In architecture, representation plays an important role in the overall design construction because it is the process wherein the architects combine the visual, memory, and the knowledge in order to create something that meant to ‘represent’ any object, culture, or people. Therefore, the notion of architectural representation has been greatly affected by the cultural exchanges of the people all over the world from different centuries. As Graves (1982) pointed out the discourse regarding architectural representation needs to be fully studied and understood in order to understand its premises. Yet, despite the uncertainties, architecture without representation is like a building without a foundation. Representation matters in architectural field because architects involve themselves heavily on making the building aesthetically pleasing and with harmonious relationship with the environment, its people, and trends that emerge from the society. The author further adds that: through architectural representation, this meant that architects will now have the opportunity to reiterate their reactions, criticisms, and possible improvisation of the old works through architecture such that the buildings were once again re-modeled according to the tastes of the public and the current trend.1 The issue of representational in architecture has been explained as well by Lacaton and Vassal that due to the influence of the modernism, many architects have tried to follow the footsteps of this period to heighten their styles and adopt more design elements. Both the articles of Graves, as the works of Lacaton and Vassal promote the importance of representation as the background of an architect’s expression of the souls. Unlike the engineers who mostly deal with the function of the house; an architect, according to Lacaton and Vassal’s argument should have been the warrior to uplift the fight of preventing the destruction of artistic representations and emphasized the importance of systematically building a harmonious site between the edifice as well as the environment where it is located.2 In this document, three sources will be examined in relation to the previous one’s discussed earlier.
Bafna, Sonit. “How architectural drawings work — and what that implies for the role of representation in architecture.”
Abstract: This article explains the main purpose of creating representational sketches in architecture in simplified terms which can be understood by anyone. The author used different examples such as the works of different architects to illustrate the viewpoint but the central argument focus more on the statement that representational drawings in the field of architecture help the professionals in correct judgment and visualization of the actual structure before it was even constructed on the site. Through this representation, professionals will have a good and realistic perspective to connect the representative drawing to the reality by studying the points that will make the building as a successful work and analyzing some of the repercussions that will follow once the building construction begins. One crucial point that the author emphasized on the use of representational drawings was the fact that these drawings were products of the collaboration of the cognitive, culture, and the trend existing in the society; and any discrepancies that might arise from these three categories will surely determine the outcome of the work. Bafna also used Goodman’s reasoning and likened the representational drawings in architecture as “musical scores” that allows musicians to follow the train of melody without getting lost during the playing. In a way, Goodman’s point has been well-received; plans are essential and the life and blood of the architecture industry and the lack of it might lead to issues later on.3
Aroztegui, Carmen et al. “Architectural Research and Representation: Expressing Sense of Place through Storyboarding and Animatics.”
Abstract: From this article, the authors explain how and why representation matters on the overall design construction progress. Architectural representations are the framework or the blueprint of the building which serves as the master document that explains relevant building details even on to the tiny speck of design arrangement on the structure. The issues of representation sometimes are affected by the architect’s environment which can result to the alteration of the original style. The representational drawing do not intend to capture the reality but only to provide a model to serve as the duplicate copy of the building which can be modified easily depending on the situation. Furthermore, the authors also reiterated that in creating sketches, good perception and photographic memory matters because this will serve as the foundation in which the architect will be able to formulate his design based from the client’s needs, wants, and the a sense that the place will be able to stir intimate memories on them. In other words, the goal of the article argues that architecture somehow struggles to retain its original method of teaching representational drawing in order to let the students plan carefully on the building or career which will require representation as the basis for the actual building itself.4
Aroztegui, Carmen. “Life stories, storyboards, and animatics in architectural education.”
Abstract: This article is another continuation of the discourse about the importance of architectural representation. Representations only became fruitful and relevant to those who have experienced art and linked significant memories on to it. The specific role of architectural representations is to make sure whether these requirements will be followed up to the last details of the project. The purpose of creating architectural representations is to create a master plan to govern the entire edifice as well as to emphasize the value of a building’s harmonious relationship to its environment without neglecting the functional needs. 5
Graves, Michael, “Representation,” in Representation and Architecture, eds. Omer Akin and Eleanor F. Weinel (N.p: Information Dynamics Inc., 1982), 27-91
Chan, Carson, “Lacaton and Vassal: Game Changer,” O32c 23(2012/2013): 130-141, http://032c.com/2013/o-architects-where-art-thou-game-changer-lacaton-vassal/
Bafna, Sonit, “How architectural drawings work — and what that implies for the role of representation in architecture,” The Journal of Architecture 13, no. 5 (2008): 535-564, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13602360802453327
Aroztegui, Carmen et al., “Architectural Research and Representation: Expressing Sense of Place Through Storyboarding and Animatics,” accessed 3 April 2016 http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab087181.pdf
Aroztegui, Carmen, Life stories, storyboards, and animatics in architectural education,” Arquiteturarevista 9, no. 2 (2013): 135-142, doi: 10.4013/arq.2013.92.06
Bibliography
Aroztegui, Carmen, Irina Solovyova, and Upali Nanda. “Architectural Research and Representation: Expressing Sense of Place through Storyboarding and Animatics.” Accessed 3 April 2016 http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab087181.pdf
Aroztegui, Carmen. “Life stories, storyboards, and animatics in architectural education.” Arquiteturarevista 9, no. 2 (2013): 135-142. Doi: 10.4013/arq.2013.92.06.
Bafna, Sonit. “How architectural drawings work — and what that implies for the role of representation in architecture.” The Journal of Architecture 13, no. 5 (2008): 535-564. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13602360802453327
Chan, Carson. “Lacaton and Vassal: Game Changer.” O32c 23(2012/2013): 130-141, http://032c.com/2013/o-architects-where-art-thou-game-changer-lacaton-vassal/
Graves, Michael. “Representation.” Omer Akin and Eleanor F. Weinel (N.p: Information Dynamics Inc., 1982), 27-91.
