The Blog Returns!
Blog 06 “The power of a Section”
April 2023
The blog returns
We have been extremely busy working away on a number of exciting projects - so our blog has taken a bit of a back seat.
However we have lots to share from insight, opinion, interesting knick-knacks we come across and a view into what’s currently on our ‘drawing board.’
Manual of Section
This month the blog looks at developing an architectural drawings style. Perhaps seen as an architects fancy….but we at BWMA like to review, explore and develop our ways and styles of demonstrating our ideas throughout the design process. We feel this helps to develop and communicate our vision, in response to our clients brief.
This is something we do not just at the initial design stage but throughout the process and we see this as an integral part of any project.
Recently we’ve been looking at a few different ways, styles and methods of illustration - somewhat inspired by our reading and research of one book in particular…
“The Manual of Section” by Authors David J. Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, and Paul Lewis
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manual-Section-Lewis-Tsurumaki-David/dp/1616892552
https://issuu.com/papress/docs/manualofsection_issuu
The Manual of Section explores the importance of a section in helping architects, designers and clients understand the design, and importantly the rationale behind the architects design decisions. An isometric or perspective section can be particularly powerful in doing this.
Broomhill Studio Drawings - BWMA’s Manual of Section inspired drawings
On our Broomhill project, for example, we developed a detailed 3D model at the initial design stage and continued to develop and adapt this as we progressed towards the tender stage. This meant, not only could we issue this £D model to contractors to aid their understanding of the Architecture, detailing, Engineering and desired finish we were asking, but we could also use this alongside more traditional orthographic drawings to demonstrate, review and discuss with our client and other contributors as the project developed.
We think it also helped our client gain an insight or greater understanding of the amount and type of deep thinking work involved in creating the vision from start to finish, something often lost in pretty finished images on Pinterest or Houzz (a blog on that to come…)
and….we had fun creating some beautiful architectural drawings in the process!!…
BWMA Broomhill Studio perspective section, inspired by the manual of section. Produced by Michael McEwan and Blair Macintyre
Images and drawings ©B W Macintyre Architects
BWMA Broomhill Studio perspective “Long” section, inspired by the manual of section. Produced by Michael McEwan and Blair Macintyre
Images and drawings ©B W Macintyre Architects
Images and drawings ©B W Macintyre Architects
One of our favourites - a detailed isometric section
BWMA Broomhill Studio Iso perspective Section, Produced by Michael McEwan and Blair Macintyre. Using 3D modelling software, 2D and vector based drawing software.
The final outcome - Broomhill Studio
Time well spent we hope you will agree!?
This is something we will continue to do and refine as we go, and we look forward to sharing with you as part of “what’s on the drawing board”. Often our sketches, visuals and drawings too easily get filed in a drawer never to be seen again, we would like to use this space to show some of the unseen work along the way.
Until next time…hopefully not so long!
All the best,
The BWMA team.
P.S. we have no affiliation to the book, its authors or any of the contained purchase or review links. We must also thank a former colleague of Blair’s (whilst tutoring at Robert Gordon University) Architect, David Wilson for the book recommendation and congratulate him on his new role as Associate Dean…very well deserved indeed!
Images and drawings ©B W Macintyre Architects