Johnny Schoppy designed floor plans for his basement as his senior project. He measured the basement and drew sketches before creating digital floor plans using Revit software. He encountered problems with running the software and designing a bar. With help from his project facilitator Ms. Salas, he was able to complete rooms including a bedroom, bathroom, weight room, study, game room, media room, and bar. Through the process, Johnny learned about architecture and found he has an interest in the field, though he plans to study pre-dental in college.

1. Johnny Schoppy
11 March 2012
Ms. Tillery
British Comp.
Did you know that in the last year homeowners in the United States spent over 300 billion
dollars on renovations? Hello, my name is Johnny Schoppy and for my senior project I made the floor
plans for my basement. Over the summer I moved here from Texas completely unaware of what the
senior project was. Being hit with this surprise it took me some time to decide what I was going to do. I
have always have been interested in studying the architectural field but, thought I would never get the
chance to get a feel for it and go into college just thinking I would like it then finding out that it just
wasn’t for me. Luckily, I had Ms. Salas’s class, giving me the opportunity and it really introduced me into
architecture which I found out really did interest me and maybe something that I may want to pursue in
the future. So I decided to do something that would give me a taste of the architectural field, and that
something was to design and make the floor plans for my basement. Interested in this, for my research
paper I researched the design, layout, and overall structure of the new World Trade Center being built,
Freedom Tower, finding out that it takes a lot time, skill, and practice to become an architect and that
buildings are definitely more than meets the eye. After writing my research paper I decided that
designing the floor plan for my basement was a good place to start.
I started by measuring every wall in my basement as precise as I could, which takes a very long
time if you have no help, and drawing my own little sketch of dimensions. Measuring where every door
was and window was. Once I drew up all the dimensions on my piece of paper I transferred it to my
computer [power point] and this is where I ran into my first problem. My computer was to slow to run
Revit (the software) so every few minutes the computer would kick me out so I had to construct the

2. walls, windows, and doors in increments. To solve that I switched everything to my dad’s work computer
which could run Revit without a problem. From there I decide what room was going to be what [power
point] starting with the bedroom adding the bed and the closet, also adding a table to work on along
with shelves and a closet for a craft room that my mom requested. From there I move on to the
bathroom and the weight room [power point] adding weights and a treadmill into the weight room. In
the bathroom I ran into my second problem the swing doors made no room for a shower, sink and toilet
so I went with pocket doors. After those rooms I moved on into the study and having two request from
my mom I had to incorporate them a fairly small desk and a wine cellar for my dad [power point]. So I
put in a seating area and a fireplace to make it more than just a study. From the study I move on to the
main attraction [power point]. I took down part of a wall to open up the area to make it one big open
room [power point] adding a pool table and some stools for those who want to watch. From there I ran
into my third problem the bar. Going into it I had no idea on how to construct one everything else I had
prior knowledge. This problem I had to really get the help of Ms. Salas, my project facilitator, she walked
me through it step by step how to get the cabinets and the raised counter top and the sink in the bar
along with the microwave. After I got the help, I got stools for the bar and a round game table for cards
and board games. After all the requests from my parents I thought I was going to have no room for what
I wanted but there was just enough [power point] I made my media center with the lounging home
theater chairs and with the 65” television mounted on the wall. And I made a cut out in the wall after I
made the 45-degree wall for the TV to house the cable box, surround sound, and the Xbox. After that
the basement was practically completed all I had to do was change the color of furniture and put in
wood and tile floors.[power point] Though some of the furniture was unable to change I got most of it to
match because the furniture is not for sure it just gives the idea of what is intended. I am so happy that I
chose Ms. Salas as my project facilitator because she has all the knowledge needed to help me with the
problems that came up in my floor plan. Being the architectural teacher and working with this program

3. everyday there was nothing she couldn’t help me with architecture as her background I wouldn’t have
picked anyone else.
All in all, I learned a ton about architecture and that is not as easy as it looks and that it takes
time to come up with ideas and was to execute them in your architecture. Also that this may be a field
that I am very interested in pursuing or could see myself pursuing, though I loved doing my senior
project I still think that I am going to study pre-dental in college, but if that doesn’t work out I will most
likely fall back on architecture. I will definitely never forget this senior project it was a great experience
for myself. Thank you for coming out to see our presentations I greatly appreciate it. Any questions on
my presentation?