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PAMANTASAN NG COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA AND URBAN PLANNING

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

GENERATING
IDEAS
ALNIE KHAYZER HAYUDINI, RLA, RMP
 Speculative Drawing Page 2

To s p e c u l a t e i s t o e n g a g e i n t h o u g h t o r
re f l e c t i o n . I n d e s i g n , w e s p e c u l a t e
a b o u t t h e f u t u re . A s w e t h i n k a b o u t
w h a t m i g h t b e p o s s i b l e i n t h e f u t u re ,
drawing gives material existence to our
conceptions so that they can be seen,
assessed, and acted upon. The drawing
out of these ideas, whether executed
q u i c k l y o r s l o w l y, ro u g h l y o r c a re f u l l y,
i s n e c e s s a r i l y s p e c u l a t i v e i n n a t u re . We
c a n n e v e r d e t e r m i n e b e f o re h a n d
p re c i s e l y w h a t t h e f i n a l o u t c o m e w i l l
be. The developing image on paper
gradually takes on a life of its own and
guides the exploration of a concept as
it travels between mind and paper and
back again.
The Creative Process
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S p e c u l a t i v e d r a w i n g i s a c re a t i v e
p ro c e s s . T h e i m a g i n a t i o n t r i g g e r s a
concept that is seen as a flashing
and dimensionless image in the
m i n d ’s e y e . T h e d r a w i n g o f t h a t
i d e a , h o w e v e r, d o e s n o t a r r i v e f u l l -
b l o w n a n d c o m p l e t e . I m a g e s r a re l y
exist in the mind fully formed down
to the last detail, waiting only to be
t r a n s f e r re d t o a s h e e t o f p a p e r. T h e y
develop over time and undergo a
number of transformations as we
p ro b e t h e i d e a e a c h re p re s e n t s a n d
s e a rc h f o r c o n g r u e n c e b e t w e e n t h e
i m a g e i n t h e m i n d ’s e y e a n d t h e o n e
w e a re d r a w i n g .
 Thinking on Paper Page 4

Drawing enables the mind to work in

graphic form without consciously intending
t o p ro d u c e a w o r k o f a r t . J u s t a s t h o u g h t
can be put into words, ideas can take on a
visual form to be studied, analyzed, and
re f i n e d .

T h e s m a l l e r a d r a w i n g , t h e b ro a d e r t h e
c o n c e p t i t f o r m s . We b e g i n w i t h s m a l l
sketches since they allow a range of
p o s s i b i l i t i e s t o b e e x p l o re d . S o m e t i m e s a
s o l u t i o n w i l l e m e r g e q u i c k l y. M o re o f t e n ,
h o w e v e r, m a n y d r a w i n g s a re re q u i re d t o
re v e a l t h e b e s t c h o i c e o r d i re c t i o n t o
pursue. They encourage us to look at
alternative strategies in a fluent and
flexible manner and not close on a solution
too fast.
Tolerating Ambiguity
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I n a c c e p t i n g a m b i g u i t y,
u n f o r t u n a t e l y, w e l o s e t h e
c o m f o r t o f f a m i l i a r i t y. D e a l i n g
only with the clearly defined
a n d t h e f a m i l i a r, h o w e v e r,
p re c l u d e s t h e p l a s t i c i t y a n d
adaptability of thought
n e c e s s a r y i n a n y c re a t i v e
e n d e a v o r. To l e r a t i n g
ambiguity allows one to accept
u n c e r t a i n t y, d i s o r d e r, a n d t h e
p a r a d o x i c a l i n t h e p ro c e s s o f
o r d e r i n g o n e ’s t h o u g h t s .
 Relying on Intuition Page 6

I n t h e s e a rc h f o r p o s s i b i l i t i e s a n d t o
o u t l i n e c h o i c e s , w e re l y o n i n t u i t i o n
a s a g u i d e . I n t u i t i o n , h o w e v e r, i s
b a s e d o n i n f o r m e d e x p e r i e n c e . We
c a n n o t d r a w o u t w h a t i s n o t a l re a d y
within each one of us.
Developing Fluency
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To b e f l u e n t i n t h e c re a t i v e
p ro c e s s i s t o b e a b l e t o
generate a wide range of
p o s s i b i l i t i e s a n d i d e a s . To b e
f l u e n t i n t h e d r a w i n g p ro c e s s
is to be intuitive when placing
p e n o r p e n c i l t o p a p e r,
re s p o n d i n g w i t h e a s e a n d
g r a c e t o o u r c o n c e p t i o n s . We
must be able keep up with our
thoughts, which can be
fleeting.
 LayeringPage 8

Layering is a graphic mode for

both analysis and synthesis. It
allows us to quickly and flexibly
see patterns and study
re l a t i o n s h i p s . J u s t a s w e re f i n e
our written thoughts by editing
a n d re w r i t i n g d r a f t s , w e c a n
build up a drawing in layers on a
s i n g l e s h e e t o f p a p e r.

D i f f e re n t l a y e r s m a y c o n s i s t o f
s e p a r a t e b u t re l a t e d p ro c e s s e s .
We c a n s t u d y c e r t a i n a re a s i n
g re a t e r d e t a i l a n d g i v e g re a t e r
emphasis to certain aspects or
f e a t u re s . We c a n e x p l o re
a l t e r n a t i v e s o v e r c o m m o n g ro u n d .
Recombining
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We c a n f r a g m e n t , s o r t , a n d
g ro u p a c c o r d i n g t o s i m i l a r i t i e s
a n d d i f f e re n c e s . We c a n a l t e r
e x i s t i n g re l a t i o n s h i p s a n d s t u d y
t h e e f f e c t s o f n e w g ro u p i n g s .

We c a n s p re a d t h e s e
alternatives out for comparison,
re a r r a n g e t h e m , a n d m a n i p u l a t e
t h e m a s i n a c o l l a g e . We c a n
evaluate the ideas and develop
t h e m f u r t h e r, o r w e c a n d i s c a r d
them, bring others back for
re c o n s i d e r a t i o n , o r i n c o r p o r a t e
new ideas into the next stages of
p ro g re s s .
 Transforming P a g e 10

Layering is a graphic mode for

both analysis and synthesis. It
allows us to quickly and flexibly
see patterns and study
re l a t i o n s h i p s . J u s t a s w e re f i n e
our written thoughts by editing
a n d re w r i t i n g d r a f t s , w e c a n
build up a drawing in layers on a
s i n g l e s h e e t o f p a p e r.

D i f f e re n t l a y e r s m a y c o n s i s t o f
s e p a r a t e b u t re l a t e d p ro c e s s e s .
We c a n s t u d y c e r t a i n a re a s i n
g re a t e r d e t a i l a n d g i v e g re a t e r
emphasis to certain aspects or
f e a t u re s . We c a n e x p l o re
a l t e r n a t i v e s o v e r c o m m o n g ro u n d .
Shifting Viewpoints
P a g e 11

& Rotating
Relying on habit and
convention can impede
the flow of ideas during
t h e d e s i g n p ro c e s s . I f w e
c a n s e e i n d i f f e re n t w a y s ,
w e a re b e t t e r a b l e t o s e e
hidden opportunities in
the unusual, the
exceptional, and the
p a r a d o x i c a l . To s e e i n
n e w w a y s re q u i re s a k e e n
power of visualization
and an understanding of
the flexibility drawing
o f f e r s i n p re s e n t i n g n e w
possibilities.
 Changing Scales P a g e 12

We s t i m u l a t e o u r d e s i g n t h i n k i n g
by working at various scales
and levels of abstraction. The
scale of a drawing establishes
w h i c h a s p e c t s o r f e a t u re s w e c a n
attend to and likewise
t h o s e w e m u s t i g n o re .
 P a g e 13

Thank you &

*Images used in this presentation is not the property of the presenter.
References:
• Ching, F. (2013). INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-1-118-14206-6

keep safe.