Editing 40d:Building designer

{{Skill
| color      = #848
| skill      = Building Designer
| profession = Administrator
| job name   = [[Architecture]]
| tasks      =
* Construct Building
}}
The '''building designer''' [[skill]] is used in the construction of certain [[building]]s.  Its corresponding [[labor]] is '''architecture'''.  Building designer has no influence on the speed with which such buildings are constructed; its only effect is to influence the [[quality]] of designed buildings, which has only modest benefits.

== Using architecture ==

The building types that require architecture are:

* [[Archery target]]s
* [[Bridge]]s
* All [[furnace]]s
* Paved [[road]]s
* [[Screw pump]]s
* [[Shop]]s
* [[Support]]s
* [[Trade depot]]s
* [[Waterwheel]]s
* [[Well]]s
* [[Windmill]]s

When building structures that require architecture, it is the architect who carries the building materials to the site and clears it of debris.  The architect's time can be minimised by placing appropriate [[stockpiles]] near the selected location and by designating debris for [[dump]]ing in advance. The building is then built in two stages: the first performed by the architect, and the second by a [[mason]] (if the building built from [[stone]], stone [[block]]s, or [[glass]] blocks), a [[carpenter]] (if it is built from [[log]]s or wood blocks), or a [[metalsmith]] (if it is built from metal [[bar]]s or blocks).

== Speed of construction ==

Building designer skill does not increase the speed with which buildings are designed, nor does agility: a no-skill building designer and a legendary designer will both design buildings at an identical rate.  The rate of construction is likewise unaffected by the level of the secondary skill (masonry, etc.), but is dictated solely by [[agility]]. This makes building designer experience of very limited value, having only an effect on the designed building's [[quality]].

Buildings which require a variable amount of materials (namely, [[bridge]]s and [[road]]s) will be built at a rate proportional to the amount of material used.  Buildings which require a set number of materials to construct (such as a [[trade depot]] or a [[support]]) will all be built at the same rate, once the needed materials are all assembled.  

Bridges and roads will take longer to build than those that require a set number of materials, even when comparing, say, a one-tile road (one stone) to a three stone [[trade depot]].

== Experience granted ==
Building a "designed" building grants 30 points of [[experience]] in building designer to the architect and a varying number of points in masonry/carpentry/blacksmithing to whomever finishes the structure (this may be the architect as well, if he or she has the appropriate labor enabled).  Any of the [[metalsmith]] labors will be used if the building is made of metal, though only [[blacksmithing]] experience will be granted.

The architectural experience will be awarded at the end of the "designing" stage, but the masonry (or other) experience will be awarded gradually as the dwarf constructs the building. The amount of experience granted depends on the amount of time spent constructing - for example, constructing a 10x10 tile road will grant more experience than a screw pump.

== Training methods ==

A relatively easy way to train a dwarf's building designer skill is to place many [[support]]s in a recently mined hall. The architect can use nearby stone to design the supports and gain experience, then those designations can be deleted with {{k|q}} + {{k|x}}.  Note that if the architect also has the [[masonry]] labor enabled they may actually build the support before designing the next.  (If other dwarves have masonry enabled, they might come in behind the designer and do likewise.) If unbuilt, the stone can be immediately reused after cancelling the construction of the supports.

== Building quality ==

Building designer skill influences the [[quality]] of "designed" buildings (those listed above).  The quality of the building is determined by the skill of the architect ''and'' the skill of the builder (mason/etc.). The game assigns two values that can be viewed with the [[building list]]. It is not known if and how these are added up to one value.

Buildings that do not involve an architect do not have any quality (aside from "built" [[furniture]] -- tables, statues, doors, etc.).

Building quality has only two effects in-game: high-quality buildings can occasionally trigger a happy [[thought]] in dwarves who notice them, and higher-quality buildings will boost your fort's overall architectural wealth (as displayed in the "created wealth" section of the [[status]] screen).  The first effect is usually easy to achieve by using high-quality furniture, however, and the second effect is minimal unless you make your buildings out of high-value materials (such as [[platinum]] or [[artifact]] components).

Destroying a masterwork structure (whether via [[cave-in]] or [[building destroyer]]) will give an unhappy [[thought]] to its designer and/or builder (depending on whether the design or construction are masterful), though dismantling it will not.

{{Skills}}
[[Category:Skills]]