BIRKHAUSER Eric J. Jenkins Drawn to Design Analyzing Architecture Through Freehand Drawing www.ebook3000.com
www.ebook3000.com
Contents Preface 8 PART I Introduction 10 SKETCHING,THINKING, LEARNING Sketching,Thinking,Learning 20 Sketching as a Bodily Skill 品 Learning(and Re-Learning)to Draw 29 Learning to Sketch Without Thinking Practicing to Practice 30 Sketching and Thinking 38 What is Analysis? 38 The Context-bound Position 3 The Autonomous Position Formal Analysis 40 Context-bound Critical Analysis 41 Analysis from a Dynamic Intermediate Position 41 Not All Sketches are Equal: Syntactic Sketch Diagrams 42 What are Diagrams? 42 How are Diagrams Used? 44 Developing Spatial Knowledge and Material Analogies 45 Sketching as a Physical Analogy 6 Sketching and Learning 52 What to Use and How to Use It Tools of the Trade 2 Drawing the Lines Building a Drawing 哈 Habits to Help Development of Tool Use Reflective Practice 32 SPQR Line and Time Budgets 36 Drawing Types for Advanced Study Sketching in Axonometric 48 Putting Things in Perspective 50 Placing the Diagrams on a Page The Exquisite Corpse Collage Diagrams 6 www.ebook3000.com
5 Preface 8 Introduction 10 Part I Sketching, Thinking, Learning Sketching, Thinking, Learning 20 Sketching as a Bodily Skill 28 Learning (and Re-Learning) to Draw 29 Learning to Sketch Without Thinking 29 Practicing to Practice 30 Sketching and Thinking 38 What is Analysis? 38 The Context-bound Position 39 The Autonomous Position 39 Formal Analysis 40 Context-bound Critical Analysis 41 Analysis from a Dynamic Intermediate Position 41 Not All Sketches are Equal: Syntactic Sketch Diagrams 42 What are Diagrams? 42 How are Diagrams Used? 44 Developing Spatial Knowledge and Material Analogies 45 Sketching as a Physical Analogy 46 Sketching and Learning 52 What to Use and How to Use It Tools of the Trade 22 Drawing the Lines 24 Building a Drawing 26 Habits to Help Development of Tool Use Reflective Practice 32 SPQR 34 Line and Time Budgets 36 Drawing Types for Advanced Study Sketching in Axonometric 48 Putting Things in Perspective 50 Placing the Diagrams on a Page The Exquisite Corpse 54 Collage Diagrams 56 Contents 001-007_DD_part_0_final.indd 5 24.09.12 16:11 www.ebook3000.com
PART II Traversing the Section 108 DESIGN ACTS Orchestrating Sequence 110 Introduction 6 Entering the Building 112 Passing through Buildings 114 Mapping the Plan 62 Articulating Path and Room 116 Ascending Stairs 118 Clarifying Public/Private q Stepping with the Landscape 120 Delineating Service and Served 66 Considering Circulation 122 Compressing and Expanding Sequences 124 Demarcating Profane and Sacred Relating Materials 0 Walking beneath Portals 126 Filling Walls Moving through Layers 128 Linking Profane with Sacred 130 Responding to Light 74 Connecting Rooms and Paths 76 Interfacing Public with Private 132 Interlocking Sections 134 Uniting Connections 78 Aligning Edges and Centers 0 Carving Voids 136 Stitching Tartans Shaping the Floor 138 Shifting Geometries 8 Reinforcing with Tectonics 140 Expanding Atria 142 Overlapping Spatial Patterns 86 Engaging the Landscape Sensing Scale 144 Fashioning Order and Disorder 号 Reconciling Ideal and Real 146 Resolving Geometries Arranging Voids 148 150 Extracting Voids from Poche 4 Sculpting Light Composing Tectonic Order Reconciling Structure and Enclosure Disposing Walls Facing the Building 152 100 Classifying Type:the Infill 102 154 Classifying Type:the Bar 104 Revealing Tartans 156 Classifying Type:the Courtyard 106 Disposing Symmetry and Asymmetry Addressing Entry 158 Alternating Edges and Centers 160 Establishing and Then Breaking Order 162 Diagnosing Proportional Systems 164 Connecting Scales 166 Understanding Continuity 168 Attaching to Context 170 Harmonizing Forms 172 Arranging Mass 174 Balancing Mass 176 Subtracting Voids/Adding Figures 178 Expressing Planes 180 Weaving Structure and Enclosure 182 Viewing Layers 184 Relating Base-Middle-Top 186 Topping the Building 188 Turning the Corner 190 Seeing Windows 192 Highlighting Shadows 194 www.ebook3000.com
6 Part II Design Acts Introduction 60 Mapping the Plan 62 Clarifying Public/Private 64 Delineating Service and Served 66 Demarcating Profane and Sacred 68 Relating Materials 70 Filling Walls 72 Responding to Light 74 Connecting Rooms and Paths 76 Uniting Connections 78 Aligning Edges and Centers 80 Stitching Tartans 82 Shifting Geometries 84 Overlapping Spatial Patterns 86 Engaging the Landscape 88 Fashioning Order and Disorder 90 Resolving Geometries 92 Extracting Voids from Poché 94 Composing Tectonic Order 96 Reconciling Structure and Enclosure 98 Disposing Walls 100 Classifying Type: the Infill 102 Classifying Type: the Bar 104 Classifying Type: the Courtyard 106 Traversing the Section 108 Orchestrating Sequence 110 Entering the Building 112 Passing through Buildings 114 Articulating Path and Room 116 Ascending Stairs 118 Stepping with the Landscape 120 Considering Circulation 122 Compressing and Expanding Sequences 124 Walking beneath Portals 126 Moving through Layers 128 Linking Profane with Sacred 130 Interfacing Public with Private 132 Interlocking Sections 134 Carving Voids 136 Shaping the Floor 138 Reinforcing with Tectonics 140 Expanding Atria 142 Sensing Scale 144 Reconciling Ideal and Real 146 Arranging Voids 148 Sculpting Light 150 Facing the Building 152 Revealing Tartans 154 Disposing Symmetry and Asymmetry 156 Addressing Entry 158 Alternating Edges and Centers 160 Establishing and Then Breaking Order 162 Diagnosing Proportional Systems 164 Connecting Scales 166 Understanding Continuity 168 Attaching to Context 170 Harmonizing Forms 172 Arranging Mass 174 Balancing Mass 176 Subtracting Voids/Adding Figures 178 Expressing Planes 180 Weaving Structure and Enclosure 182 Viewing Layers 184 Relating Base-Middle-Top 186 Topping the Building 188 Turning the Corner 190 Seeing Windows 192 Highlighting Shadows 194 001-007_DD_part_0_final.indd 6 24.09.12 16:11 www.ebook3000.com
Probing the Details 196 PART III HOLISTIC ACTS Finding Rooms within Rooms 198 Sheltering within a Room 200 Opening Doors 202 Introduction 278 Framing Views 204 Shading Glass Typological Study of Place 206 280 Adjusting Panels 208 Discover Artificiality 281 Conceptual Memory of Place Incorporating Furniture 210 Categorizing Joints 212 Simply Complex 283 Capturing Sense of Place 284 Expressing Connections 214 Joining Wood 216 A Set of Partial Interpretations 285 Assembling with Third Things Speculate on Systems 218 286 Aligning Seams A Meditative Experience 220 2D to 3D Changing Material 222 What Makes a Place Unique Interlocking Masonry 224 289 Organizing Geometries 226 Lines of Thought 9 Visible Guidelines Gripping the Rail 228 9 Grasping Knobs 230 The Gem and the Setting In Focus Studying Unintended Consequences 1 232 293 Studying Unintended Consequences 2 234 Acts of Appreciation Self-Awareness in Drawing Encounters Engaging the Context The Nature of Entry and Threshold 236 280 A Holistic Journey 2 Orienting Oneself Conceptual and Perceptual Drawings 299 238 Discovering Lynch's Elements 240 Coordinating Object and Fabric 242 Resolving Geometries 244 APPENDIX Mediating with Shifts 246 Rotating and Pivoting 248 Screening Spaces 250 Bibliography 302 Lining with Trees 252 Photo Credits On the Author Layering Space 254 Acknowledgements Corresponding Solid and Void 256 Index of Buildings Highlighting Space in Fabric 258 Drawing the Nolli 260 Index of Building Types Subject Index Passing Laterally 262 Index of Locations Identifying Building Types 264 04000191011 Index of Persons Emphasizing Types 266 Index of Media Enclosing Urban Rooms 268 Informing the Street Section 270 Negotiating Stairs and Ramps 272 Strolling through Place 274 www.ebook3000.com
7 Probing the Details 196 Finding Rooms within Rooms 198 Sheltering within a Room 200 Opening Doors 202 Framing Views 204 Shading Glass 206 Adjusting Panels 208 Incorporating Furniture 210 Categorizing Joints 212 Expressing Connections 214 Joining Wood 216 Assembling with Third Things 218 Aligning Seams 220 Changing Material 222 Interlocking Masonry 224 Organizing Geometries 226 Gripping the Rail 228 Grasping Knobs 230 Studying Unintended Consequences 1 232 Studying Unintended Consequences 2 234 Engaging the Context 236 Orienting Oneself 238 Discovering Lynch’s Elements 240 Coordinating Object and Fabric 242 Resolving Geometries 244 Mediating with Shifts 246 Rotating and Pivoting 248 Screening Spaces 250 Lining with Trees 252 Layering Space 254 Corresponding Solid and Void 256 Highlighting Space in Fabric 258 Drawing the Nolli 260 Passing Laterally 262 Identifying Building Types 264 Emphasizing Types 266 Enclosing Urban Rooms 268 Informing the Street Section 270 Negotiating Stairs and Ramps 272 Strolling through Place 274 Part III Holistic Acts Introduction 278 Typological Study of Place 280 Discover Artificiality 281 Conceptual Memory of Place 282 Simply Complex 283 Capturing Sense of Place 284 A Set of Partial Interpretations 285 Speculate on Systems 286 A Meditative Experience 287 2D to 3D 288 What Makes a Place Unique 289 Lines of Thought 290 Visible Guidelines 291 The Gem and the Setting 292 In Focus 293 Acts of Appreciation 294 Self-Awareness in Drawing 295 Encounters 296 The Nature of Entry and Threshold 297 A Holistic Journey 298 Conceptual and Perceptual Drawings 299 Appendix Bibliography 302 Photo Credits 305 On the Author 306 Acknowledgements 306 Index of Buildings 307 Index of Building Types 307 Subject Index 308 Index of Locations 309 Index of Persons 310 Index of Media 311 001-007_DD_part_0_final.indd 7 24.09.12 16:11 www.ebook3000.com
Preface Drawing a building is a way of remembering it properly. The intention of this book is to help students develop an To draw you have to look very hard and I think it is in appreciation for observation and learning about the the looking itself that the building is impressed upon designed environment through freehand drawing.By the mind.Often I measure it and make a plan,putting observing I mean,as Caroline Mauduit endorses in her the dimensions on the drawing,because I know from introduction to An Architect in Italy,that we consider the experience that only by doing that can I understand designed,and by extension,the natural environment what I'm looking at. carefully with a critical and inquisitive eye.Carefulness is vital in reaching below the surface and beyond what is Caroline Mauduit,An Architect in Italy' literal.Unlike the casual glance or photograph,even the fastest,literal drawing is an inherently careful and active engagement.Drawing is a way of digesting the environ- ment in order to come away with a greater understanding of how the environment might have been formed,what it contributes or does not contribute and what lessons might be embedded in it.While I do not offer definitive methods, I do offer an approach that might lead to a disciplined search when truly looking at buildings.In the fifteen years of teaching freehand analysis,I have come to believe that students need an introduction to a methodology that can inform and guide yet not constrain them.I have made mistakes and have constantly revised the courses and ways to introduce a methodological approach.Some years I seem to get it and then,when I try to duplicate it the following year,I stumble. www.ebook3000.com
8 Preface Drawing a building is a way of remembering it properly. To draw you have to look very hard and I think it is in the looking itself that the building is impressed upon the mind. Often I measure it and make a plan, putting the dimensions on the drawing, because I know from experience that only by doing that can I understand what I’m looking at. Caroline Mauduit, An Architect in Italy1 The intention of this book is to help students develop an appreciation for observation and learning about the designed environment through freehand drawing. By observing I mean, as Caroline Mauduit endorses in her introduction to An Architect in Italy, that we consider the designed, and by extension, the natural environment carefully with a critical and inquisitive eye. Carefulness is vital in reaching below the surface and beyond what is literal. Unlike the casual glance or photograph, even the fastest, literal drawing is an inherently careful and active engagement. Drawing is a way of digesting the environment in order to come away with a greater understanding of how the environment might have been formed, what it contributes or does not contribute and what lessons might be embedded in it. While I do not offer definitive methods, I do offer an approach that might lead to a disciplined search when truly looking at buildings. In the fifteen years of teaching freehand analysis, I have come to believe that students need an introduction to a methodology that can inform and guide yet not constrain them. I have made mistakes and have constantly revised the courses and ways to introduce a methodological approach. Some years I seem to get it and then, when I try to duplicate it the following year, I stumble. 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 8 24.09.12 16:12 www.ebook3000.com
An essential aspect of this book is the use of freehand Drawing the designed and natural environment is a drawing.Freehand drawing is helpful because,when all process of analysis essential to observing and,hopefully, is said and done,the hand is connected to our minds understanding the world.There are cautionary tales as and intrinsically related to who we are.The hand and its in the fairy tale The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg preceding iterations such as ganglia,tentacles or other When trying to understand a thing we should be careful prehensile limbs shape what,how and of whom we think. not to kill it.A danger of abstracting and diagramming The drawing hand is linked with the least intermediary analytically is that it might destroy what we find exciting processes or devices to the world itself.Freehand drawing or stimulating.While a risk,diagramming or analyzing is as close as we can get to the thing itself without build- buildings remains a primary means of understanding their ing.Just as hand drawing is relatively unmitigated,the nature as both utilitarian device and vessel of experience. hand can never be machine-like,but at the same time it The nature of architecture is one in which,as Le Corbusier can be accurate enough in recording the world beyond writes in Towards an Architecture,"walls rise against the sky pure impression.The slip of the finger,the varied weight in an order such that I am moved.I sense your intentions."2 of a line or the wiggle resulting from too much coffee More than building,architecture embodies intentions while allows the building to remain alive. expressing our values and our dreams.Looking at buildings is a combination of a phenomenological experience and one of dimensions,properties and functions.The magic of architecture is that it embodies both the utilitarian and the experience of place. I would be pleased if the book is only considered.I would even be happy if even after reading it is rejected yet helps someone look at buildings more carefully.Either way,a student looks,truly looks at the built environment and learns from it. 1 Mauduit,Caroline,An Architect in Italy.New York:C.N.Potter (1988):10. 2 Le Corbusier,Towards an Architecture,trans.John Goodman.Los Angeles:Getty Research Institute(2007):215. 9 www.ebook3000.com
9 An essential aspect of this book is the use of freehand drawing. Freehand drawing is helpful because, when all is said and done, the hand is connected to our minds and intrinsically related to who we are. The hand and its preceding iterations such as ganglia, tentacles or other prehensile limbs shape what, how and of whom we think. The drawing hand is linked with the least intermediary processes or devices to the world itself. Freehand drawing is as close as we can get to the thing itself without building. Just as hand drawing is relatively unmitigated, the hand can never be machine-like, but at the same time it can be accurate enough in recording the world beyond pure impression. The slip of the finger, the varied weight of a line or the wiggle resulting from too much coffee allows the building to remain alive. Drawing the designed and natural environment is a process of analysis essential to observing and, hopefully, understanding the world. There are cautionary tales as in the fairy tale The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg. When trying to understand a thing we should be careful not to kill it. A danger of abstracting and diagramming analytically is that it might destroy what we find exciting or stimulating. While a risk, diagramming or analyzing buildings remains a primary means of understanding their nature as both utilitarian device and vessel of experience. The nature of architecture is one in which, as Le Corbusier writes in Towards an Architecture, “walls rise against the sky in an order such that I am moved. I sense your intentions.”2 More than building, architecture embodies intentions while expressing our values and our dreams. Looking at buildings is a combination of a phenomenological experience and one of dimensions, properties and functions. The magic of architecture is that it embodies both the utilitarian and the experience of place. I would be pleased if the book is only considered. I would even be happy if even after reading it is rejected yet helps someone look at buildings more carefully. Either way, a student looks, truly looks at the built environment and learns from it. 1 Mauduit, Caroline, An Architect in Italy. New York: C.N. Potter (1988): 10. 2 Le Corbusier, Towards an Architecture, trans. John Goodman. Los Angeles: Getty Research Institute (2007): 215. 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 9 24.09.12 16:12 www.ebook3000.com
Introduction This book really began,although I did not know it,when was a graduate architecture student.In fact,it was just as l neared the end of my formal professional education that I experienced a seminal moment that changed my life. This moment helped me realize that i was not at all near "the end"of my education but only just beginning to comprehend architecture and urban design.It occurred while I was a graduate student during a summer travel program in the small cities,villages and historical sites of western and central Turkey.I arrived in Istanbul a day in advance of the program's official start to acquaint myself with the city before setting out on the journey through the Turkish countryside.I strolled through the ancient city with the Ayasofya(Hagia Sophia)and the Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque)as my ultimate goal.The buildings and their precincts were,of course,spectacular and after walking around and through them,I sat in Sultanahmet Square, looked at the Blue Mosque in the distance,opened the first page of my new sketchbook and began to draw. The resultant sketch was fairly conventional in that what l drew corresponded to what I was seeing or at least represented it quite literally much like a photographic image.And like a photograph,it illustrated an event in time from one vantage point.Fortunately,for my self- esteem,it was not an awful sketch.In fact,I was quite relieved that the first attempt in the virginal sketchbook was at least adequate. The next morning,my fellow students and I met our profes- sor,William Bechhoefer,who distributed the syllabus for his course,An Architectural Journal.Bechhoefer asked us to use our sketchbooks in three ways:1)to study specific cg7:0c8投.a8是动aaa1 conditions in Turkish architecture that might inform our 我equired Read1ngT own design process,2)to scrutinize the designed and natural environment in Turkey,using specific drawing types and 3)to document those things that "strike you",using freehand diagrams,conventional architectural drawings (such as elevations and plans),texts and even,with some optimism,poetry.Fundamentally,the syllabus asked us to look at the built and natural environment as architects with enoeaiaaoaaig2r86ao4 a degree of inquiry.Rather than illustrate,we were to investigate. urethe opleDiecover ee 191 具 Grading Criteria:"Density"of presentstion and perception The first sketch in Turkey The same view as in the first sketch Bechhoefer's course syllabus 0
10 This book really began, although I did not know it, when I was a graduate architecture student. In fact, it was just as I neared the end of my formal professional education that I experienced a seminal moment that changed my life. This moment helped me realize that I was not at all near “the end” of my education but only just beginning to comprehend architecture and urban design. It occurred while I was a graduate student during a summer travel program in the small cities, villages and historical sites of western and central Turkey. I arrived in Istanbul a day in advance of the program’s official start to acquaint myself with the city before setting out on the journey through the Turkish countryside. I strolled through the ancient city with the Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) and the Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque) as my ultimate goal. The buildings and their precincts were, of course, spectacular and after walking around and through them, I sat in Sultanahmet Square, looked at the Blue Mosque in the distance, opened the first page of my new sketchbook and began to draw. The resultant sketch was fairly conventional in that what I drew corresponded to what I was seeing or at least represented it quite literally much like a photographic image. And like a photograph, it illustrated an event in time from one vantage point. Fortunately, for my selfesteem, it was not an awful sketch. In fact, I was quite relieved that the first attempt in the virginal sketchbook was at least adequate. The next morning, my fellow students and I met our professor, William Bechhoefer, who distributed the syllabus for his course, An Architectural Journal. Bechhoefer asked us to use our sketchbooks in three ways: 1) to study specific conditions in Turkish architecture that might inform our own design process, 2) to scrutinize the designed and natural environment in Turkey, using specific drawing types and 3) to document those things that “strike you”, using freehand diagrams, conventional architectural drawings (such as elevations and plans), texts and even, with some optimism, poetry. Fundamentally, the syllabus asked us to look at the built and natural environment as architects with a degree of inquiry. Rather than illustrate, we were to investigate. Introduction The first sketch in Turkey The same view as in the first sketch Bechhoefer’s course syllabus 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 10 24.09.12 16:12
With the syllabus in hand,we set out on the trip across Turkey.Two days later we arrived in Bursa,a small city south of Istanbul,and visited,among other sites,the Yesil Madrasa(now the Turk Islam Eserleri Muzesi/Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art)in the Yesil Kulliye (Green Complex).Keeping Professor Bechhoefer's syllabus in mind,I walked through the madrasa and noticed,or perhaps I might say "felt",something intriguing about its courtyard.At first,it was not clear exactly what was captivating.Nevertheless,I started to sketch,recalling Bechhoefer's suggested inquiries and methods.As I recall and might be perceived in the sketch,I started with a series of familiar drawing types:a section of the courtyard showing the colonnade,which led to a section of pathway and vault that,in turn,lead to a larger section,then a vignette section-perspective and so on.Other than the decision to draw,I did not preconceive of what drawings and in what order I might sketch but switched drawing types to help investigate and quench my curiosity.As I sketched,I began to formulate that which was intriguing to me And then...a seminal moment.I discovered that some- thing which was at first interesting was in fact an important albeit subtle architectural moment.What I had noticed unconsciously was that the courtyard's floor did not The Yesil Madrasa courtyard and arcade terminate at the colonnade but appeared to "slide" Sketchbook page of the Yesil Madrasa beneath its edge and into the vaulted path.At that moment,I realized that a courtyard could overlap with a surrounding path and vice versa.Rather than a "here/ there"segregation in which a colonnade delimited two zones,"this"courtyard and "that"path,here I discovered an architecture of "both/and".Though I know my design critics had mentioned transparency and ambiguity,when I sketched this space,these concepts finally made sense.I started to understand a greater idea of architecture. But there was an even greater revelation that struck me as I sat there,and has continued to haunt me since then:it was that I had discovered something through sketching.While this revelation may be unremarkable to many,it was a moment that affected my immediate travel experience. From that point on in the trip through Turkey I sketched aggressively and with inquiry with multiple views of section, axonometric,elevation,perspective,diagrams,details,etc. More than affecting that summer's travel experience,it has affected my life.The moment and ensuing experience was for me,liberating.The experiential static charge built up over the previous few years in architecture school suddenly sparked a eureka moment.A conjunction of thinking and learning was revealed by a simple request to draw what "strikes you".I discovered that sketching could be a means of inquiry;it was only later that I would fully comprehend that what mattered was not so much "what"I discovered, but "how"I discovered it. Subsequent Turkey sketchbook pages
11 With the syllabus in hand, we set out on the trip across Turkey. Two days later we arrived in Bursa, a small city south of Istanbul, and visited, among other sites, the Yesil Madrasa (now the Türk Islam Eserleri Müzesi/Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art) in the Yesil Külliye (Green Complex). Keeping Professor Bechhoefer’s syllabus in mind, I walked through the madrasa and noticed, or perhaps I might say “felt”, something intriguing about its courtyard. At first, it was not clear exactly what was captivating. Nevertheless, I started to sketch, recalling Bechhoefer’s suggested inquiries and methods. As I recall and might be perceived in the sketch, I started with a series of familiar drawing types: a section of the courtyard showing the colonnade, which led to a section of pathway and vault that, in turn, lead to a larger section, then a vignette section-perspective and so on. Other than the decision to draw, I did not preconceive of what drawings and in what order I might sketch but switched drawing types to help investigate and quench my curiosity. As I sketched, I began to formulate that which was intriguing to me. And then … a seminal moment. I discovered that something which was at first interesting was in fact an important albeit subtle architectural moment. What I had noticed unconsciously was that the courtyard’s floor did not terminate at the colonnade but appeared to “slide” beneath its edge and into the vaulted path. At that moment, I realized that a courtyard could overlap with a surrounding path and vice versa. Rather than a “here/ there” segregation in which a colonnade delimited two zones, “this” courtyard and “that” path, here I discovered an architecture of “both/and”. Though I know my design critics had mentioned transparency and ambiguity, when I sketched this space, these concepts finally made sense. I started to understand a greater idea of architecture. But there was an even greater revelation that struck me as I sat there, and has continued to haunt me since then: it was that I had discovered something through sketching. While this revelation may be unremarkable to many, it was a moment that affected my immediate travel experience. From that point on in the trip through Turkey I sketched aggressively and with inquiry with multiple views of section, axonometric, elevation, perspective, diagrams, details, etc. More than affecting that summer’s travel experience, it has affected my life. The moment and ensuing experience was, for me, liberating. The experiential static charge built up over the previous few years in architecture school suddenly sparked a eureka moment. A conjunction of thinking and learning was revealed by a simple request to draw what “strikes you”. I discovered that sketching could be a means of inquiry; it was only later that I would fully comprehend that what mattered was not so much “what” I discovered, but “how” I discovered it. Subsequent Turkey sketchbook pages The Yesil Madrasa courtyard and arcade Sketchbook page of the Yesil Madrasa ¸ ¸ ¸ ¸ 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 11 24.09.12 16:12
Beyond my own sketching,the eureka moment began a continuing road of self-discovery and reflection on archi- tectural education.Since then,I have endeavored in my teaching efforts to offer opportunities for learning through sketching,both in the United States and abroad,to help students develop a process of inquisitive sketching.One consequence has been the course The Classroom in the City,first developed at Virginia Tech's Washington- Alexandria Center and then expanded into a required undergraduate course at The Catholic University of America's School of Architecture and Planning in Washington,DC.The key idea of this course is that architecture students can come to understand and,in turn, inform their own spatial and material assemblages through sketching within the designed environment.In the process of sketching and diagramming,students engage in Students in the classroom of the city physical and psychological processes analogous to the design process.Moreover,it is hoped that students would develop a process or affinity for looking at buildings to see the unseen,to uncover hidden or at least obscured patterns and otherwise engage with the life-world that would inform their design process While teaching,I started to explore what had happened to me as a graduate student:what preceded it and what impact this might have on me and others.This,in turn,led me to study physically what I had gone through(the physical skill that I had developed since childhood),the psychological underpinnings(why I had learned and how it related to drawing)and the phenomenological attitude (how I engaged with the world,my eureka moment and the subsequent change in perspective).The physical and thinking processes engaged while developing this aware- ness also seemed to parallel maturation in thinking and inquiry. One clear example is that of a junior-level architecture student we will call "Alex".Alex's first sketch of the semester,completed on the weekend just before the first day of class,was a perspective of Washington DC's National Mall,showing the reflecting pool and Washington Monument.It was drawn while sitting on the Lincoln Memorial's steps.As to be expected,the sketch is fraught with good intentions:Alex,without prompting,picked up his sketchbook and ventured out to look at and sketch the city.As might also be expected,the sketch is somewhat naive and awkward.There is little line or tone control and the techniques of aerial and linear perspective are ama- teurish.Additionally,we can sense a degree of uncertainty in the line work as the lines are flimsy and frail to reveal the usual first-sketch insecurity. Alex's first sketch of the semester 12
12 Beyond my own sketching, the eureka moment began a continuing road of self-discovery and reflection on architectural education. Since then, I have endeavored in my teaching efforts to offer opportunities for learning through sketching, both in the United States and abroad, to help students develop a process of inquisitive sketching. One consequence has been the course The Classroom in the City, first developed at Virginia Tech’s WashingtonAlexandria Center and then expanded into a required undergraduate course at The Catholic University of America’s School of Architecture and Planning in Washington, DC. The key idea of this course is that architecture students can come to understand and, in turn, inform their own spatial and material assemblages through sketching within the designed environment. In the process of sketching and diagramming, students engage in physical and psychological processes analogous to the design process. Moreover, it is hoped that students would develop a process or affinity for looking at buildings to see the unseen, to uncover hidden or at least obscured patterns and otherwise engage with the life-world that would inform their design process. While teaching, I started to explore what had happened to me as a graduate student: what preceded it and what impact this might have on me and others. This, in turn, led me to study physically what I had gone through (the physical skill that I had developed since childhood), the psychological underpinnings (why I had learned and how it related to drawing) and the phenomenological attitude (how I engaged with the world, my eureka moment and the subsequent change in perspective). The physical and thinking processes engaged while developing this awareness also seemed to parallel maturation in thinking and inquiry. One clear example is that of a junior-level architecture student we will call “Alex”. Alex’s first sketch of the semester, completed on the weekend just before the first day of class, was a perspective of Washington DC’s National Mall, showing the reflecting pool and Washington Monument. It was drawn while sitting on the Lincoln Memorial’s steps. As to be expected, the sketch is fraught with good intentions: Alex, without prompting, picked up his sketchbook and ventured out to look at and sketch the city. As might also be expected, the sketch is somewhat naive and awkward. There is little line or tone control and the techniques of aerial and linear perspective are amateurish. Additionally, we can sense a degree of uncertainty in the line work as the lines are flimsy and frail to reveal the usual first-sketch insecurity. Alex’s first sketch of the semester Students in the classroom of the city 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 12 24.09.12 16:12
INTRODUCTION Most significant,however,is that the sketch is architectoni- cally mute.Like my sketch of the Blue Mosque,Alex's sketch is a snapshot of a familiar scene.He has developed neither the graphic skills nor the sketch palette to uncover underlying systems of the view he admires.The patterning dimensions and assemblies remain unrevealed.The sketch records what is seen,but there is little inquiry or question- ing.While the scene is striking and important to him,he has not yet explored beyond the view itself.This is not to say that a perspective sketch is unprocessed,unanalytica or non-transformative in nature,but for Alex,who is just starting his architectural education,the perspective sketch is an impression,a literal representation Within four weeks of taking the course,however,there is a noticeable maturation in exploration.This is best exemplified by his sketch of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington,DC.The sketch is an analysis of the relationship of interior volumes to the exterior skin and to a spatial sequence.It gives some idea of how Alex has progressed from the purely picturesque,illustrative mode into a more analytical and critical mode. An obvious change is that Alex's sketch is more deliberate and confident.Following repeated and specific sketching exercises,he has begun to develop hand coordination and muscle memory and,as such,the sketch has become Alex's sketch of the Corcoran Gallery of Art more disciplined,yet remains exploratory and flexible. Moreover,the sketch reveals a degree of inquiry.Alex is asking questions of architecture.As an analytical sketch it digests the spatial and material assemblies of this particu lar designed environment,which may,in turn,inform his own design thinking.What he sees now might translate into a conceptual representation and,eventually,back into the design environment. While Alex and his sketches are explicit examples,fortu- nately most students go through this process during or just after their Classroom in the City.The course is designed for students with some experience in the design studio,as some a priori knowledge is necessary for the student to sketch analytically.Though the methodology continues to evolve,the pedagogical thread linking its continuing development is the opportunity for discovery and investi- gation through analytical sketching.The methodology- and its underlying pedagogy-link learning and cognitive development with observation and recording observations in freehand drawings to make a significant impact on semantic processing systems,or information concerned with discovering and modifying objects. 小
13 Most significant, however, is that the sketch is architectonically mute. Like my sketch of the Blue Mosque, Alex’s sketch is a snapshot of a familiar scene. He has developed neither the graphic skills nor the sketch palette to uncover underlying systems of the view he admires. The patterning dimensions and assemblies remain unrevealed. The sketch records what is seen, but there is little inquiry or questioning. While the scene is striking and important to him, he has not yet explored beyond the view itself. This is not to say that a perspective sketch is unprocessed, unanalytical or non-transformative in nature, but for Alex, who is just starting his architectural education, the perspective sketch is an impression, a literal representation. Within four weeks of taking the course, however, there is a noticeable maturation in exploration. This is best exemplified by his sketch of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The sketch is an analysis of the relationship of interior volumes to the exterior skin and to a spatial sequence. It gives some idea of how Alex has progressed from the purely picturesque, illustrative mode into a more analytical and critical mode. An obvious change is that Alex’s sketch is more deliberate and confident. Following repeated and specific sketching exercises, he has begun to develop hand coordination and muscle memory and, as such, the sketch has become more disciplined, yet remains exploratory and flexible. Moreover, the sketch reveals a degree of inquiry. Alex is asking questions of architecture. As an analytical sketch it digests the spatial and material assemblies of this particular designed environment, which may, in turn, inform his own design thinking. What he sees now might translate into a conceptual representation and, eventually, back into the design environment. While Alex and his sketches are explicit examples, fortunately most students go through this process during or just after their Classroom in the City. The course is designed for students with some experience in the design studio, as some a priori knowledge is necessary for the student to sketch analytically. Though the methodology continues to evolve, the pedagogical thread linking its continuing development is the opportunity for discovery and investigation through analytical sketching. The methodology – and its underlying pedagogy – link learning and cognitive development with observation and recording observations in freehand drawings to make a significant impact on semantic processing systems, or information concerned with discovering and modifying objects. Introduction Alex’s sketch of the Corcoran Gallery of Art 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 13 24.09.12 16:12
