came the design not of aesthetic objects but of mass production. Advocating a functional and object-
ive approach, they embraced the future of technology. With artists and architects such as Theo van
Doesburg, Kasimir Malevich, Lissitzky, and Tatlin, constructivists sought expanded plasticity and
spatial dynamics (Perloff and Reed, 2003 ). Disseminating their ideas through political posters and ideo-
logical exhibitions, they found a unique style of spatial composition. Very linear and extending into
all directions, the two-dimensional images advocated their three-dimensional concerns. Many of the
sketches employed hard lines and solid planes of color using precision to emphasize ideas of solid and
void. Both Lissitzky and Tatlin translated these conceptual explorations into physical constructions
utilizing them as they would a sketch, making and remaking in quick succession.SKETCHESArchitects of this period were building, but such tumultuous times saw an increase in the develop-
ment of theory and the retention of sketches. Most of these architects obtained at least some training
from art and architectural education institutions; most of them continued to associate with schools of
architecture for a large part of their lives. Such relationships with education may have encouraged the
archiving of their images, since students and colleagues recognized them as contributions to the his-
tory of architecture. Part of the reason sketches remain from this period stems from the sketches as
inherently imbued with ideological assertions. As with Boullée and Piranesi, the availability of pub-
lication increased the collection and distribution of these artifacts. The remarkably attractive, fluid
sketches by Mendelsohn and the painterly illustration sketches by Bruno Taut, for example, may have
assured their preservation. Their dramatic perspective angles and fantastic architectural form con-
tributed to capturing public imagination. In some cases, the sketches (especially by the expressionists
and constructivists) were used in publication or were hung in exhibitions. The availability of tools
may have contributed to the extensive existing design studies. The age of machines meant the manu-
facture of drawing surfaces, and plentiful inexpensive instruments. Most likely the single feature that
allowed the retention of architectural sketches from these movements pertains to the recognition and
respect given to these sketches as remnants of creativity. A Renaissance of expression emerged from
the rejection of tradition and the established academy, and encouraged a generation of prolific archi-
tects who produced a spectrum of exciting sketches.H5719-Ch06.qxd 7/18/05 10:20 AM Page 143