L’Esquisse

Making up the architect\’s first response to the elemental conditions of a project is a combination of pure mental speculation and the first physical signs of it in the form of marks, sketches and physical descriptions – \”the esquisse.\” Eventually, the seminal sketch is elaborated to become a fully realized conceptual drawing suitable for communication. The general subject of this course will be the rhetorical processes, strategic devices and corresponding techniques of representation, which are bought to bear on early design and early design presentation. The primary study vehicle will be self contained, limitedduration sketch exercises held during class time. Workshop exercise subjects will be chosen by the participants and will range from small-scale elements to site-planning. Presentation media will include experimentations with rapid line, shading, computer rendering, modeling and coloring as well as enlargement and reproduction methods.Seminar discussions will focus on \’design history narratives\’ – looking at the course of preliminary design conceptualization and its interaction with presentation and design approval events. This portion will include direct presentations by working architects and/or their participation in classroom discussion.