The Role of Paper Design, Re-reading Canonical Essays of Architectural Theory as Design Method

Abstract

Transparency within the architectural design process assumes paramount importance, particularly when confronted with diverse and interdisciplinary design tasks and challenges. Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to scrutinize the potential inherent in harnessing architectural theory as both a source of inspiration and a methodological framework in the realm of architectural design.The focal point of this argument is the book titled “Urban Transformations and the Architecture of Additions” by Rodrigo Pérez de Arce (2015). Pérez de Arce explores the use of drawing as a methodology to identify spatial problems, analyze project contexts, and evoke new readings of specific case studies, ultimately uncovering potential “urban atmospheres”. By incorporating historical elements through drawings of additions and transformations, he enables a sense of continuity within a site and introduces the concept of “new overlaying narratives”. The emphasis lies on the modernist city, highlighting the importance of transformations occurring from within to prevent (further) fragmentation. Pérez de Arce’s paper designs, created in collaboration with students, for new government centres in Chandigarh and Dacca, as well as 1960s housing blocks, demonstrate the resilience of modernist structures and their potential integration into a vibrant urban fabric. This paper proposes a re- reading of Pérez de Arce’s canonical essays, with the objective of evaluating the efficacy of his lexicon and drawing methodology in uncovering the resilience and inherent values of a given site within the context of an ongoing personal architectural design.The present-day architectural design briefs are intricately influenced by a multitude of factors, including but not limited to climate change, emerging social challenges, urban densification, heritage management, technical considerations, and gentrification. The re-reading process will be applied to a specific case study, the ‘Arena district,’ a modernist post-war housing site in Antwerp, Belgium, designed by architect Renaat Braem (1910- 2001). Currently undergoing a regeneration process, this project faces the loss of its celebrated ensemble value due to partial demolition.The paper begins with a concise overview of Rodrigo Pérez de Arce’s book, providing a contextual background. Subsequently, it presents the selected case study as a testing ground for the drawing method.The utilization of personal drawings is advocated to foster architectural discourse and exploration.The conclusion emphasizes the value of employing a book as a resource in the design process, while a reflective commentary deliberates on the integration of this method into the realm of ‘education for reuse’. This establishes a vital connection between theoretical design research and the design studios, functioning as a productive laboratory. This paper is part of a PhD research entitled ‘Belgian MoMo Heritage on the Radar’, funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (1116421N).