Verified in Field: Drawings of Builders

Spaces . Objects . Artworks . Research

Production Studies International Conference Presentation

“Verified in Field: Drawings of Builders” is a collaboration between Marisa Ferrara and Kristin Washco. The paper was presented at the Production Studies International Conference hosted at Newcastle University (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) March 25-28 2024.

Since Robin Evans proclaimed the importance of considering the translation that occurs from drawing to building , much has been written on the role that architectural drawings play in the construction of buildings. While it is true that architects’ drawings can and should be considered for their productive qualities in relation to building, present scholarship does little to address the role that non-architects’ drawings play in the construction of buildings. The incorrect yet overwhelming assumption is that architects draw, while builders build. Yet, builders also draw, and their drawings fulfill an essential role in the translation that Evans references.

This paper will investigate drawings and sketches by builders: the often-nameless contributors to a project. Artisans, project managers, carpenters, and laborers of diering skillsets, backgrounds, and spoken languages are responsible for “verifying in field,” or reconciling the drawings of the architect with site conditions. This is often done through the common language of drawing, and site sketches are vital in calibrating and harmonizing the constructed space with the design intent. Produced with spray paint, carpenters’ crayons, and unsharpened pencils, found on scraps of loose material, or drawn directly on walls, these informal drawings are the least precious and most undervalued drawings in the materialization of architectural ideas. Why then, are they thrown away, painted over, and ultimately omitted from the collective archive of built spaces?

We argue that unearthing and preserving these drawings is vital in filling a crucial gap in architectural history and recognizing the complex role that builders play in the completion of architectural projects. Architects and builders draw. Builders and their drawings translate drawings into buildings.