Architect Drawings : A Selection of Sketches by World Famous Architects Through History

Roche, Kevin (1922)
View of Central Administration Building, Headquarters of Banco Santander,
outside Madrid, Spain
The Pritzker Prize jury was insightful when they cited Kevin Roche’s architectural design work as
innovative. Employing new technologies combined with sensitive design solutions, his architecture
constantly questions in a way that is inventive. Roche considers the design of each project on all scales,
from the site and interiors, to the details. His elegant solutions have made him one of the most celebrated
architects in the United States.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Roche emigrated to the United States in 1948 and began graduate work at
the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Completing his studies, he joined the firm of Eero
Saarinen becoming the principal associate in design (1954–1961). After Saarinen’s death in 1961, Roche
and colleague John Dinkeloo completed the large number of projects in progress, including the TWA
Terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and Dulles International Airport in Washington,
D.C. In 1966 they formed the architectural firm of Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. 26
Besides being honored with the Pritzker Prize in 1982, Roche has been recognized with the
Academie d’Architecture Grand Gold Medal (1977); the American Academy and Institute of Arts and
Letters Gold ‘Medal’ Award for Architecture (1990); and both the American Institute of Architecture
Gold Medal Award and Twenty-five Year Award (1993, 1995), to name a few of his awards. A selection
of projects designed by Roche include: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Oakland
Museum, California; the Jewish Museum, New York; Bouygues World Headquarters, Paris, France;
Shiodome Office Development Complex, Tokyo, Japan; and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In addition to all the media architects use to visualize design proposals, Roche writes that he finds
‘sketches very helpful in exploring ideas particularly in concert with study models.’ Similar to techniques
employed by Saarinen’s office, Roche studies the spatial qualities of his designs with many
types of models, large models, full-scale mock-ups, and three-dimensional details.
This sketch (Figure 8.21) is an early study for the financial complex of Banco Santander outside
Madrid, Spain. The complex of buildings has been arranged around a transparent circular structure.
Horizontal layers of glass are framed by slender masses which create a contrast between the solid and
transparent.
The sketch is small and bold. The few lines give a total impression without corrections or erasures.
Roche appears to have outlined the forms in perspective, then to provide volume applied firm parallel
lines on shadowed surfaces. The crisp corners of the boxes have been rendered before the pencil
became dull, then using a blunt pencil, a few strokes articulate the rectangular planes. This change of
texture acts to clearly differentiate the materials.
As a comprehensive view of the building, the sketch conveys a similar amount of detail over the
whole image. Wavy lines, where the solid rectangles meet the glass cylinder, suggest the crenulated
connection between the layers and the frame. Sketching too fast to define the stepped connection,
the continuous line undulates seemingly independent of the horizon lines. This almost organic connection
breaks the strong vertical and horizontal elements and reinforces the speed of Roche’s
thought process.
The sketch proved to be such a true and concise expression that the corporation, Banco
Santander, chose to use it as a representative image for the project. It sums up the essence, relationships,
and appearance of the building.
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