Sketches and Architect's Memories - Coursework Example

After reading ‘Drawing lines of confrontation’ from the book “From models to drawings”; and in conjunction with “The Poetics of Space”; write about how sketches (and after that buildings) can be affected by the architect’s memories. 1. Introduction The understanding of the interaction between memories and human behaviour can be a challenging task. Indeed, memory is a complex part of a person’s cognitive skills. Not all individuals are equally influenced by their memory, depending on their attitudes, their biological characteristics and their environment. Particular attention has been given to the role of memory in influencing the expression of a person’s thoughts, either in his private or his social/ professional life. The potentials of memory to play such role are made clear in the case of sketching. In this paper the impact of memory on the drawings developed by a specific group of professionals, architects, is explored. The approaches used by popular architects, such as Frank Gehry and Le Corbusier, when sketching are presented in order to understand the role of memories in drawing, as this relationship can be quite strong in architecture. Reference is also made to the position of drawing in architecture, i.e. the necessity and the demands of drawing as part of the particular science. It is proved that architects are likely to be highly influenced by their memory when producing sketching but the level of interaction between memories and sketching may not be standardized. It is also revealed that by affecting drawing memories can also impact the final form/ structure of a building, even if extensive changes may have occur on the drawings on which the construction of the building has been based. On the other hand, it is clear that sketching cannot be developed fully independently from memories; rather, the drawings developed by an architect are critical signs of the architect’s experiences even drawings may not highly reflect these experiences, under the terms described below. 2. How architect’s memories can affect sketches 2.1 Architecture - memories and sketching Drawing, as an activity, is difficult to be precisely described. In fact, drawing should be considered as a rather complex process, being related ‘to material conditions, such as works on paper, to techniques or to functions’ (Hamel, “Lines of Confrontation”, in Frascari et al. 2013, p.205). In architecture, drawing seems to have a key mission: to define ‘the borders of space’ (Hamel, in Frascari et al. 2013, p.206). For architects drawing has a key role: it helps them to express their thoughts in regard to a particular building/ site. At the next level, when the time for the construction of the site comes, drawing is necessary for understanding the form and structure of the site (Frascari 2011). Through the sketches of the architect, readers can also understand the feelings of the architect in regard to the site’s role but also the potential influence of the architect by his memories and experiences (Frascari 2011). Indeed, it seems that drawings are able to enhance ‘the interaction between imagination, memories and thinking’ (Frascari 2011, p.37). Moreover, it has been proved that the thinking potentials of architects can be influenced by a series of factors, such as the volume and the complexity of information that the architect needs to process while sketching; these factors can influence the drawings of an architect, either more or less, depending on the architect’s cognitive skills (Frascari 2011). On the other hand the ability of architects to develop drawings that reflect architects’ actual thoughts is not standardized. In regard to this issue Arnheim (1996) has noted that when the drawings of architects are commonly based on ‘two means of vision: the direct perception, meaning the capturing of images by the eyes, and the mental images, based on memory and imagination’ (Arnheim 1996, p.52). In any case, drawings help to visualize the thoughts of architects in regard to the form of a specific building; these thoughts may be quite general, meaning that architects may have imagined the overall form of a building but they face difficulties in identifying the building’s architectural details (Arnheim 1996). By drawing a building an architect can see the actual structure of a building, i.e. how the building would be in real terms, and can make improvements/ add features so that the final form of the building is complete (Arnheim 1996). In other words, sketches can serve both as tools for visualizing architects’ thoughts and as tools for enhancing architects’ imagination; memories can influence both thoughts and imagination and, thus, they can have affect architects’ drawings. In order to understand the role of drawing in architecture, it would be necessary to realize the power of sketches, as images, to reflect a particular idea. According to Stilgoe (1994) images can have a poetic nature, meaning that they can be used as means to transfer ideas, i.e. as tools to communicate. Moreover, it seems that those images that are quite unusual are more likely to attract the interest of viewers, promoting communication at higher level than less unusual images (Stilgoe 1994). The particular fact is important in order to understand the value of unusual design techniques in architecture. More specifically, design practices that are opposed to the common design styles should not be rejected as of low value but they should be rather explored as of their potentials for transferring ideas, i.e. their potentials to enhance communication. The design technique of Frank Gehry, as described in the next section, is an indication of the above trend: indeed, Gehry used extensively sketches for capturing visual elements that could be lost from memory at a later point of time. Due to this practice, Gehry was criticized for his vague sketches that needed extensive process, at a later level, for reflecting the precise structure/ elements of a building. However, this practice offered to Gehry the advantage of creating unique designs, as explained further below. Despite the high importance of drawing in reflecting architect’s thoughts in regard to a particular building, the role of sketches in the development of the building can be differentiated depending on the approach used by the contractor who will be involved in the building’s construction. According to Chappell and Willis (2010) a contractor may ignore many of the architect’s guidelines and suggestions, as incorporated in the architect’s sketches describing the building under construction. In this case, the final building will fail to reflect the architect’s thoughts in regard to the specific site (Chappell and Willis 2010). On the other hand, Gernsbacher and Derry (1998) have noted that sketches are vital in the design process but they represent just the identification of the concept of the process. This means that sketches are used just as the basis for the development of a site and need not to present the site with details but they should just give an idea on the site’s overall form (Gernsbacher and Derry 1998). Particular emphasis should be given to the following fact: the drawings of each architect can be based on different rules. For example, the sketches of certain architects can be quite analytical, presenting a building/ site with details, while others can be rather vague, showing just the overall form of a building without referring to its particular elements. Reference can be made to the case of Gordon Cullen, a popular urban designer in Britain, who used to develop quite clear sketches for describing his thoughts for urban environment (Laseau 2001, p.31). 2.2 The practical implications of memories for sketching in architecture – the case of popular architects The role of memories in sketching could be made clear by referring to the sketches of certain popular architects. By reviewing the drawing techniques of these architects it would be easier to understand whether drawing, as part of architecture, is able to reflect an architect’s memories or not and which are the factors that can most influence the relationship between sketching and memories in architecture. 2.2.1 Frank Gehry Drawing, as an activity, it reflects a combination of body and mind; this means that the development of a sketch is based on thoughts as incorporated in a paper using the hands. When the exchange of information between the mind and the hands is quite rapid, then the result can be impressive. In architecture, ‘the use of the body to design sketches that reflect the direct thoughts is known as gestural drawing’ (Sale and Betti 2007, p.26). The specific technique is a key characteristic of Frank Gehry’s drawing style (Sale and Betti 2007). According to Gehry the dream of each architect should be presented through sketches that show clearly ‘the passion and the investment of the architect on the particular model’ (Sale and Betti 2007, p.26). Gehry, one of most famous architects in USA, has become known for his emphasis on drawings as tools for capturing visual themes that will be transformed into architectural models (Smith 2006). For Gehry drawings have been valuable not just in the early phases of the design process, such as when capturing the concept of a particular design, but during the whole process; in fact, changes could be made on sketches until the development of the real design model, on which the construction of a building would be based (Smith 2006). Yee (2012) emphasizes on the ability of Gehry to develop ‘quite complex drawings’ (Yee 2012, p.79). In addition, reference is made to a specific characteristic of Gehry’s drawing style: the extensive use of ‘real-space models’ (Yee 2012, p.79). These models offer the following advantage: they lead to the creation of architectural designs that can be easily processed using appropriate software (Yee 2012). In this way, the completion of the design process can be quite rapid. Still, complex drawings may lead to the following disadvantage: they may fail in describing with accuracy the site involved; in this way, mistakes when interpreting the drawings may not be avoided (Yee 2012). This implication can be related to the gestural drawing technique, which requires the direct reflection of thoughts. In this way, the actual thoughts of the architect in regard to the form of a site are fully reflected but not in detail; just a general description of a site is provided giving the chance to those who will process the sketches to add their own elements in the final drawing (Yee 2012). An example of Gehry’s sketches is presented in Figure 1. In that Figure the sketch of Gehry in regard to a house in California, Santa Monica, is presented. Figure 1 – Sketch of a house, by Gehry (source: Arc Space, 2012) In gestural drawing, as used by Gehry, memory could have a key role at the following point: since there is no thorough check of visual themes which are designed on paper the involvement of logic in processing the design cannot be extensive. However, memories from similar visual themes will not be controlled; these memories will intervene automatically, i.e. even without the clear consent of the designer, and will affect the final form of the sketch (Lazo 2005). In other words, using gestural drawing, as Gehry did, can ensure that the sketch produced will reflect the thoughts and memories of the designer. When was asked about his drawing technique Gehry had answered that when drawing he is likely ‘to think of what he is doing but he does not think about his hands’ (Lindsey and Gehry 2001, p.53). In the case of Gehry the use of memories in drawing can be verified through the following fact: Gehry was able to identify solutions even for design problems that were difficult to be addressed. This characteristic of Gehry was based on his ability to combine architecture with other sciences, such as ‘sculpture and painting’ (Lazo 2005, p.39). For example, when was asked to transform an abandoned building ‘into the California Aerospace Museum’ (Lazo 2005, p.40) Gehry decided to add an element in the exterior of the museum so that the role of the building is made clear. The drawing of ‘a jet fighter plane on the museum’s exterior wall’ (Lazo 2005, p.40) highlighted the building’s role. The above element, as added in the building, also increased the building’s differentiation from others of similar use; the development of the particular site can be considered as a clear reflection of Gehry’s approach to drawing. When developing the above project Gehry probably used his memories in regard to similar problems with other architectural plans, a fact that verifies the involvement of memories in Gehry’s drawing approach. The effort of Gehry to use sketches up to the completion of the design process has been often criticized. The reason is that the use of vague sketches, i.e. sketches that do not present in detail the site involved, has a critical risk: it is possible that the building resulting from such sketches to be of ‘high aesthetic but of low functionality’ (Lewis and Lewis 2013, p.168). Such building is of low value, in terms of architecture (Lewis and Lewis 2013). Still, for Gehry sketches were primarily tools for capturing ideas ensuring that the critical elements of a visual theme will be captured. In other words, memories are vital in the work of Gehry; however, because memories in regard to a particular object may be differentiated, i.e. alternated, as time passes, sketches are necessary for ensuring that the key elements of the particular object are captured (Lewis and Lewis 2013). Figure 2 – Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, by Gehry (source: Arc Space 2012) The design process that Gehry used when designing the Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Figure 2) is an example of the involvement of memory in drawing. In the above project Gehry has initially developed a quite vague sketch; this sketch reflected Gehry’s memories and knowledge (Lewis and Lewis 2013). As the design process was being developed a series of additional sketches had to be produced for showing the details of the site (Lewis and Lewis 2013). By using a quite vague sketch as the basis of the design process Gehry had achieved his key target in regard to the specific site: to given to the building ‘movement and feeling’ (Lewis and Lewis 2013, p.168). The sketch that Gehry developed a few years later, in 1995, for DZ Building in Berlin (Figure 3) has a series of similarities with the Guggenheim Museum (Figure 2); through these sketches, the role of memory in the drawings of Gehry is further verified. Figure 3 – DZ Bank Building in Berlin, by Gehry (source: Arc Space 2012) In regard to the above site Gehry had noted that most of the initial drawings, called by Gehry as ‘scratchings, were done on site’ (Lindsey and Gehry 2001, p.53). This technique was followed in order to ensure that all elements of the site’s environment would be taken into consideration in the final design; also, through this technique it was made sure that the final building would have a dynamic and innovative form, a target that would not be achieved if the initial drawings were developed far from the site, in the architect’s office using geometrical tools for securing the accuracy of lines (Lindsey and Gehry 2001). Another indication of the importance of memories in Gehry’s sketches can be identified in Michigan. There, Gehry was asked to design a complex hotel that would be part of a housing project (Hartoonian 2012). Gehry gave to the hotel the shape of a ‘vertical fish’ (Hartoonian 2012, p.176). Gehry explained this design as follows: he had chosen the specific design form for reflecting the perfection, a status that in his mind, from his childhood, was highly reflected in the shape of a fish (Hartoonian 2012, p.176). 2.2.2 Le Corbusier Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, was born in Switzerland in 1887 (MoMA 2014). Le Corbusier developed a series of unique architectural drawings and paintings (MoMA 2014). An example of the drawing style of Le Corbusier is presented in Figure 4 below. Le Corbusier used clear, distinctive lines for defining space (MoMA 2014). Figure 4 – Painting under the title ‘Still Life’ of Le Corbusier, 1920 (source: MoMA 2014) For Le Corbusier, like Gehry, memories had a critical value. An example of the involvement of memories in the sketches of Le Corbusier is the following: in 1911 Le Corbusier made a travel to Italy in order ‘to visit Villa Adriana (Tivoli)’ (Pauly 1997, p.88). There, Le Corbusier had the chance to introduce a unique mode of lighting: a periscope was used for dispersing the light in the interior of the building (Pauly 1997); Le Corbusier developed the specific lighting system for covering the relevant needs of Villa Adriana (Pauly 1997). Le Corbusier stored this image in his memory and applied it ‘several years after, in 1948, in his drawings for a building at Ronchamp’ (Pauly 1997, p.88). The initial sketches of Le Corbusier in regard to Villa Adriana are presented in Figure 5. Figure 5 – Le Corbusier, sketches in regard to Villa Adriana (source: Villa Adriana archives) Another example of the role of memory in the drawings of Le Corbusier is the following: in the sketch of Adelaide (Australia) that Le Corbusier developed (Figure 6) the city is represented slightly different from its actual status; the differences were caused under the influence of ‘the architect’s memories of urbanism’ (Leach 2010, p.89). Moreover, the sketch of the city of Chandigarh (Figure 6a), which Le Corbusier was asked to design, seems to be quite similar, in terms ‘not only of the style of drawing but also of the layout’ (Moulis 2007), with the sketch of Adelaide; this fact shows the role of memory in the drawings of Le Corbusier. Figure 6 – the city of Adelaide Figure 6a – the city of Chandigarh Sketches of Le Corbusier (source: Moulis 2007) Through the years, Le Corbusier has tried different drawing approaches until he was able to establish his unique drawing style (Samuel 2007). Reference can be made, for example, to 1950s when Le Corbusier emphasized on ‘radical and elemental solutions’ (Samuel 2007, p.191) and to 1970s, a period during which Le Corbusier started to pay attention to the environment that surrounds a building (Piotrowski and Robinson 2001). In any case, the drawing style of Le Corbusier has been highly influenced by the travels of the architect in 1900s and 1910s (Piotrowski and Robinson 2001). Among these travels, ‘the travel of Le Corbusier across Italy, between 1907 and 1911’ (Piotrowski and Robinson 2001, p.141) had highly affected the architect’s drawings. During the above travel Le Corbusier written down his experiences, along with notes from places of high interest; these experiences are reflected in the later drawings of Le Corbusier (Piotrowski and Robinson 2001). In the years that followed, Le Corbusier has adopted the specific practice: ‘he was carrying a sketchbook where he kept notes on anything that attracted his attention’ (Spankie 2009, p.51). In this way, Le Corbusier was able to keep in his memory any object that could help him to respond to the needs of a design process. It should be noted that for Le Corbusier the use of similar drawing lines would be fully justified in case that such need appeared, especially in cases that the environment of a building is distinctive. For example, the drawing of Le Corbusier for the Hospital of Venice, in 1960s, had to be aligned with the unique urban structure of Venice (Stoppani 2012). In the specific case, Le Corbusier used a drawing style similar to that used for Arsenale (Stoppani 2012). When described his sketch for Venice Hospital Le Corbusier noted that he had to follow the architectural style of the rest of the city, at the level that the Hospital is ‘an horizontal organism’ (Stoppani 2012, p.143), being related to its environment. In the above case, Le Corbusier had to recall to his memory his experiences from similar projects, ensuring that the functionality of the building will be secured. Figure 7 & 7a – Venice Hospital, by Le Corbusier, levels 1 & 2 (source: Shah 2005) Moreover, according to Shah (2005) a key challenge that Le Corbusier faced when developing the drawings of the Venice Hospital was to combine ‘innovativeness, as related to his drawing style, with integration’ (Shah 2005). 3. Conclusion The intervention of memories in drawing, as part of the architecture, cannot be doubted. In fact, the study of the work of two popular architects, Gehry and Le Corbusier, has revealed that memories are an indispensable part of each architect’s drawing style. Reference is made not only to memories related to the field of work but also to memories referring to architects’ family life, especially the childhood, as the specific trend was also verified through the study of the work of Gehry and Le Corbusier, as analyzed above. In addition, when architects have to face quite challenging drawings, the recall of similar sketches, from the architects’ previous works, is preferred, so that risks are minimized. For example, when Le Corbusier was asked to design the city of Chandigarh he developed a sketch quite similar with the one that the architect produced for the city of Adelaide (Figures 6 & 6a). Gehry has used a similar practice: his sketch for the DZ Bank in Berlin has been similar to his sketch for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (Figures 2 & 3). Also, under the pressures of the circumstances the use of memories for developing a sketch can be limited. In this context, the sketch of Le Corbusier for the Venice Hospital was mostly related to the Hospital’s environment and less to the architect’s personal drawing style (Figures 7 & 7a). In the above context it could be noted that memories have a key role in architectural drawing but their involvement in the design process can be reduced under the pressure of specific challenges related to an architectural project. References Arnheim, R. (1996) The Split and the Structure: Twenty-eight Essays. Berkeley: University of California Press Arc Space (2012) Frank Gehry – Sketches, Available at http://www.arcspace.com/the-architects-studio/frank-o-gehry-sketches/ Chappell, D. and Willis, A. (2010) The Architect in Practice. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Gernsbacher, M. and Derry, S. (1998) Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society: August 1-4, 1998, University of Wisconsin-Madison. New Jersey: Psychology Press Frascari, M., Hale, J. and Starkey, B. (2013) From Models to Drawings: Imagination and Representation in Architecture. London: Routledge. Frascari, M. (2011) Eleven Exercises in the Art of Architectural Drawing: Slow Food for the Architects Imagination. Oxon: Taylor & Francis Hartoonian, G. (2012) Architecture and Spectacle: A Critique. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Laseau, P. (2001) Graphic Thinking for Architects & Designers. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Lazo, C. (2005) Frank Gehry. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books Leach, A. (2010) What is Architectural History. London: Polity. Lewis, R. and Lewis, S. (2013) The Power of Art. Belmont: Cengage Learning. Lindsey, B. and Gehry, F. (2001) Digital Gehry. Englische Ausgabe.: Material Resistance Digital Construction. New York: Springer. Moulis, A. (2007) Unbuilt Australia, Le Corbusier’s Adelaide. Available at http://www.architecturemedia.com/unbuilt/articles/AA-Unbuilt-Le-Corbusiers-Adelaide.pdf Museum of Modern Art, MoMA (2014) The Collection. Available at http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=3426 Pauly, D. (1997) Le Corbusier: La Chapelle de Ronchamp. New York: Springer. Piotrowski, A. and Robinson, J. (2001) The Discipline of Architecture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press Sale, T. and Betti, C. (2007) Drawing: A Contemporary Approach. Belmont: Cengage Learning. Samuel, F. (2007) Le Corbusier in Detail. London: Routledge. Shah, M. (2005) The Modular: An Analysis into Generative Architecture. Available at http://www.generativeart.com/on/cic/papers2005/30.MahnazShah.htm Smith, K. (2006) Architects Drawings. London: Routledge. Spankie, R. (2009) Basics Interior Architecture 03: Drawing Out the Interior. Lausanne: AVA Publishing Stilgoe, J. (1994) The poetics of space: Gaston Bachelard. Boston: Beacon Press. Stoppani, T. (2012) Paradigm Islands: Manhattan and Venice: Discourses on Architecture and the City. London: Routledge. Villa Adriana archives (2014) Sketches of Le Corbusier. Available at http://archidialog.com/tag/villa-adriana/ Yee, R. (2012) Architectural Drawing: A Visual Compendium of Types and Methods. 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