REPRESENTATION AND ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTION ARC 386M/350R Seminar, Fall 2011, W9-12 The University of Texas at Austin, School of Architecture Francisco Gomes, Assistant Professor Office: GOL 4.138, hours W 12-1 and by appointment Email: fgomes@mail.utexas.edu

Drawing: Oyler Wu Collaborative "Architects do not make buildings; they make drawings of buildings" Robin Evans, Architectural Projection Description. This seminar will explore the representations architects use in both the conception and communication of their work. The core premise of the course is that representational techniques are not neutral practices. Drawings and models, in their various types and media, possess latent qualities which can be strategically deployed by the author in the creation of a project, or equally scrutinized by those seeking to understand an architectural work. Representations are expressions of ideology and their use imparts additional meaning and context to the design artifacts they seek to describe. Objectives.

1. Exposure to a diverse array of conventional and unconventional representation types used in architectural design and presentation.

2. Enhanced awareness of the partiality implicit in various projections and media. 3. Knowledge of the historical development, theory, and contemporary uses of architectural

representations. 4. Development of personal strategies for deploying representation to design advantage.

Format. With the exception of classes devoted to project workshops and presentations, each weekly seminar meeting will begin with a lecture, followed by discussions based on the reading, lecture content, and progress of the research projects. Lectures will survey the array of representations commonly deployed in architectural production, their history, and their relationship to both the conception of the architectural project and its communication. The array of representation used in architecture is varied and extensive, and the lectures will seek to bridge between a broad survey of this landscape and the in-depth examination of particular examples of each type. Course research will include graphic, written and quantitative analysis of case studies (see Projects below). Evaluation. 35% Project one: selection of appropriate subject for study, quality and completeness of digital

assemblage and still images derived from digital model, conclusions & verbal interpretation. 35% Project two: selection of appropriate subject for study, quality and completeness of quantitative

survey, written interpretation of subject. 15% Discussion leadership (for your assigned reading discussion(s), including preparation, presentation

of ideas in the reading, quality of discussion questions, and points of critique. 15% Evidence of having read and prepared materials, class participation.

Topics

1. Origins of architectural representation, projection/perspective 2. Project one assignment and methods workshop 3. Drawing for construction 4. Documentary drawing and cartography 5. Architectural photography 6. The architectural model 7. Student presentations

Project two workshop and methods 8. Machine age influences: axonometry, isometry and radiology 9. Media influences: construction of image and identity 10. Digital influences: computation and simulation 11. The contemporary dilemma of transparency 12. Student presentations and discussion 13. Drawing ideas: the diagram (or additional student presentations) 14. Conclusions

Projects. Two projects will be undertaken by each student. Project one is oriented to design process, and involves the construction of a three dimensional (digital) assemblage of the design process drawings of a single project. The subject for this study will be student selected (subject to instructor approval) and should have well documented design process drawings available in print media. The project, along with a short verbal interpretation, will be presented to class. A background in digital modeling is not required, but use of a modeling software capable of manipulating raster file formats (Sketchup, for example) will be required to complete the project. Project two is oriented to design communication and requires a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the representational content of either a published competition or the website/monograph of an architectural practice. The result of project two will be a short analysis paper with source material appended. The project workshops are intended to review project methods and issues, and students should come prepared to each workshop with subject proposals and source material for review by the instructor.

Drawing: Patkau Architects

Readings. Selected weekly readings will be discussed in class. In order to allow coverage of a broad array of topics, yet keep the reading load reasonable, most readings will be passages and essays excerpted from more complete works. Whenever possible, readings will be made available through Blackboard. Architecture and Its Image, Eve Blau & Edward Kaufman ed., 1989 Michelangelo, Drawing, and the Invention of Architecture, Cammy Brothers, 2008 Privacy and Publicity, Beatriz Colomina, 1996 Translations from Drawing to Building and Other Essays, Robin Evans, 1997 The Projective Cast, Robin Evans, 1995 The Farther Shore: A Natural History of Perception, 1798-1984, Don Gifford, 1990 Drawing/Building/Text: Essays in Architectural Theory, Andrea Kahn ed., 1991 Architectural Representation and the Perspective Hinge, Alberto Perez-Gomez & Louise Pelletier, 1997 Why Architects Draw, Edward Robbins, 1994 Architectural Model as Machine, Albert Smith, 2004 Envisioning Information, Edward Tufte, 1990 Simulation and Its Discontents, Sherry Turkle, 2009 Architecture in the Age of Divided Representation, Deborah Vesely, 2004 Attendance Policy. Attendance is mandatory. At the instructor’s discretion, any student with more than two absences may be dropped from the class or the student’s final grade will be adjusted a letter grade less for each additional absence. University Policy Regarding Observance of Religious Holidays. A student who is absent from a class or examination for the observance of a religious holy day may complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, if proper notice has been given. Notice must be given at least fourteen days prior to classes scheduled on dates the student will be absent. For religious holy days the fall within the first two weeks of the semester, notice should be given on the first day of the semester. It must be personally delivered to the instructor and signed and dated by the instructor, or sent certified mail, return receipt requested. A student who fails to complete missed work within the time allowed will be subject to the normal academic penalties. Disabilities. Students with disabilities who require special accommodations need to get a letter that documents the disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Office of the Dean of Students (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). This letter should be presented to the instructor in each course at the beginning of the semester and accommodations needed should be discussed at that time. Five business days before an exam the student should remind the instructor of any testing accommodations that will be needed.

ARC 386M / 350R Representation and Architectural Conception 9:00 am-12:00 pm Wednesdays WMB 3.108 Francisco Gomes SCHEDULE: 29 August Class Roster, Syllabus/Requirements, Introduction READINGS: Week 1: 5 September Origins of architectural representation Week 1: “The Archaeology of the Section”, Guillerme & Verin Assign project one “Translations from Drawing to Building”, Evans Week 2: 12 September Workshop: project one proposals and methods (no lecture) Week 2: “Architectural Projection”, Evans “Arch. Representation Beyond Perspectivism”, Perez-Gomez & Pelletie Week 3: 19 September Drawing for Construction Week 3: The Projective Cast, Evans “SHoP: Digital Fabrication and Design”, Planners Week 4: 26 September Documentary Drawing and Cartography Week 4: “The Image of the Spherical Earth”, Woodward Why Architects Draw, Robbins introduction and two of four selected interviews Week 5: 3 October Architectural Photography Week 5: Privacy and Publicity, Colomina Assign project two Week 6: 10 October The Architectural Model Week 6: Architectural Model as Machine, Smith The Architectural Model: Tool, Fetish, Small Utopia, Schmal & Elser Week 7: 17 October Student Presentations (project one) Week 7: Envisioning Information, Tufte Workshop: project two proposals and methods (no lecture) Week 8: 24 October Machine Age Influences: axonometry, isometry, radiology Week 8: Engineered Transparency, Bell & Kim “The Developed Surface”, Evans Week 9: 31 October Media Influences: image and identity Week 9: The Farther Shore, Gifford Inside Architecture, Gregotti Week 10: 7 November Digital Influences: computation and simulation Week 10: Simulation and Its Discontents, Turkle D2A, Dollens Week 11: 14 November The Contemporary Dilemma of Transparency Week 11: Drawings/Building/Text, Kahn Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, Venturi Week 12: 21 November Student Presentations Week 13: 28 November Student Presentations Week 14: 5 December Conclusions Week 14: Michelangelo, Drawing, and the Invention of Architecture, Brothers