Mayolo Ramírez

Architectural Drawing as a Tool

The tool of the art of designing buildings is the art of drawing. Traditionally, architecture has been included within the Fine Arts; however, during the process of creating architecture, a medium that is also an art in itself is used: drawing. Art is created with art. Drawing is an art and, in the creation of forms that will be built, it is also a tool. The human being is a creator by nature; the architect is a creator of forms and spaces, and hand drawing is one of their tools.

The human being is a creator by nature; the architect is a creator of form and spaces, and hand drawing is one of their tools. In this section, I will specifically refer to drawing as a tool for architectural creation, that is, the drawing of freehand sketches, those initial images that architects usually outline

In this section, then, I will specifically refer to drawing as a tool for architectural creation, that is, to freehand sketching, those initial images that architects usually outline on paper when we receive a project assignment, just as we simultaneously develop the architectural program. Our mind begins to create and our hand to draw. In a future installment for this space, I will refer to architectural drawing as art.

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Well then, with these concepts in mind, let's now analyze the importance of freehand drawing in the initial phase of a project.


We find ourselves at a moment in our history where technology is making developments that were, until recently, unimaginable, practically in all human activities. This has been particularly true during the last decades of the 20th century, and we are experiencing it in the current century. In many disciplines, the same thing happens; new and increasingly sophisticated technological solutions emerge, aimed at better meeting human needs. In parallel, tools are invented and developed to make work more efficient in all disciplines, not only scientific, medical, and technological, but also social and artistic, such as music, painting, literature, etc.

Simultaneously, tools are being invented and developed to make work more efficient in all disciplines, not only scientific, medical, and technological, but also social and artistic, such as music, painting, literature, etc. Of course, the practice of architectural design has not escaped this process. Over the past four

Of course, the practice of architectural design has not escaped this process. Over the past four decades, technological tools have emerged to assist us in the development of our work, but little by little, they have been displacing the human skills that characterized the work of architects for many centuries. Practically everything that was formally built in Mexico and around the world until the late 1980s was initially conceived through hand-drawn sketches and later constructed following plans that were also entirely hand-drawn.

Practically everything that was formally built in Mexico and the world until the late 1980s was initially conceived through hand-drawn sketches and later constructed following plans also entirely drawn by hand. Indeed, architects and their teams conceived and developed their projects entirely by hand, from the first sketches and drafts to all the

Indeed, architects and their teams conceived and developed their projects entirely by hand, from the initial sketches and drawings to all the plans necessary for construction, including preliminary designs where site plans, architectural floor plans, sections, facades, and pedestrian and aerial perspectives were drawn, until approval was obtained, after which the development of executive plans was carried out. Many architecture firms around the world, throughout the 20th century, were filled with draftsmen and designers, with their lamps, rulers, squares, and drawing equipment; and all this remained the same until the end of the century, when the first personal computers and drafting software appeared.

Many architecture firms around the world, throughout the 20th century, were filled with draftsmen and designers, with their lamps, rulers, squares, and drawing equipment; and all this remained the case until the end of the century, when the first personal computers and software for drawing plans appeared. Currently, it

Currently, it is undeniable that computerized drawing programs greatly assist in the speed and accuracy of project development. However, we all know that these processes have been affecting architects' natural ability to draw by hand; but not only that, they have been affecting the essence of architects' creative work, particularly that first and essential phase of conceiving an architectural solution. Indeed, the creative process cannot be achieved by sitting in front of the computer, with the site plan on the screen, trying to start drawing a project just a few minutes after receiving the commission from a client.

Indeed, the creative process cannot be achieved by sitting in front of the computer, with the site plan on the screen, trying to start drawing a project just minutes after receiving the commission from a client. It is in this initial phase of a project that architecture must be conceived, while using drawing as a tool to

It is in this initial phase of a project that architecture must be considered, while simultaneously using drawing as a tool to create hand sketches, expressing on paper, with basic means such as a pencil, a fountain pen, technical pens, and markers, those strokes that will generate the future architectural solution.

It is in this initial phase of a project that the architecture must be thought out, while also using drawing as a tool to create hand sketches, expressing on paper, with basic means such as a pencil, a fountain pen, technical pens, and markers, those strokes that will generate the future architectural solution. Let

Let's remember that in this phase, the client's architectural requirements must be analyzed, a needs program must be developed, the site, roadways, orientation, terrain topography, environment, and climate must be studied; the regulations applicable to the area where the project is located, its zoning, land use, number of permitted levels, etc., must be reviewed. From this, operational diagrams must be created and a graphic conceptual design must be produced.

From this, operational schemes must be created, and a graphic conceptual design must be produced. But not only that, in this phase the architect must also be prepared to think about the criteria for the structural solution.

But not only that, in this phase the architect must also be prepared to think about the criteria for the structural solution. For now, I will include some examples of the latter.

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But not only that technical preparation is necessary, the architect must also have culture, study history, architecture, and art, look at books, read, travel as much as possible, and observe a lot. All of this generates a repertoire of mental images, which he combines with his technical training from the classroom. All of this allows our brain to process information more efficiently to create a solution, so that our hand can more accurately capture the sketches that will be the genesis of our projects.


In my experience, I have seen that to be a good designer, one generally needs to be a good draftsman, although this is not always the case. It is therefore highly recommended to practice drawing by hand always, freely, with geometrical shapes, perspectives, and everything we want to draw, to understand and correctly express volumes and their proportions.


When we have the sketches that satisfy us, we can sit in front of the computer screen to enter the information from the conceptual design or the hand-drawn preliminary project, with a study of volumetrics and a reasoned structural criterion, with preliminary areas and dimensions, both in plan and in elevations and schematic sections.


And this is where it begins, depending on the scale of the project, the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary work, to propose, structure, and develop our projects as best as possible, and thereby find the best response to the requirement to be addressed, in harmony and with respect to the physical and social environment. In any case, we must never stop providing feedback on our projects, correcting and projecting with a pencil in hand.


To illustrate the aforementioned concepts with images, in the subsequent sections I will include a selection of sketches and drawings created by renowned architects, from the past century and the present, which were the genesis of their projects. I will also include sketches and drawings by this author, related to restoration and dissemination projects of monuments in Mexico. For now, I will include some examples of the latter.