The Inner Studio - Riverside Architectural Press

PART FOUR | INNER KNOW-HOW
After producing these first images, it is often very helpful to
have other people interpret the drawing because, much like in a
dream, these images may have meanings that are so close to us that
we can’t see them. Or we may be too urgently searching to see
what’s before us. So it’s often helpful to take this new image directly
to a friend or trusted colleague and ask him or her to “develop” the
image by talking about it or listening as you describe it.
You may wish to experiment with drawing, dragging gently or
heavily. There is always more in a drawing than we can see. At this
stage, there is no reason to be limited to a drawing. Modeling our
heart’s desire sometimes brings enormous advantages to the
process because we are immediately involved in material and
special conditions that set in motion otherwise unseen complexities.
A model automatically causes you to consider the plan,
section, and perhaps materiality of a project, all at the same time.
For some people, working with a model is the most comprehensive
and integrating vehicle for the development of a project. Finally, try
not to be in a hurry.
The Parti Drawing
At a certain point, we need to make an initial summary of our
intentions–this is commonly referred to as a parti drawing. It is not
a diagram of the project, but a first embodiment of our heart’s
desire in the language of design.
Remember that a parti drawing gives organizational intentions
to the project. The intention of this drawing is to galvanize preoccupations
and perceptions. These drawings and/or models could
simply be called representations of “the big idea.” A parti drawing
expresses organizational qualities, spatial ordering, and, perhaps,
something of the proposed character of the project. Depending on
your approach to the project, this drawing may be overtly planometric
or sectional or generated by an elevation. Any or all of these
may form your starting point. Seeing this drawing allows others to
understand your “response” to the design problem along a spectrum
of possible responses. This drawing is important because it is
a generator. It will influence and guide other drawings. We suggest
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