Some time ago, I embarked on an internet research journey for a project centered on representation in architecture. My quest led me to peruse the websites of various architecture firms. While many of them passed quickly without leaving a lasting impression, a few captured my full attention. I delved into and appreciated the unique sensibilities of their authors, particularly their penchant for drawings and freehand sketches, which I had not previously encountered.
Within the vast landscape of these mental explorations, I stumbled upon Alberto Campo Baeza's drawing library—a discovery I enjoyed so much that I felt compelled to share it.
Comprising over 100 meticulously organized drawings within a grid system, each bearing essential information such as the year and place of execution, this collection unveils the architect's projects, design processes, as well as the essence of spaces and locations through an array of strokes and colors.
Additionally, as the author of the essay titled 'Draw in the Air,' Campo Baeza offers a reflective exploration into the impact of technology within the realm of architectural practice. In this discourse, he advocates for the utilization of sketches as a universally accessible means of architectural communication.
"Are you aware of the universality of drawing in the air?" From the first moment of your invoice through new media, our drawings, like our written words, are capable of crossing the entire world in a second. Now we have our feet through Google Earth, and of reaching the moon if the opportunity presents itself, and that universality, real, palpable, effective, fascinates me. "
I chose to pose a series of questions to Alberto Campo Baeza in an endeavor to uncover the significance of drawing in his creative process and its practical applications within his journey as an architect.
Danae Santibáñez: What inspires you to do sketches/drawings?
Alberto Campo Baeza: Some time ago I wrote a book called "Thinking With My Hands" because, that, exactly, is what architects do when we draw. The sketches and drawings of an architect are the means by which we transmit our ideas so they can be constructed.
DS: What is the contemporary role of architectural drawing?
ACB: Drawings are the formal embodiment of our ideas. Ideas in architecture must be constructible. And for that the drawings are essential.
DS: Do you consider the drawing a design itself?
ACB: Of course. The hand drawing, the sketch, transmits the proportions. The AutoCAD drawing must add the precision and accuracy it needs to be built. The first is more free. The second is, it must be, enormously precise. In the drawings, each and every one must be solved in every millimeter of the project.
DS: How important is drawing to you in the creative process?
ACB: Drawings are fundamental. That's why I have thousands of drawings. Without drawings, you cannot build well. In addition, the drawings serve to analyze the project and refine it, as if it were a musical instrument.
DS: Do you draw when you travel? If so, could you share an anecdote about the experience of drawing a great architectural work?
ACB: Yes, of course, I draw-- a lot-- in my travels. During the trips, I fill my notebooks with drawings and notes. But more about my own works than the ones I visit.
DS: What advice would you give to new generations who work more with digital tools?
ACB: To draw a lot... that they think and draw, that they read a lot, that they study, that they write poetry, and that they play a musical instrument.
