But Mine Always is a Scribble (Response to "How to Draw Up a Project" )

Jose Luis Mateo's article, "How to Draw Up a Project", describes the general process in which architects use at the start of the design. This is a tool which at many schools, students learn early on to get a handle on the design intent of their project. The process takes the designer through a series of steps starting with the amorphous shapes to attain the greatest potential in the connection to the site, people, and concept. Next a structure begins to inform the shape as it is being applied to the shape. This begins to make a second option to the form of the mass as it morphs to accommodate the structural capabilities. The last step draws in the material of the project to add the components of how a visitor engages the space within the form (Lighting, Acoutics, Scale, etc.). As said earlier this is a simple design tool generally used by designers beginning their career in the field, as it has certain flaws in the overall creation of the project. I believe that this general process without one's own addition to the process is what puts the designer into what he calls a "straitjacket".

This tool is a general beginning step for all designers as it does not cause room for design issues. The process moves the designer forward constantly; yes this is where you want to go ultimately, however design is informed by the program and vice versa. As the designer learns more about the relationship of the people and site, the concept and design changes to accompany it. The form after structure is another hiccup in the design intent of the project. The first form created, if trying to its full extent, will take a different shape when the structure is applied; which is why earlier I said that 'the mass accommodates the structure', when it should be the other way around. At this point the designer must go back to the shape to create hierarchy as he said, however the structure does not give the hierarchy, the design does.

The last step of the design process being the materials, is probably the biggest limiting factor when designing. Many projects loose a great amount of intent when entering two stages, Modeling and Indexing. The first being modeling halts the process due to the format, Digital or Physical. Digital Modeling is known for setting parameters based on the capabilities of the program. In some cases the project begins to loose the intent and sometimes add more based on the functions of the program, as if the computer said what should be actually created. This is where physical models have a better edge; they can be held, have texture, and more accurate to the designers ideas. The drawback to physical models are the time and detail they need to explain an idea, representation of materials must be accurate, and cost of the models.

In all cases the design process is a basic tool allowing the designer to move forward with a project, however each separate case will create its own path for getting to the point of completion.