Drawing: The Motive Force of Architecture - Softcover

Peter Cook

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470034815 ISBN 13: 9780470034811

Publisher: Wiley, 2008

Synopsis

Focusing on the creative and inventive significance of drawing for architecture, Drawings highlights the work of key contemporary figures who have, through their drawn work, affected the course of architectural thinking. Bringing this together is a chapter-by-chapter series of essays that broadly charts the forward movement and expansion of drawing iconography, techniques and methodologies. Thus it will move from such conditions as Victorian romanticism; Modernist heroics, Minimalism, Diagrams, the representation (and inspiration) of movement, technology and motive power; through to notions and examples of digital automatism. In this way, the advent and challenge of computer-based drawing vis-à-vis ‘sketching’ or technique based drawing will be argued as a natural progression rather than a radical explosion. In particular, there are many examples of hand-in-hand development of a project using several techniques. 

Also includes drawings by Sverre Fehn, Mark Goulthorpe, Zaha Hadid, Ron Herron, Tom Kovak, Enric Miralles, Marcus Novak , Cedric Price, Wolf Prix, and Lebbeus Woods.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Cook is Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and Emeritus Professor of both University College London and the Stadel Academy of Art in Frankfurt. Founder of 'Archigram': the apocryphal British group who were awarded to the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 2003. He is the architect (with Colin Fournier) of the 'Kunsthaus' in Graz and of apartment building in Berlin and Madrid. His own drawings are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt, FRAC in Orleans, the V&A Museum in London and the 'Japan Architect' collection in Tokyo as well as many private collections. In 2007, Cook received a knighthood for services to education and architecture. He is currently a Consultant to HOK on the Olympic Stadium for 2012 and with his own CRAB studio building in Spain and Italy.

From the Back Cover

Drawing is to architects what writing is to authors. For the designer, jotting must be an almost & unconscious act, relying on the imperceptible synergy between brain, eye and hand, or mouse. The graphic pervades every stage of architectural creation. It represents the initial impulse - the napkin sketch or digital scribble. It is also the primary means of working up a building design - on or off screen - for production and presentation. It, additionally, allows us to fuel our tectonic imaginations and go beyond the built and the feasible into the sphere of the visionary and fantastic. Drawing provides the very motive force of architecture.

Focusing on the creative and inventive significance of drawing for architecture, this book is a paean to the graphic by one of its greatest proponents,Sir Peter Cook. Thematically organised by chapter, Cook joyfully talks us through drawings as motive, strategy, vision, image, composition, expression, technique, surface and fantasy. He provides us with amusing perceptive commentary at every turn, drawing out attention to some of the greatest and most intriguing drawings, ranging from Heath-Robinson, Hugh Ferris and Arthur Beresford Pite to Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Ron Herron, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Bernard Tschumi and Lebbeus Woods.

;Front cover flap copy for hardback

Spatial Intelligence: New Futures for Architecture draws on a wide range of knowledge and discipline in its discussion of an essential human capability. This includes everything from the latest neurological research to urban design. Leon van Schaik also refers to and illustrates a wide number of buildings and architectural projects across time these notably include:

• Alvar Aalto, House of Culture, Helsinki
• Charles Barry, Cliveden, Berkshire
• Gordon Bunshaft, Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Yale University
• Sean Godsell, Peninsula House, Victoria
• Zaha Hadid, Maggie’s Centre, Fife, Scotland
• Herzog & de Meuron, Laban Contemporary Dance Centre, London
• Toyo Ito, Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London
• Tom Kovac, Virtual Australian Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Italy
• WR Lethaby, Melsetter House, Orkney
• Frank Lloyd Wright, Frederick C Robie House, Chicago
• Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Barcelona Pavilion
• Reed & Stern and Warren & Wetmore, Grand Central Station, New York
• Ushida Findlay, Soft and Hairy’ House, Baraki, Japan
• Peter Zumthor, Kunsthaus, Bregenz, Austria
• Gunther Domenig, Stein Haus, Steindorf, Germany
• Le Corbusier, Mill Owners’ Association, Ahmadabad, India

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0470034815
• ISBN 13: 9780470034811
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208