BUILDING TYPES
Most towns consist of a collection of distinctive building
types whose qualities and variety are representative of
the area. The three-bedroomed semi-detached villa is
typical of southern England, the terraced house of the
Midlands, the tenement of Scotland and the courtyard
house of the Middle East. By selecting a specific building
type you can explore its various manifestations within a
neighbourhood or geographical area, relating the elevation
of different buildings to aspects of their plan. Such an
exploration through the freehand sketch can highlight
regional differences and teach you about the traditions of
your area.
Your exploration could embrace factory buildings,
offices, warehouses and churches as well as residential
buildings. By selecting a specific building type and
studying the permutations of form and arrangement in a
precise area, it is surprising how many examples can be
discovered, and how varied their design is. In addition,
focusing upon selected building types encourages you to
become knowledgeable about the design of that
particular category of buildings. In the past, schools of
architecture required their students to keep a sketchbook
of buildings, categorising arrangements of plan and
elevation within specific building types. Besides
cultivating an appreciation of the links between the design
of the building plan and the treatment of the façade, the
use of sketchbooks also encouraged the students to learn
from past examples rather than seeking to design new
building types from scratch.22.6 (below)
The imposing suburb of Pollokshields in
Glasgow provides ample material for
the sketchbook. Here houses with bay
windows and turrets look on to leafy
gardens.22.5 (left)
Fragments of buildings can be
rewarding, especially if as well
articulated as this Glasgow
apartment block.Exploration through the sketchbook 205