Using sketchup for casual architectural exploration

I have been designing, on and off (mostly off), architectural plans for ages. My first building was a skyscraper shaped like a chinese character - but since then my plans have been more humble residential ideas. And of course, none of it is professional. I've heard of a wet wall, but I've never built one. All of my foundations tend to be a 1/3rd m. of a cement, all the outer walls the same width. It doesn't matter if less would do -- even if I'm imaging glass -- it's still a 1/3rd of a meter!

Instead of worrying about build details like that, I worry about more functional concerns: how do you create an affordable modern design for the second world? How can I incorporate high ceilings and a mezzanine in a residence? More recently I've been wanting to design two different things: apartments for italian/hispanic palazzos, and indian single family residences centered around solar power and incorporated solar ovens. Ideas like these need a fast, fluid, easy to use tool - precision is less important when it's not meant to generate real blueprints - but all theb etter if that is an option too.

Towards these ends I've been using Google's Sketchup. Its a great concept and I love the software, even if, somehow, I always seem to find the bugs. These pages will showcase my explorations with Sketchup. Even though it will not be professional results, I hope there's something here for everyone to enjoy.