Drawing and Speculation

Drawing Task - 9 credit card size with 1 postcard size

Drawing the city - Framing (workshop)

It helps to arrange the different tones together to shape the composition of a site of a city. This task allows us more focus on the shapes within the frame, and to look at what are the patterns. Also, to present the light and dark by using the tone. One thing I realised from this task is that my drawing needs to be more refined when the paper gets larger, which reminded me of my drawings below. The practice of space and composition in a drawing help me to think in which way I will produce the assessment drawings.

Research on the chosen Architects and A study from "Learning from Las Vegas"

Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi's compositions (Learning from Las Vegas 1977) are mostly documenting done by observation on the most ordinary and everyday things through photograph, drawing and mapping. Then, they also present their observation through signs, symbols and patterns which in relation to the way for speculating. Initially, Las Vegas as a city with neon lights, billboards, parking pots and freeway (Scott Brown, as cited in Harbison 2018). Scott Brown and Venturi attempt to present such strip by considering its economic, ethical and physical ways which had a different way of seeing the city, also showing its culture under such environment. After they did the observations and photographs, patterns and signs are the most obvious way of they show the view of the city, which is in relation to the chosen technique – A drawing of the city as signs and symbols. Through observing the view of Las Vegas 1977, Scott Brown and Venturi stated that such a city used was more commercial and complexity, perhaps because of a crisscross of the intersection with neon signs, all over the highways and parking plots, or American's abundant culture. Instead, back to the present time, we probably knew about America because of the popular entertainment park – Disneyland, we rarely think about its culture behind or economic, and we easily overlook the detailed things around a city. Also, Scott Brown said that ‘Las Vegas with the eye both an urbanist and semiotician, capturing the city’s hodgepodge of signs and architecture’.

Figure 1. A photograph shows the cameras placed in front of a car

Figure 2. Photographs present view from different sites.

They often used the camera to record what they saw, 'photography was a crucial medium for recording urban environments' (Harbison 2018). For example, they use the camera in different ways, such as strapping three of the cameras to the in front of the car (see Figure 1), it seems like the street recording. They take several photographs as a record and place them as an integrate for planning in detailed (see Figure 2).

Figure 3. The Las Vegas Strip

Figure 4. Tanya billboard on the Strip

Figure 5. The Long Island Ducking

Signs often refer to a way of displaying the advertising of a business or a product, it also used for instead of the words and somehow have an explicit meaning to communicate. We not only can see it on the shot of Las Vegas (see Figure 3-5) – for ‘commercial persuasion’ (Venturi 1977, p. 9), but it is also shown on the drawing (see Figure 6-9). In addition, Scott Brown interests in ‘the distant objects that steer or propel urban environment’ (Harbison 2018, para. 3), such as the billboards and neon signs.

Figure 6. A very detailed map shows every word the architects could see and read from different roads.

Figure 7. The map showing comparative activity patterns: distribution of food stores.

Figure 8. The map showing "Land-use" of the inside of casino complexes - shows the overall structure of commercial use in the city.

Figure 9. Analysis of the Strip through signs and symbol

The drawings probably made by the technique of both hand and computer. That is to say; they collect the data and photographs through their camera, observations or experiences, after they make the draft map, they probably need to use the computer system in order to gather them as an integrated.

Figure 10. Egyptian temple

Figure 11. Baroque trompe I'oeil ceiling

It represents a 'mannerist architecture' (Venturi 2004, p. 73) in the city rather than modernism. It breaks the conventional in order to accommodate complexity; there are a couple of words that could be used to describe it, which includes meaning, reality, every day, complexity and breaks. According to such content, Venturi stated that the signs and symbols also have crucial meaning in history, and she stated that 'dressed in historical style' which could evoke the association to the past to convey 'national and symbolism' (Venturi 1977, p. 7).

Visual Analysis of the architect's works

By Looking the photograph (see Figure 5), it tells the building sometimes as the sign, it seems like the sculpture symbol, which not only attracts the individual's attention, also it refers to decoration of a city and a way of communicate. Backing to see Figure 4, the big sign which used for connecting the driver to the store, it such a graphic sign in space which has become the architecture of this landscape. Additionally, the sign of arrow which shown in Figure 9 that used for guidance; the driver knows where he or she was and can see where to go. Looking at drawings, Scott Brown and Venturi combined with plenty of patterns, signs and the use of words in order to describe the view of a city, which usually was done by the format of the landscape. The hard and detailed lines they used could be more dramatic and clearly show the information, for example, the lines used for connecting different site or roads (see Figure 6-7). It could present how integral of a city but in explicitly and simple way. In addition to it, space is a consideration on mapping, and the middle drawing shown in Figure 9 shows the way of how the architect experience different spaces through different scales. For example, if we stay on the walking street, the building itself tells what it is; however, if we are on the main street, the signs and symbols become much bigger, and they could catch the people's attention. Considering the space again, Scott Brown and Venturi had clearly shown the figure and ground after transfers the drawings to black and white (see Figure 6-8).

The process of development on own drawing

Photograph the surroundings

To start the project, I attempt to follow a way of seeing the city by considering various aspects, such as education, economic or cultural. So, I decide to experience and record the things which are symbolic and the everyday things that on my personal experience. It seems like the start point and observation for me in order to know more information about a city. Since my aim is showing how a trend of development of such a city in the future. So, I chose to walk around and take photographs of the city; also, using my imagination and own understanding or expectation of a city to continue to work.

The first-hand drawing (210 × 210 mm)
Initially, I chose the landscape format as it could provide a view of a map since I follow one of the method of the architect used - mapping. First drawing applies the hard lines and symbols, but used black ink only to form an initial idea - different patterns mean different fields of a city.

The second-hand drawing (297 × 297 mm)
I tried to present more specific information on the map; therefore, I wrote down the name of each building and roads. As initially, I think I may create a drawing (a map) which can make others understanding quickly. Also, I make a list to show what information needs to include on the map; it helps me to get the initial or more ideas.

The second-hand drawing edited with colour (297 × 297 mm)

This time I tried to present a way of adding the colours. On the one hand, colours could describe more clearly and will have a visual effect. On the other hand, it had my interests for working on it as I like colouring. I attempt to show the city by seeing it in terms of education, commercial (economic), restaurants or health perspectives - a map of distribution.

The third-hand drawing (420 × 420 mm)

I looked back and think the way of speculation that the chosen architects did, it needs the audience probably to guess or explore the meaning in order to have an understanding. Therefore, I decided to remove the text on the map, but provide the label at the bottom corner. As the map gets larger may need more detailed or complicates. However, I try to use colour only to show the distribution of a city first.

The different creation of signs, symbols, patterns

After, I try to create the symbols for different field which I need to use for next hand drawing, but I draw them in very detail at the beginning. however, I was considering that I will probably need to present plenty of them on the map, so, I chose the symbol that I think which can communicate directly, simple but clearly - the one that circled.

The fourth-hand drawing (594 × 594 mm)

As the map gets larger, the more detail might need to show; so, I use the created symbols - each has a unique meaning. I keep using the colour, the colour also has relation to the patterns, for example, the plants should be in green. For this section, I attempt to make my audience's first sense on this map is by seeing the distribution of colour first; but when they get closer, each pattern has been shown.

The first draft of digital drawing present in 420 × 420 mm
I decided to use the illustrator to produce the digital map as I need to draw the various patterns and lines on the map, as the illustrator might be helpful. For the draft, I use the hard and straight line to present the street. The symbols showed at the bottom corner. For the next step, I will work on to present the patterns on the map - getting a clear visual effect of the distribution of a city.

Edited on the first digital draft drawing in 420 × 420 mm

After I added the symbols on the map, it depicts where the buildings or plants placed apparently; therefore, it also shows the distribution of the city and what is the focus of a city. However, back to the way of seeing a city by speculating, it still does not exactly be shown. So, a new and more creative ides is coming up my brain - to create in terms of one of the big symbols in Australia - Koala.

A digital drawing based on an outline of Koala in 80 × 80 cm

I changed the whole concept to produce the new drawing, and I aim to allow the viewers to explore and have the interest to see what is going on the map. Therefore, I put the different patterns follow an outline of a Koala to create a big symbol to present that the map I produce based on Australia.

A completely digital drawing to present Koala and symbols in 80 × 80 cm

After finished to put all the patterns on, it presents an image of Koala, and we could see the different fields of a city. So, based on this stage, I use my creativity and imagination to present that the city where we live in is focused on the sustainable design, as we could see there is a wide area of green.

The initial final drawing in 80 × 80 cm

I aim to depict more thoroughly, so, I keep the label down to the corner below, and use the hard-white line to present the main road; the dashed in black refers to the street. As a result, I attempt to show the trend of the city will still focus on the sustainable, and still keep the convenience between human being and services as well (for example, the place where allow us for studying is surrounded by the restaurants and markets).

Edited at the last to form a final drawing in 80 × 80 cm

Lastly, as the previous final work which probably has a complexity view, which shows a visual effect in too crowed and not too clear. Therefore, I took the feedback from the presentation and try to edit the transparency on the colour of Koala (Background), which is in order to present the whole drawing more defined and helps to show the symbols (Figure) more clearly. It could form a contrast to underline the information has been shown.

Reference

Harbison, I. 2018, Learning from Denise Scott Brown, Frieze, London, viewed 01 August 2019, <https://frieze.com/article/learning-denise-scott-brown?language=de>.

Leisa, T. 2019, ‘Lecture 03: drawing and speculation’, UTS Online Subject DDWO001, PowerPoint presentation, UTS, Sydney, viewed 31 July 2019, <https://canvas.insearch.edu.au/courses/964/files/246999?module_item_id=120870>.

Proto, F. 2009, ‘The old thing called flexibility: an interview with Robert Venturi and Scott Brown’, Re-imagining the avantgarde, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 70-75.

Venturi, R. 2004, Architecture as signs and systems, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

Venturi, R. 1977, Learning from Las Vegas: the forgotten symbolism of architectural form, MIT Press, Cambridge.