How to Think in Sections (Not Just Plans)
Plans show where things go.
Sections show why they matter.
Train yourself to design through the vertical cut, unlocking height, light, and drama that flat thinking never finds — and watch your projects gain a new dimension.
Sections will become your sharpest thinking tool.
- Design in the vertical — shape height and depth as actively as you shape floor plans
- Unlock dramatic light — carve openings that pull daylight deep into a building
- Create spatial surprise — design double heights and overlooks that make people gasp
- Cut through complexity — use the section to solve problems plans cannot even see
- Elevate every project — add a dimension of richness most designers leave untouched
- Draw sections that sell — present cuts so compelling they carry the whole scheme
Built by one of the most-read architecture platforms in the world.
RTF | Rethinking The Future has spent over a decade publishing the ideas, projects and voices shaping architecture — and now brings that depth to learning. Every course is researched, written and produced by the RTF team.
Flat thinking makes flat buildings. Rise above.
A clear path. Six steps.
Everything unlocks instantly with membership · learn at your own pace
If you see yourself here, start today.
A few hours from now, you could already see differently.
Plans were comfortable for me, but my sections were always an afterthought. Being pushed to design in section changed how I handle light, height, and connection between floors. My projects gained a spatial richness that flat planning never gave them.
Simple by design.
Watch
Short, focused video lessons — each one a single idea, clearly explained.
Apply
End every lesson with a small task that pushes your real project forward.
Transform
Watch your work develop a point of view that is unmistakably yours.
Answered simply.
I design in plan and add sections later. Is that really a problem?
It's the most common ceiling on design quality. Thinking in section unlocks light, volume, and connection that plans can't show.
Is this relevant if I mostly do small projects?
Very. Small projects gain the most from sectional richness — a modest footprint with a great section feels far larger.
Do I need any prior experience?
No. Every course starts from where you are and builds up step by step, in plain language.
Is this software training?
No — software changes yearly. The thinking you learn here lasts a career.
How does it work?
Short video lessons with a small practice task after each. Any device, your pace.
What does membership include?
One membership unlocks every course on RTF Academy — all 450+, nothing sold separately. And you stay in control: cancel anytime in one click, and you will never be charged again.
Ready to see your work change?
Your next project could be the one that feels truly yours.
- 6 Sections
- 25 Lessons
- 4 Hours
- Introduction to Sectional Thinking4
- Understanding Spatial Relationships4
- Light, Climate, and Atmosphere Through Sections4
- Structure and Construction in Sections4
- Designing Better Architecture Through Sections4
- Practical Applications and Case Studies5
Reviews
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Plans were comfortable for me, but my sections were always an afterthought. Being pushed to design in section changed how I handle light, height, and connection between floors. My projects gained a spatial richness that flat planning never gave them.
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