About this book

The book is in three parts: Media, Types, and Places. Media explores the tools used to make drawings; it takes the position that the computer is one of a number of tools that can be used for architectural drawings, in an attempt to encourage experimentation beyond predictable software products. It discusses line drawings, render, and mixed media. Types describes the most common drawing projections used in architectural projects: these range from conventional projections to less conventional combinations of drawings. The final section, Places, describes three basic topographies that architectural drawings describe: interiors, landscapes, and urban contexts. Each of these is illustrated with a variety of drawing types and media.

The book is intended to be both inspirational and practical. It is designed to encourage ambition and diversity in architectural drawing and, at the same time, to be a practical guide; a useful starting point. A deeper understanding of drawing comes more directly from practice.

Chapel of St Ignatius, Seattle, Washington, Steven Holl Architects, 1997. Watercolor rendering showing light, color, and transparency of space.