Concept Sketches and Floor Layouts

I need rough concept sketches and basic floor plan layouts for a small 6-storey mid-rise residential building on an urban infill lot. This is NOT construction documents or permit-ready drawings. I am looking for quick, iterative concept work to explore what fits on the site before engaging a local architect for formal design. Ideal for an architecture student, junior draftsperson, or anyone skilled with massing studies and residential layouts who can turn around quick sketches at an affordable rate. WHAT I WILL PROVIDE - Site dimensions (rectangular infill lot with full setback requirements) - Zoning envelope constraints (max height, stepbacks, active frontage rules) - Parking configuration summary (semi-basement, stall count, ramp layout) - Unit mix guidance (target ~30 units, mix of studio/1-bed/2-bed) - Reference sketches or napkin diagrams as needed DELIVERABLES I NEED 1. Site plan / ground-floor layout Ground floor showing lobby, AODA access, semi-basement parking entrance, any ground-floor amenity or commercial space, and relationship to setbacks. Should show the parking stall arrangement (16 stalls, central drive aisle). 2. Typical upper-floor layout (one representative floor) One residential floor plate showing unit arrangement, corridor, stairs/elevator core. Rough unit sizes labeled. 3. Building section or massing diagram Simple side-cut showing 6 storeys, the semi-basement parking level (partially below grade), ground floor elevation above sidewalk, rear stepback, and relationship to neighbouring context. 4. Front elevation concept Street-facing facade showing active frontage treatment, lobby entrance, and overall massing. Enough to communicate architectural intent. SITE CONSTRAINTS (use these for all layouts) Lot frontage: 24.14 m Lot depth: 31.38 m Lot area: ~758 sq m Front yard setback: 2.0 m Side yard setbacks: 2.0 m each side Rear yard setback: 7.5 m Max building width (above grade): 20.14 m Max building depth (above grade): 21.88 m Max height: 20.0 m / 6 storeys Rear stepback: 15.0 m max height within 10 m of rear lot line Active frontage: Ground floor must have prominent street-facing entrance plus 25% or more transparent glazing PARKING CONFIGURATION Type: Semi-basement (tuck-under) — 1.52 m below grade, 1.22 m above grade Stalls: 16 (8 per side, perpendicular parking, double-loaded) Layout: Central ramp (6.5 m wide) doubling as drive aisle, stalls on both sides Ventilation: Natural (passive) via perimeter louvers in exposed foundation wall Access: Single vehicle entrance, ramp descends from street level inside the building footprint Parking module depth: ~16.9 m (stall depth 5.2 m x 2 + aisle 6.5 m) Remaining depth for lobby/front-of-house: ~4.98 m BUILDING PROGRAM - 6 storeys residential above the semi-basement - ~30 units total (mix: studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom) - Ground floor: residential lobby (elevated ~1.22 m above sidewalk — staircase + AODA ramp in front setback), plus any small amenity or commercial space that fits in the ~5 m depth - Upper floors: efficient double-loaded corridor layout typical for wood-frame mid-rise - Roof: mechanical penthouse; green roof or amenity terrace optional - Construction type: wood-frame over concrete podium or full wood-frame depending on code path FORMAT AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS Deliverables must be in a format I can open and edit with free or low-cost software. No proprietary architect-only formats (no Revit, no ArchiCAD-only files). Preferred formats for 2D floor plans / site plans: DXF — editable with LibreCAD (free), QCAD (free), NanoCAD (free) SVG — editable with Inkscape (free), any vector editor SketchUp .skp (2D exported) — SketchUp Free (web-based, free) RoomSketcher project — RoomSketcher (freemium, web-based) Preferred formats for 3D / massing / elevations: SketchUp .skp — SketchUp Free (web), SketchUp Make 2017 (free) DAE (Collada) — Blender (free, open source), Sweet Home 3D (free), SketchUp OBJ — Blender, Sweet Home 3D, most 3D tools Sweet Home 3D .sh3d — Sweet Home 3D (free, open source) For renders and images: PNG or JPEG at minimum 1920x1080 resolution SUGGESTED SOFTWARE FOR YOU (THE FREELANCER) Use whatever you are fastest with, as long as I can open the files afterward. These all work: - SketchUp Free — easiest for quick massing and floor plans; exports SKP, DAE, PNG. Widely used. - RoomSketcher — good for rapid floor plan generation with dimensions; exports PNG, PDF. Freemium. - Sweet Home 3D — open source; good for floor plans and basic 3D views; exports OBJ, SVG, PNG, SH3D. - Floorplanner — web-based, quick floor plans; exports PNG, PDF. Free tier available. - LibreCAD or QCAD — proper 2D CAD, both free, DXF-native. - Blender — overkill for this job but acceptable if you are fast with it; exports everything. My preference: SketchUp Free for massing and elevations, plus DXF or SVG for clean floor plan exports. But I am flexible. WHAT I AM NOT LOOKING FOR - Photorealistic renders (simple shaded views are fine) - Permit or construction documents - Structural, mechanical, or electrical detail - Code compliance analysis (I will handle that separately) - Interior design or finishes - Revit, AutoCAD DWG, or proprietary formats I cannot open MUST-HAVE SKILLS - Basic understanding of residential building typologies (double-loaded corridor, mid-rise) - Ability to read and apply setback/zoning constraints - Proficiency in at least one tool that exports to DXF, SKP, DAE, or SVG - Good communication — willing to iterate 1-2 rounds based on feedback NICE-TO-HAVE - Familiarity with wood-frame mid-rise construction - Experience with tuck-under or semi-basement parking layouts - Architecture or urban planning student / recent grad TIMELINE - Initial sketches within 3-5 days of award - 1-2 rounds of minor revisions within the following week - Not urgent — quality and accuracy are more important than speed HOW TO APPLY Please include in your proposal: 1. Two to three examples of similar work (floor plans, massing studies, or concept sketches you have done) 2. What software you will use and what format you will deliver in 3. Your estimated hours and total cost for the four deliverables listed above 4. Brief note confirming you are comfortable with the site constraints (rectangular lot, setbacks, rear stepback, semi-basement parking) QUICK-REFERENCE DIMENSIONS CARD (copy into your working file) LOT: 24.14 m wide x 31.38 m deep BUILDABLE: 20.14 m wide x 21.88 m deep (after setbacks) HEIGHT: 20.0 m max (6 storeys) SETBACKS: Front 2.0 m | Sides 2.0 m each | Rear 7.5 m PARKING: Type: Semi-basement (1.52 m below grade / 1.22 m above) Stalls: 16 (8 per side, perpendicular) Module depth: 16.9 m (5.2 + 6.5 + 5.2) Aisle width: 6.5 m (central, doubles as entry ramp) Remaining: ~5.0 m depth for lobby/frontage REAR STEPBACK: 15.0 m max height within 10.0 m of rear lot line GROUND FLOOR: Elevated ~1.22 m above sidewalk (stairs + AODA ramp) FRONTAGE: Active (at least 25% glazing, prominent street entrance) UNITS: ~30 across 6 storeys (studio + 1-bed + 2-bed mix)