The (Act of) Drawing in Design (Research)

Track Chairs

Prof. Dr. Ir. Arch. Thierry Lagrange
KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, Research Group Research by Design
thierry.lagrange@kuleuven.be

Prof. Dr. Arch. Jo Van Den Berghe KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, Research Group Radical Materiality and Research Group Research (by) Design
johan.vandenberghe@kuleuven.be

Track Subchairs

Prof. Gennaro Postiglione
Politecnico di Milano

Prof. Elizabeth Hatz
KTH Stockholm

Prof. Sally Stewart
Glasgow School of Art

Dr. Mira Sanders
KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture

Dr. Arch. Riet Eeckhout
KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture

Drs. Koen Broucke
Glasgow School of Art

Drawing is one of the most important activities of a designer, who draws with different media ranging from the pencil to the computer mouse. The act of drawing is a multi-layered, multi-sensorial activity with a significant impact on creativity, creative output and knowledge production. It is above all an act with a long tradition related to many disciplines that adopt the map, the sketch, the plan, the section, the detail and relate them to their discipline-specific act of drawing. All this includes a mental relationship between the outcome and the first sketch.

In our current age, dominated by multi-media and digital alternatives, we look at possible (re)- interpretations of this activity and productions. How is the (act of) drawing connected with design, designing, design research, interaction design, pedagogy, geography, …?

The Design Research Society 2018 conference offers an opportunity to map and discuss interests between design research, design history and current practices focusing on this elementary act of the designer.

The scope of this theme is twofold. First, it will be a meeting point of researchers from a variety of backgrounds to jointly share and discuss their insights and ideas. Secondly we aim to explore the meaning and values of the (act of) drawing in the light of design (research). Fields of interest include (but are not limited to):

  • The drawing in a pedagogical context
  • The meaning of the historical drawing in an actual context
  • The act of drawing in a self-reflective context
  • The act of drawing in designerly based research
  • Specific drawings and their impact such as the section, the map, …
  • Analogue vs digital drawing
  • The development of new methods of drawing by merging drawing methods from disciplinary
  • fields such as archaeology with architecture, architecture with fashion design, …

Indicative References

Flores, R., Prats, E. (2014). Thought by Hand. The Architecture of Flores and Prats. Mexico: Arquine.

Merrill, M. (2011). Louis Kahn, Drawing to Find Out: the Dominican Motherhouse and the patient Search for Architecture. Zürich: Lars Müller Publishers.

Lagrange, T. (2014). Matrix Method: The Image as an Essential tool in a Research Process and Creative Practices. The International Journal of the Image, 4 (4), 33-49.

Lagrange, T. (2017). Look Space! A Story of Analogous Spaces. Gent: Grafische Cel.

Van Den Berghe J. (2016). Drawing Is / Not Building: Question Mark. In: Barton C., Treadwell S., Twose S. (Eds.), Drawing Is/Not Building, (pp. 82-83). Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington.

Van Den Berghe, J. (2015). A Window on Drawing. Making Research - Research Making. Proceedings. Creative Practice Conference: Making Research - Research Making. Arkitektskolen Aarhus, 10-12 September 2015 (pp. 402-411). Aarhus, Denmark: ADAPT-r.

Van Den Berghe, J. (2013). Architectural Drawing as Verb, not as Noun: extending the concept of architectural drawing. Knowing (by) Designing: Vol. 1 (1). Knowing (by) Designing.

Ghent/Brussels, Belgium, 22-23 May 2013 (pp. 664-673). Brussels/Ghent, Belgium: KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture.

DRS2018