Drawing as an architectural tool serves not only as a means of communication, but through drawing we can also gain a deeper understanding of the subject. To this purpose, Alessandro Luporino has created the Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture. The series of beautiful and evocative illustrations serve as companions for the book “Dictionary of Architecture,” by Nikolaus Pevsner, John Fleming, and Hugh Honor.
At its heart, drawing is a study in representation, and Luporino’s images are an exercise in the method of conveying somewhat nebulous architectural concepts in a concrete way. The drawings do, however, leave room for personal interpretation in their style - they are not precise diagrams, but expressive pieces instead. The project is ongoing, as the cataloging component of the dictionary lends itself to continual additions.
The Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture is part of a larger project, called “Q: set [den [SE] t. Drawings / Thinking / Unintentional taste accumulation about Architecture],” which emphasizes drawing as an “instrument of knowledge and understanding reality.” Luporino’s goal with the illustrations is to spread knowledge and [re]discovery of these architectural terms. The project presents an opportunity for discourse and research using the terms and their meanings as a starting point, to evaluate different methods of representation.
