The Module
Orthography
As we delved deeper into the language of form and space, our understanding of architecture began to shift—from simply looking at structures to truly reading and experiencing them. Our journey started with orthographic drawing: a method that demanded precision, clarity, and a new way of seeing.
We began by observing and documenting everyday objects—pencil stands, carts, and simple tools. Each object was dismantled visually through plans, sections, elevations, and cuts. This rigorous process made us keenly aware of how line weight, thickness, and tonal intensity are not just tools for clarity, but for communication. A thicker line hinted at proximity; a faint one, recession. Space began to emerge from these lines—not in the form of decoration, but as constructed understanding.
The exercise then evolved. We were divided into groups and introduced to iconic residential projects designed by renowned architects. My group was assigned Sou Fujimoto’s N-House—a project that deeply resonated with the module’s themes of form, layering, and experiential space. Fujimoto’s approach to architecture—where boundaries between inside and outside blur, and walls become gentle transitions rather than separations—pushed us to think differently.
What do I learn? What does "ORTHOGRAPHY " mean to me?
This project taught me the importance of precision and intentionality in architectural drawing, as well as how spatial ideas are communicated through line, scale, and proportion. Building the model of N-House helped me understand how abstract concepts—like transparency, layering, and spatial ambiguity—can be materialized. It also highlighted the power of orthographic drawings not just as technical tools, but as mediums of spatial thinking and design interpretation.
