VIDEOS
Architectural Drawings
Architectural drawings play a key role in how buildings are created. In this series of videos Michael Snodin, former Head of Design in the Word & Image Department at the V&A, talks about a selection of architectural drawings from the V&A and RIBA drawings collections. These examples illustrate some of the ways in which drawings are used to generate and present ideas, help builders to construct buildings and how completed buildings are recorded.
Examples of architectural drawings can be seen in the Study Rooms or on display in the Architecture Gallery at the V&A. Find out more on the Study Resources page.
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Introduction
Duration: 1 min 5 secs
Michael Snodin, former Head of Design in the Word & Image Department at the V&A, presents the themes he covers in this series of Architectural Drawings videos.
Duration: 1 minute 5 seconds
First Sketch Ideas and Sketchbooks
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White City flats, London
Duration: 2 mins 20 secs
Erich Mendelsohn, 1934
Sketch for a design for flats and low rise housing in White City, London.Duration: 2 minutes 20 seconds
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Lutyens' Sketchbook
Duration: 4 mins
Sir Edwin Lutyens, 1891
Sketchbook showing interior and exterior sketches for a new house, Munstead Place in Surrey. The back of the book includes sketches by a child.Duration: 4 minutes
Drawings Showing Design Development
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Unknown public building
Duration: 2 mins 45 secs
Nicholas Hawksmoor, about 1700s
Elevation drawing for an unknown public building including design changes.Duration: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Presentation Techniques
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Wardour Castle, Wiltshire - section
Duration: 3 mins 10 secs
James Paine, 1770s
Section through the staircase at Wardour Castle, Wiltshire, showing detailed decoration and an early use of colour coding to identify materials.Duration: 3 minutes 10 seconds
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Natural History Museum, London - exterior perspective
Duration: 3 mins
Alfred Waterhouse, May 1876
Exterior view of the Natural History Museum, London, showing a good example of perspective drawing with great detail in the building. Produced for the Royal Academy exhibition of 1876.Duration: 3 minutes
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Apparatus for the cooking room - axonometric
Duration: 4 mins 30 secs
Raymond McGrath, 1934
Pen and ink axonometric drawing on tracing paper showing a modern kitchen designed by Raymond McGrath. The drawing was included in the book '20th Century Houses'.Duration: 4 minutes 30 seconds
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Design for a place of entertainment, Monte Carlo - collage
Duration: 2 mins 30 secs
Archigram, 1970
Collage combined with architectural drawings presenting a design for a place of entertainment in Monte Carlo. Originally designed for a competition.Duration: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Watch Design for a place of entertainment, Monte Carlo - collage
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GLA Headquarters, London - computer aided design
Duration: 3 mins 50 secs
Foster and Partners, 1999
Two computer drawings, illustrating energy conservation throughout the building and a sectional diagram showing use of the building.Duration: 3 minutes 50 seconds
Drawings for Construction
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Mamhead, Devonshire - fold down plan
Duration: 3 mins 30 secs
Office of Robert Adam, mid 1760's
One of a set of drawings made for Viscount Lisburne for the re-modelling of his home, Mamhead House in Devon. The fold down plan was adopted in the early 18th century partly as a way of working out the details of the architectural decoration.Duration: 3 minutes 30 seconds
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Mamhead, Devonshire - ceiling detail
Duration: 3 mins
Office of Robert Adam, mid 1760's
Ceiling plan produced to impress the client, showing a classical scene in the centre and details of relief plasterwork. This drawing relates to the fold down plan of the dining room for Mamhead.Duration: 3 minutes
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East India House, London - ceiling rose
Duration: 4 mins
Richard Jupp, about 1790's
Full size drawing of a ceiling rose for East India House, London. The drawing shows detailed plaster decoration.Duration: 4 minutes
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Red House, Kent - plan
Duration: 8 mins
Philip Webb, May 1839
Ground floor plan for Red House in Bexleyheath, Kent, the home of William Morris. The drawing is part of a contract between the architect Philip Webb and the builder William Kent. This drawing is typical of working drawings produced from the 19th century until the advent of the computer drawing.Duration: 8 minutes
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Red House, Kent - sections
Duration: 2 mins 40 secs
Philip Webb, 1839
Three section drawings relating to the ground floor plan for Red House in Bexleyheath, Kent, the home of William Morris. Part of a contract between the architect Philip Webb and the builder William Kent.Duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds
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Red House, Kent - elevations
Duration: 3 mins
Philip Webb, 1839
Exterior elevations and part section of Red House in Bexleyheath, Kent, the home of William Morris. Drawings show colour coding of materials and instructions to the builder. Includes later addition ideas.Duration: 3 minutes
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Sainsbury's, London - detailing
Duration: 6 mins
Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, 1987
Hand drawing showing metalwork detailing for Sainsbury's supermarket, Camden Town, London.Duration: 6 minutes
Drawings to Record Completed Buildings
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Bentley Priory, Middlesex
Duration: 2 mins 15 secs
Drawn by Joseph Michael Gandy, 1798
Perspective view of the hall at Bentley Priory designed by Sir John Soane and completed in 1797. The drawing was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1798.Duration: 2 minutes 15 seconds
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Islamic building, Jerusalem
Duration: 4 mins 30 secs
Drawn by J C Rogers, architectural student, 1913
Pencil and wash drawing of an elevation, section, perspective and stone details of an Islamic building in Jerusalem. Drawn to the measurements of William Harvey.Duration: 4 minutes 30 seconds