The work of designing a building—even the largest and most technically advanced structures—begins with the most basic of elements: a sketch. This beautifully produced volume reproduces more than one hundred of such initial sketches, drawn in chalk, by renowned Swiss architect Marianne Burkhalter. A cofounder of Burkhalter Sumi Architects, she has designed a wide range of acclaimed public and private buildings, including hotels, offices, and private homes, as well as large-scale urban redevelopment projects.
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Each of these chalk drawings reveals the germ of an idea, their blurred lines and simplicity rendering them more intimate and immediate than technical draftsmanship—closer in feel to the decision-making process of a solitary artist choosing among many options and sorting out problems. In their beauty and tension, they bring the work of architectural design to stunning life.