Perhaps some Indonesians may not be very familiar with this term. Everyday Carry (EDC) is a collection of small tools that can always be carried for daily needs to help facilitate us in common situations. In a broader sense, EDC is a lifestyle or philosophy about preparedness. Everyone has different types of EDC depending on their profession, skills, budget, and the types of daily activities they engage in. As this is in the context of architecture, here is a list of items I need every day for work, field surveys, and other activities.
Smartphone
A must-have (along with a wallet and wristwatch, of course). For daily use, a smartphone can replace the role of a mirrorless camera for capturing architectural subjects and staying connected online.
Business Card
While we are in the digital age, business cards remain powerful tools for self-marketing. They are the quickest and easiest way to share contact information and serve as the first impression of the brand we represent. I almost always carry business cards, especially when traveling for work, as you never know who you might meet unexpectedly.
Trodat Logo Stamp
Used as a watermark signature on sketches, with a diameter of approximately 1.5 cm.
Laptop and Mouse
Essential for presenting designs to clients or working outside the office. Since I am often mobile, I opt for a 13-inch laptop that is lightweight and fits in my bag. A mouse is necessary for architectural drawing, as I am not accustomed to using a trackpad. I use a Macbook Pro 13" for the laptop, as it is already familiar. For the mouse, I use the Magic Mouse because some applications require horizontal scrolling, which can be challenging with a regular scroll wheel mouse.
Easy to carry due to its small size. This notebook makes the lines we draw more visible, as they are not obstructed by the horizontal and vertical lines usually found in millimeter blocks.
A pencil tip that rotates when drawing or writing, ensuring a sharp edge evenly on all sides of the pencil lead. This results in a more even and consistent line thickness.
Among all the pens and line makers I have, this one is the best. It enhances the architectural quality of handwriting and sketches.
Used for outlining drawings. I use various line thicknesses, most frequently 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5.
A brush-shaped tip for coloring large or small areas. Unlike other markers, Sakura Koi is suitable for use on Grid Dot paper because its color does not bleed through. I usually carry only three colors (to avoid cluttering the pencil case): gray for highlighting shadows, light blue for water (ponds, rivers, etc.), and green for vegetation.
Used to erase lines in wide or detailed areas. Tombow Mono Zero has a small eraser tip that allows erasing detailed parts of the drawing.
Ideal for transferring data as it can be used on both PC and Mac devices without the need for additional adapters.
Used to measure objects that cannot be measured by laser measuring (such as the width of existing columns or terrace width). A length of 5 meters is more than sufficient. I use a black-colored one.
Essential items for the current situation. Hand sanitizer and gadget sanitizer are used to keep hands and gadgets clean after activities, especially during field surveys.
Backpack
Used to carry all the items mentioned above. I use one with many compartments, multifunctionality, and a laptop sleeve that fits a 13-inch laptop. I chose an all-black color.
Add-on:
iPad dan Apple Pencil
Used as a laptop substitute during business trips, for design presentations, digital sketching, and documenting field conditions. I use an iPad Air with several architecture apps, as mentioned in the article 15 Mobile Apps for Architects. The Apple Pencil is used to optimize the iPad experience. Sketching on the iPad is enjoyable, although I still prefer the manual method (pencil and paper).
I enjoy music, and in the past year, I have become fond of listening to podcasts, so these are a must-have everywhere. There are numerous brands and types of TWS out there with diverse specifications and price ranges, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions.
What do you think? Perhaps you also have items that you carry with you every day. Oh, by the way, you can see the complete list of my daily carry items in this link, and I will update it periodically. So, stay tuned!