Sketch, Script, Score. Figures of Architectural Thinking
Friday, 14 December 2012

A conversation between Wiel Arets, Peter Wilson and Cino Zucchi presenting the “Inspiration and Process in Architecture” Moleskine book series.

Part I: Presentations

Part I
Welcome and Introduction
Hans-Jürgen Commerell, Director, ANCB The Metropolitan Laboratory - 00:00 - 00:21
Francesca Serrazanetti, Curator, Moleskine “Inspiration and Process in Architecture”, Milan - 00:23 - 04:23
Carson Chan, PROGRAM – initiative for art + architecture collaborations, Berlin - 04:24 - 08:05

Presentations
Peter Wilson, BOLLES+WILSON Architects, Münster - 08:05 - 18:53
Wiel Arets, Wiel Arets Architects, Amsterdam, Berlin, Maastricht, Zürich - 18:54 - 32:36
Cino Zucchi, Cino Zucchi Architetti, Milan - 32:37 - 44:38

Part II: Podium Discussion

Part II
Podium Discussion - 00:00 - 45:31 with Wiel Arets, Peter Wilson and Cino Zucchi
Moderator: Carson Chan

PUBLIC DEBATE
Which role does drawing still have in the design process? Which are the most frequent sources of inspiration to influence the theoretical work that is behind the making of architecture? What relationships are there between meta-design materials, work processes and theoretical reflections? On the occasion of the release of two new titles of “Inspiration and Process in Architecture”, a book series devoted to the use of drawing in architecture, Moleskine and ANCB present a discussion between three featured architects: Wiel Arets, Peter Wilson and Cino Zucchi.

Architects’ notebooks constitute a form of self-portrait conceived by the architects themselves. Notebooks keep not only sketches and design materials, which are useful in returning to the first idea and to outline the design process, but also notes, drawings, collections of references and diagrams that allow to trace a sort of cognitive map of the architect’s work. Thus, the notebook can be a way to gain knowledge of a more complete “scientific portrait” of the architect, including the personal geographies that link together theoretical references and design experiences.

Starting with these assumptions, which gain increasing significance in relation to the current digitized and almost standardized ways of representing architecture, the debate means to investigate the role that tools like drawing, sketching, taking notes, still have in the design process of contemporary architects. As Nelson Goodman argues in his book ‘Languages of Art’, is it possible to find working guides (or figures) as focused in sketch, script and score? The discussion will encourage debate on what could be the tools of architectural thinking and design, in relation to drawing which remains the most powerful means of conceptualizing and representing architecture.