Understanding Architecture Through Drawing

buildings is akin to a precise rendition of the leaves and
branches of a hedge – such detail may not be necessary
to your analysis.
Rather than seek to sketch the full complexity of a
town, it is best to concentrate on the key elements listed
earlier. In this way the artist or student will better
understand the main factors that shape our perception of
cities, and, as an urban designer, will be better informed
as to how and when to change their form or structure. Let
us begin by looking at the first of the key elements:
squares, enclosed spaces and centres of activity.
Cities do not contain an even distribution of social or
commercial activity. Most towns have squares where
people meet, civic functions are held and where railway
and bus stations often make their presence felt. As focal

points, ‘squares’ come in many forms and sizes; some

are regular, others charmingly irregular and uneven. As

our perception of cities is shaped by our memory of

squares (such as Trafalgar Square in London, Times

Square in New York or George Square in Glasgow), they

perform a vital function in making one place feel different

from another.

Squares are essentially enclosed spaces, though they

can be partly open at the edges and partly filled by

buildings. The degree of enclosure is important, however,

for a real civic focus requires a space that is ‘contained’ by

the surrounding buildings. Containment places a

responsibility on the enclosing structures to be of

sufficient size to prevent the space spilling out. If the

square is very large then the surrounding buildings need

11.1 (far left)

The relationship between public

building, public square and gathering

space is the basis of this drawing of

Rome in Italy.

11.2 (left)

The deliberate landmarking of the street

junction is a common feature of 19th-

century urban design. Here in a

tenement neighbourhood of Glasgow

the architect for the church placed a

Gothic spire as near to the pavement

edge as he could. The coherence of the

scene is the result of four-storey height

limits placed on the builders of the

tenements by the Victorian city council.

Towns, townscapes and squares 91