Final Reflections

Architectural communications has been one of my favourite courses so far in architecture. Each workshop that I took (architecture in motion, atlas of colour, architectural drawing) has been so different and unique, and I feel I have learnt new sets of skills from each one. Architecture in Motion helped me to develop skills in non-verbal communication, stylistic drawing, sequencing images and film-making. Atlas of Colour allowed me to try my hand at various forms of visual communication, including painting, collage, and assembling of materials into a book. Finally, Architectural Drawing helped me to refine my technical skills in precision and linework for presentation drawings.

However, what I have found most interesting was not how different each course has been, but how one can pick up on common threads running throughout. Architecture is not simply an object: it encompasses feelings, emotions, experiences, ideas and concepts. Architecture In Motion taught me to understand architecture as a device that can transport you to another state both mentally and physically. Atlas of Colour taught me that architectural gestures can speak to subconscious ideals of beauty and harmony. Architectural Drawing taught me to see buildings not simply as objects, but as vessels for ideas and thoughts. I see all of these ideas as relating to a deep, intangible notion of the beauty and essence of great architecture, and I will strive to bring these ideals into all that I design from now on.

Drawing Workshop

This drawing workshop was really useful to me personally, as I have often had trouble with the technical aspects of architectural drawings. So far, I have generally been far more successful with loose sketching and rendering, than I have with technical drawings, so I chose this course as a way to improve on this area. I feel of all the communications courses I took, this is the one where I have made the biggest improvement. An understanding of page composition, line weight, technical precision, and drawing technique has enabled me to create final presentation drawings that I am very proud of. I am really excited for the next Design Studio submission, as I feel I will be able to easily transfer these skills we were taught into the presentation drawings that we have to submit for our final project.

Final Images for submission:


In this course we were pushed to examine a building, and construct presentation drawings that revealed your own personal understanding of said building. In the graphic composition, I tried to represent both the strong verticality and simplicity of the external shape of the building. For the 3D perspective drawing, I drew three images: the first, an angled perspective of the building; the second, I drew all the negative spaces of the building from the same perspective; and in the third, I exploded these negative ‘boxes’ to give a better view. I believe the building plays on notions of positive and negative space, with a simple overall shape that has been cut and dissected, creating an ultimately complex form. It was my intention to convey the interesting horizontal and vertical spaces within the building, through these drawings.


I chose to spread the drawings out as with as much white space as possible, to create a greater impact for what black lines I did put on the page. I also found that using artline pens on trace paper leaves a bold, beautiful and almost glistening effect. I would really love to use this style again in Design Studio.

Draft Images:



Previous Exercises:
Plan, section, elevation of cup and saucer

Rendering of Botta house (placing building within a different landscape)