One Drawing Challenge Winner Explores Enduring Truths at the Heart of a Classic Book Beloved by Architects Worldwide
CategoriesArchitecture

One Drawing Challenge Winner Explores Enduring Truths at the Heart of a Classic Book Beloved by Architects Worldwide

The winners of Architizer’s Fourth Annual One Drawing Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates. 

Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities is officially more than 50 years old; yet, its enduring appeal is attested to by the special place reserved on most architect’s bookshelves for the Italian fables. For young architecture students and experienced practitioners alike, the book remains a source of inspiration and a constant reminder of the infinite possible experiences inherent to any place. This year’s One Drawing Challenge Non-Student Winner, Thomas Schaller, is one of those architects.

While at first glance, the city in his painting appears to be reflecting on a body of water, longer gazing reveals that the buildings grow both up and down. As the fine artist explains, “This drawing tells the story of Octavia, a city suspended above the Earth by a spider’s web of cables and wires. Interpretations are limitless, but in my interpretation, the inhabitants of Octavia depict the central truth about humanity – connections are profound – but tenuous, just as is our grasp on life itself.” The razor’s edge distinction between precarity and strength is at the core of the urban experience.

Expertly oscillating between the precision of fine lines, seen in details like the bridge and cables, and the more atmospheric and reflective qualities of diffused pigments, the image is mind-bending: not only in terms of subject matter but also in terms of technique. Schaller’s use of his medium, therefore, amplifies the thematic subject matter at the heart of the image.

To learn more about his conceptual and creative processes, Architizer’s Architecture Editor, Hannah Feniak, was delighted to chat with Thomas, who delved into topics such as the relationship between architecture and fine art, and the inspiration for his winning entry. Keep scrolling to see process sketches by the award-winning architectural artist!

Hannah Feniak: Congratulations on your success with the One Drawing Challenge! What sparked your interest in entering the competition, and what does this accolade mean to you?

Thomas Schaller: First, I want to say a very big “Thank You” to everyone at Architizer who designed and hosted this competition and exhibition. It is a great honor for me to even be included. I appreciate all your hard work. And I am in awe of the incredible work entered. Congratulations to all.

From the time I could see, drawing has been fundamental to who I am. As a child, I drew to try to make sense of the worlds I saw both around me and within my imagination. To this day, I am never without a sketchbook and a pocket full of sketch pencils in order to keep a kind of “visual diary” of the ideas in my head as well as to record my impressions of the world we all inhabit. And so, I am thrilled that this competition even exists.

It is my belief that drawing is the most effective and direct connection between the visual image and the human need to record, express, and create. While I rely on traditional pencil and paper, I have no opposition whatsoever to any means, method, or technological tool anyone uses to draw. But for the human mind to open the windows upon the landscapes of perception, creativity, and imagination, drawing is the most effective, enjoyable and expressive way to do so.

HF: What were the primary challenges of conceiving your work, from forming the idea to the creation process?

TS: Like many, I worship the iconic work, Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. It was written in the early 1970s but its themes of exploration, the clash of the real and the imagined, the built and the unbuilt, the plausible and the impossible, dreams, memories and the human condition are simply timeless. The book’s protagonist — an adventurous interpretation of Marco Polo — travels a dreamscape of a world visiting cities built of memory and dreams and offers endless insights into the nature of cities and the very fabric of human life here on Earth.

One of the cities visited is Octavia, described in the book as suspended high above the Earth between two rocky mountain peaks by a tenuous spider’s web of cables and wires. Countless metaphors and analogies can be drawn. One of course is the dependence of any city on a healthy infrastructure of roads, bridges and lines of communication, etc. But another more broad theme is the “infrastructure” of humanity itself. Our very real need to congregate, to form groups for safety, sanity and survival was, for me, the takeaway and the theme of my drawing.

Especially after coming through two years of pandemic, the themes of human interaction and the need for interconnectivity were at the forefront of my mind as I designed this work. We can take our society’s survival for granted, but if we fail to care for and nurture one another, as well as the very planet upon which all societies depend, we can learn just how frail and fragile our infrastructure may truly be.

Preliminary sketch for the winner entry courtesy of the artist

HF: You trained as an architect but now have a successful international career as an architectural watercolor artist and author. How do you think the medium itself contributes to the scenes that you depict — in particular, in your winning entry?

TS: In my earlier days, I felt that I had to choose between my wish to become a visual artist and my desire to become an architect. In time, I became both, but my career interests operated on separate tracks, divided by an arbitrary and faulty belief that each had separate aims. It has taken many years for me to understand that these interests,  as well as many others, could be successfully merged into a single creative energy. The key to this for me was in realizing that all things — all ideas, all people, all places, all atmosphere and negative space itself has a kind of architecture. There is a shape and a volume to everything seen and unseen, real or simply imagined. And so anything can be studied, modeled and drawn. If I concentrate on drawing what I “see” rather than what I “look at” — drawing genuine emotional experiences rather than simple visual observations, the landscapes for creativity become boundless.

HF: Your winning entry was inspired by Italo Calvino’s classic, Invisible Cities. Are your other architectural paintings and drawings as conceptual as “Octavia – Suspended City”?

TS: Repeat readings of Invisible Cities helped me to form the cornerstone of what would become my “artistic voice”. I am more aware of contrasts than anything else as I move through the world. By that I mean of course the clash of dark and light, but also ideas about what is real or simply imagined, the man-made and the natural environments, warm and cool tonalities, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal energies, and thoughts about time — what is past, present, or yet to be.

As polarities meet and find some kind of resolution — or not — this is what my work is always about, trying to find a resolution on paper of two or more things in opposition. And so yes, such conceptual work is exactly what I have been long most interested in exploring.

HF: What first drew you to watercolor as a medium for depicting the built environment?

TS: As a choice of medium, watercolor is a perfect fit for me. It has the ability to be either very precise or completely abstract, controlled or wild. The use of watercolor is a study in edges: hard and explicit, or soft and ephemeral. Watercolors can at once be subtle and suggestive or bold and explicit.

I think of watercolor too as a “subtractive” process in that we begin with a piece of white paper, 100% in light. And we proceed to subtract away some of this light as we go. The transparent nature of watercolor enhances our potential to study light. And in the end, the parts of our work that are not painted can be as powerful and full of meaning as those which are painted.

And the connection to drawing itself cannot be ignored. I actually consider what I do with watercolor as drawing, but I draw with shapes of value and tone rather than with lines.

Planning the concept and colors for the winner entry, image courtesy of the artist

HF: My next question is somewhat related to the preceding one: How did the process and workflow of creating your drawing compare to traditional architectural drafting?

TS: As stated, watercolor is a form of drawing to me. But rather than depicting ideas of space and form with a line, we do so by using shapes of tone and value, shadow and light, and color. But line-based sketching and more precise architectural drawing are always an element in what I do as well. These are time-honored and beautiful means of expression which I hope never to abandon. In my work, I try to merge the precise with the suggested, the implied with the stated, and so while I wander quite far from my more precise architectural roots, they are always there as a kind of north star shading any wild flights of fancy with at least a note of plausibility.

HF: What one tip would you give the other participants looking to win next year’s One Drawing Challenge?

TS: Oh my … “ advice”. I always say that the best advice I have is to take very little advice. This is a glib non-answer I realize but there’s something in it. What I mean is that as we all try to improve and advance in our careers and our own sense of achievement, it becomes all-too easy to compare our work or measure ourselves against our colleagues or others whose work we admire. This is natural, but should be avoided as much as possible.

I am nowhere near the artist I hope to be some day, but I only started to make noticeable improvements when I trained my ego to be a bit more self-reliant and less “noisy”. It’s too easy to live on social media and if we succumb to the flattery or the uninformed critiques we hear online, we are doomed. I think we should take any feedback onboard, process it quickly and move past it.

Genuinely, I celebrate the accomplishments of my colleagues. But I understand that another’s win does not equal my loss. And anything I might achieve does not diminish any other’s work. While you can never draw or paint like anyone else, neither can anyone else draw or paint like you.

And so rather than by seeing the world always by looking outward, spend as much time exploring the worlds you see by looking inward. And listen. There is your voice telling you what you need to do and where you need to go. We already have within us all we need to do most anything we wish to do. So if we trust that voice and learn to hear it more clearly, it will lead us in the direction we should be traveling.


Interested in seeing more work by Thomas Schaller Fine Art? Peruse his portfolio and connect with the artist through your preferred channel:

> www.thomaswschaller.com
> www.facebook.com/thomaswschaller
> www.twitter.com/twschaller
> www.instagram.com/thomaswschaller

The winners of Architizer’s Fourth Annual One Drawing Challenge have been revealed! Interested in next year’s program? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates. 



Reference

Ten homes where classic Eames chairs add a mid-century modern feel
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten homes where classic Eames chairs add a mid-century modern feel

For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected 10 interiors featuring some of Charles and Ray Eames’ best-known chair designs, including the couple’s Shell chair and lounge chair.

The Eames designers were known for their iconic mid-century modern furniture, which is still widely appreciated and can be seen in a number of contemporary interiors.

Among the most popular Eames designs are their chairs, many of which are still in production. Original chairs have become sought-after vintage finds, and the designs are often copied, 60 years after they were first released.

Here, we have collected 10 projects on Dezeen that feature Eames chairs, ranging from a penthouse in Belgium to a narrow house in London and the designers’ own home.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring tiled living spaces, decorative ceilings and ornate plasterwork and homes with deliberately unfinished interiors.


Apartment in Riverside Tower in Antwerp
Photo by Olmo Peeters

Riverside Tower Apartment, The Netherlands, by Studio Okami Architecten

The interior of this Belgian apartment in a brutalist concrete building was livened up by tactile furnishings in organic materials and features a number of design classics.

In the home office area, the Eames Aluminium office chair by Vitra, designed in 1958, adds an elegant touch to the room and is contrasted by an abstract red chair.

Find out more about Riverside Tower Apartment ›


Light loft apartment with modern furniture
Photo by Justin Chung

Biscuit Loft, US, by OWIU Studio

OWIU Studio drew on Japanese style when designing the sun-dappled Biscuit Loft in Los Angeles, and also added a number of mid-century modern furniture pieces.

A white Eames lounge chair with a matching ottoman sits in pride of place in the living room, matching the white sofa and coffee table as well as the room’s other classic piece, the Knoll Wassily lounge chair designed by architect Marcel Breuer.

Find out more about Biscuit Loft ›


Catching Sun House by Studioshaw
Photo by James Brittain

Catching Sun House, UK, by Studioshaw

A collection of the Eames DSR chairs adds colour to the open-plan kitchen and dining room in this Walthamstow home built on a hidden infill site.

Exposed blockwork was used for both the interior and the exterior, with a plywood ceiling giving the space a cosy feel.

Find out more about Catching Sun House ›


Eames House Conservation Management Plan
Photo by Leslie Schwartz and Joshua White

Eames House, US, by Ray and Charles Eames

The Eameses’ own house embodies the couple’s design aesthetic and is filled with their furniture, books, fabrics, art, shells, rocks and straw baskets.

In the study area of the modernist house, the chosen task chair is naturally one of the duo’s own designs – a Soft Pad armchair that was designed in the 1960s and produced by ICF.

Find out more about Eames House ›


An open plan office and living room
Photo by Lit Ma

Grosvenor Residence, China, by Lim + Lu

Multidisciplinary design practice Lim + Lu refurbished this Hong Kong family apartment to give it the feel of an “elegant yet quaint summer home”.

Neutral colours were used throughout, with green plants adding life to the rooms and matching the wood detailing on the furniture, which includes a stylish black leather and rosewood Eames lounge chair.

Find out more about Grosvenor Residence ›


Slot House in Peckham, London, by Sandy Rendel Architects, working with Sally Rendel
Photo by Jim Stephenson

Slot House, UK, by Sandy Rendel

A disused alley in Peckham, south London, was transformed into the aptly named Slot House by Sandy Rendel Architects and Sally Rendel.

The 2.8-metre-wide house has an upstairs study area clad, like the rest of the house, in spruce plywood and with a cork floor. An Eames Shell chair makes for an eye-catching office chair.

Find out more about Slot House ›


Irwin Caplan’s Laurelhurst House by SHED
Photo by Rafael Soldi

Seattle home, US, by SHED

This house on the Pacific West Coast, originally built for cartoonist Irwin Caplan, was refurbished by American studio SHED.

The studio gave the home, designed in 1951, a refresh with a more open layout but kept its mid-century modern feel with an interior that features numerous design classics.

In the kitchen and dining area, a set of the Eamses’ Shell chairs create a striking white contrast to the wood-panelled walls.

Find out more about Seattle home ›


Fireplace in Penthouse BV by Adjo Studio
Photo by Renaat Nijs

Penthouse BV, Belgium, by Adjo Studio

Warm autumnal colours were used in this living room in a penthouse in Belgium designed by Adjo Studio. An earth-coloured rug and rust-coloured seating contrast the greenery outside the window, with the colours picked up in a set of decorative tealight holders.

Wooden panelling above the fireplace, sand-coloured curtains and an Eames lounge chair with a wooden frame complete the interior.

Find out more about Penthouse BV ›


6M House by Jannina Cabal in Ecuador
Photo by JAG Studio

6M House, Ecuador, by Jannina Cabal

The DCW Eames plywood chair is less well-known that the duo’s Shell chairs, but no less of a design classic. The chair was designed in 1945 from moulded plywood and features a rounded seat and backrest and arched legs.

In the 6M House in Ecuador, two DCW chairs can be found in the living room, where they blend in well with the wooden bookshelf and panelling.

Find out more about 6M House ›


Bedroom with wooden panelling
Photo is by Joe Fletcher

Moore House, US, by Woods + Dangaran

Moore House in Los Angeles was originally built in 1965 and given an update by local firm Woods + Dangaran in 2021. The studio used both vintage and contemporary pieces for the interior, including the Eames lounge chair in one of the bedrooms.

On the bedside tables, vintage Akari lights by designer Isamu Noguchi also nod to the house’s mid-century origin.

Find out more about Moore House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring tiled living spaces, decorative ceilings and ornate plasterwork and homes with deliberately unfinished interiors.

Reference

Contemporary Vaults: 6 Modern Iterations of a Age-Old Architectural Classic
CategoriesArchitecture

Contemporary Vaults: 6 Modern Iterations of a Age-Old Architectural Classic

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

Vaults have existed in architecture for thousands of years. Essentially an extrusion of an arch along an axis, the structural value of the self-supporting form has made it a popular motif across typologies and around the world: from the construction of homes, religious buildings and more. Additionally, arches can be created using a variety of materials such as stone, brick, timber and even bamboo. Some examples of traditional vault forms include smooth barrel vaults, complex groin vaults, pointed arch vaults and decorative rib vaults, among others. These systems not only act as a structural framework but also help elevate plain ceilings. With each innovation in arch-building technology came new aesthetic styles and forms of architectural expression.

Yet, despite their versatility, vaults and domes remain widely associated with more traditional design styles or religious architecture. The projects below break away from the stereotype and show how these time-tested forms can be adapted to suit modern homes and public spaces.


Waffled Spaces

Bean to Bar Chocolatier by STUDIO TOGGLE, Salmiya, Kuwait

It was tricky to create brightness, storage and openness in a narrow, enclosed site. One solution, as showcased in the Bean to Bar Chocolatier store, introduces a waffle vault throughout the length of the space. A waffle vault can add dimension and interest to the ceiling without reducing the height in the way a false ceiling would. In this case, it can also extend to the floors and create room for display shelves. These pixels, which were sized based on the dimensions of the chocolate packaging, can be changed to create different patterns as and when needed. In other cases, waffle vaults such as this one can also be used to conceal lighting fixtures.


Organic Forms

Guyim Vault House by Nextoffice, Concept

While vaults are traditionally elements that prominently enhance the interiors, they can also be used to redefine form on the outside. Using vaults in a skeletal cuboidal framework restrains the geometry while also creating a contoured form that clearly defines spaces and gives the structure a strong identity. In Guyim Vault House, Nextoffice uses semi-vaulted structural elements to create mounds in the different levels of the home. The system creates a very unique structural network that makes way for unique spatial blocks inside. These vaulted forms intersect with each other to create both public and private zones. For example, three domes face each other on the first floor to create a semi-private quadrangle. Taking this a step further, the forms on the upper level open up to allow light to enter the home.


Pointed Patterns

New Preston Mosque by AIDIA STUDIO

The pointed arch, which is commonly associated with Gothic architecture, found its origins in Islamic and Indian architecture. These arches were used to create doorways and ornate windows in religious or important structures. The team at AIDIA STUDIO used this historical reference and gave it a contemporary twist to create this conceptual mosque. Using a pointed arch form to create a vault allows the form to span more considerable lengths with more stability. It also allows for bigger column-free floor spans. Here, the studio turned this element into a fractal pattern that gets repeated across different levels and scales throughout the mosque.


Geometric Ceilings

Vaulted House by vPPR Architects, London, United Kingdom

When curved ceilings don’t work with the overall design scheme, there is always an option to turn them into geometric arrangements that create a similar experience. This can be seen in Vaulted House by vPPR Architects. The roof of the entire home is divided into geometric vaults that coincide with the spatial distribution within the home. These sharp inclines completely mask the huge steel beams that are used to hold them up. The vaults are also capped with skylights to maximize the amount of natural light entering the home. To broaden the scope of this design, this trapezoidal geometry is further expanded to multiple objects around the house including the fireplace, windows, floors and the entrance.


Bamboo Lattice

Naman Retreat Conference Hall by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Vietnam | Images by Hiroyuki Oki

A way of adapting the vault form for tropical regions is constructing it using locally-acquired materials such as bamboo. The flexibility of bamboo stems allows them to be bent and bundled together to create a sturdy framework that can hold up a large column-free roof. In Naman Retreat Conference Hall, two types of bamboo are used to create the central hall and an adjoining vaulted corridor. The enclosed hall spans about 44 feet and goes as high as 31 feet. A large glass plane is placed three arches in to create an arched canopy outside. These curved frames are prefabricated on ground to ensure quick and easy assembly, while being very affordable and offering more control.


Asymmetrical Systems

FaBRICKate by ADAPt, Isfahan, Iran | Images by Soroosh

Modern fabrication methods and materials have expanded the possibilities of buildable forms and architectures. And so, while it was often taken as a given that vaults were symmetrical structures in the past, architects are now exploring new ways of looking at them by using manual and digital technologies. FaBRICKate is an experimental free-form compression-only vault system that reverses the mechanism used by the tension-dependent catenary form. Using different 3D modeling plugins, the team devised this asymmetrical form and used a waffle structure combining a grid mesh and steel rods to construct it. This reinterpretation of the classic vault opens up new ways of carving spaces that are transcendental and unique.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

Reference