Start tomorrow morning. Before you open your screen, open your notebook. Write the date. Draw a line. Make a note. That is where architecture begins.
At its core, architecture is the study and practice of designing structures that are both habitable and expressive. Architecture notes are not merely scribbles; they are a formal record of the process—conceiving, planning, and designing. These notes often begin during the earliest design phases, where the Neumann Monson 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of a project's outcome is determined by the first 20% of the effort. 1. Fundamental Elements and Styles architecture notes
These notes are often a mix of text and diagram. A quick section cut through a stairway sketched in a Moleskine notebook can reveal more about the spatial quality of a building than a thousand photographs. These notes become a library of details to be referenced years later when the architect faces a similar design problem in their own work. Start tomorrow morning
One of the most valuable exercises for an architect is the study of precedents. When visiting a building designed by a master, the casual observer sees a facade; the architect sees a puzzle. Architecture notes taken during site visits or case studies are analytical in nature. They ask questions: Why is the entrance recessed? How does the gutter detail resolve? What is the ratio of solid to void? Draw a line
We spend a lot of time drawing walls. We obsess over facades, debate material palettes, and tweak window ratios until 2 AM.
In the professional realm, technical notes are the currency of competence. These are the notes taken during lunch-and-learns, product demonstrations, or mentorship sessions. They contain the "unwritten rules" of construction.
Start tomorrow morning. Before you open your screen, open your notebook. Write the date. Draw a line. Make a note. That is where architecture begins.
At its core, architecture is the study and practice of designing structures that are both habitable and expressive. Architecture notes are not merely scribbles; they are a formal record of the process—conceiving, planning, and designing. These notes often begin during the earliest design phases, where the Neumann Monson 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of a project's outcome is determined by the first 20% of the effort. 1. Fundamental Elements and Styles
These notes are often a mix of text and diagram. A quick section cut through a stairway sketched in a Moleskine notebook can reveal more about the spatial quality of a building than a thousand photographs. These notes become a library of details to be referenced years later when the architect faces a similar design problem in their own work.
One of the most valuable exercises for an architect is the study of precedents. When visiting a building designed by a master, the casual observer sees a facade; the architect sees a puzzle. Architecture notes taken during site visits or case studies are analytical in nature. They ask questions: Why is the entrance recessed? How does the gutter detail resolve? What is the ratio of solid to void?
We spend a lot of time drawing walls. We obsess over facades, debate material palettes, and tweak window ratios until 2 AM.
In the professional realm, technical notes are the currency of competence. These are the notes taken during lunch-and-learns, product demonstrations, or mentorship sessions. They contain the "unwritten rules" of construction.