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Graphical Parallel Projection & Architectural Drawing

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You may have noticed that the vast majority of graphical projections in the last three posts were at least nominally realistic. They describe an object simply and clearly. They occasionally border on abstraction, but that is usually a side effect of graphical projection itself. There is, however, a vein of almost pure abstraction in modern architecture. It is almost as though elite architects were frustrated modernist painters. Or, that abstract expressionist painters had decided to have a contractor actually build their two-dimensional painted abstractions. In the early modern era there was not only a tendency to muddy perspective images, but also a move away from perspectives entirely. Projection drawings (isometric drawing, etc.), previously the domain of engineers, began to be used by architects for presentation. The tendency of these types of drawings to emulate abstract art was an added feature (if not the whole point of doing them). Most projection drawings of the 1920s were cl...
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Hand & CAD - The Wireframe Years - 1

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Columbus Circle, Steamboat Springs & the Queens Museum. When computers began to be used in architectural offices, they were unstable and relatively primitive. I lived through that period of frustration, elation and work-a-rounds.   This is just one of a number of posts I want to write about it – partly, just to leave a record of the work, but mainly as an example of mixing the digital with the hand. In the early 1980s 3D computer modeling was not an option in architectural offices. Just buying a computer with the requisite memory and graphics was way too expensive. But in 1985 the office in which I worked bought an early CAD computer and a very early version of AutoCad, which was used for Building Department submission drawings. Simple diagramatic drawings were created, with much computer crashing and gnashing of teeth.   The simplest 3D modeling was a faint glimmer in the recesses of that early software.    The layout above was done for the Columbus Circle Comp...
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Seeing & Observing

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Illustration from Harvard Magazine In the latest Harvard Magazine is an excerpt from a new book by Maria Konnikova: Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes.   In the book is a conversation between Holmes and Dr. Watson from Doyle’s   “A Scandal in Bohemia” which points to the necessity of “observing” rather than “seeing”.   “You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.” “Frequently.” “How often?” “Well, some hundreds of times.” “Then how many are there?” “How many? I don’t know.” “Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed.” I couldn’t agree more with Ms Konnikova.   In the business of architectural illustration we tend to focus on the basics of constructing a model, a view and an accurate rendering. We don’t put much emphasis on looking at ...
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