want to build a cute English cottage, don't just google "house pictures" and definitely don't google "Mexican restaurants"
House plans can also be a great source to draw from, with the added bonus that they provide exact measurements and interior layouts
Consider scale. If you're building a cute English cottage, it doesn't make sense to make the kitchen big enough to fit every appliance in the game plus a 3-tile dining table. A good rule of thumb is to think of 1 tile in the game as translating to roughly 1 metre in real life
Details matter. Window styles, trim, shutters, and other stylistic nuances can completely change how your lot is perceived, and should be consistent with your goals for the lot

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