The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches

The graphic replication of architectural examples has long been a prevalent pedagogical method, regardless of educational orientation. The critical reactivity of the mid-20th century, reinforced by ethnographic and anthropological tools, positioned vernacular architecture as a key educational resour...

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Main Authors: Gilberto Duarte Carlos, Alejandro López
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/5/674
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author Gilberto Duarte Carlos
Alejandro López
author_facet Gilberto Duarte Carlos
Alejandro López
author_sort Gilberto Duarte Carlos
collection DOAJ
description The graphic replication of architectural examples has long been a prevalent pedagogical method, regardless of educational orientation. The critical reactivity of the mid-20th century, reinforced by ethnographic and anthropological tools, positioned vernacular architecture as a key educational resource—a process widely recognised and extensively studied in Portugal. This article examines the role of fieldwork and surveying techniques in architectural education, extending beyond geometric characterisation to encompass the recognition of technological principles and logics. Through the systematic application of decomposition/composition drawing exercises with first-year students over a decade, this study explores how structured graphical methodologies foster a deeper understanding of buildings, beyond their aesthetics. The findings indicate that perception skills constitute a crucial competence in architectural teaching curricula. The systematisation of hand drawing surveys, applying layering superimposing, is a valuable method to enhance these capacities practically. The results reinforce that early engagement with analytical drawing improves students’ ability to integrate conceptual and technical aspects in design, supporting a progressive transition to digital tools. Additionally, the results highlight the pedagogical value of vernacular studies in promoting adaptive and sustainable design thinking, reinforcing the need for a balanced approach that synthesises traditional and contemporary methodologies in architectural education.
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spelling doaj-art-a702ebbce3b4411a8d6c62597e27a54b2025-08-20T02:05:24ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-02-0115567410.3390/buildings15050674The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching ApproachesGilberto Duarte Carlos0Alejandro López1CIAUD-UPT—Branch of CIAUD Research Center, Departamento Arquitetura e Multimédia Gallaecia, Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 541, 4200-072 Porto, PortugalDepartment of Architecture and Multimedia Gallaecia, Portucalense University, 4200-072 Porto, PortugalThe graphic replication of architectural examples has long been a prevalent pedagogical method, regardless of educational orientation. The critical reactivity of the mid-20th century, reinforced by ethnographic and anthropological tools, positioned vernacular architecture as a key educational resource—a process widely recognised and extensively studied in Portugal. This article examines the role of fieldwork and surveying techniques in architectural education, extending beyond geometric characterisation to encompass the recognition of technological principles and logics. Through the systematic application of decomposition/composition drawing exercises with first-year students over a decade, this study explores how structured graphical methodologies foster a deeper understanding of buildings, beyond their aesthetics. The findings indicate that perception skills constitute a crucial competence in architectural teaching curricula. The systematisation of hand drawing surveys, applying layering superimposing, is a valuable method to enhance these capacities practically. The results reinforce that early engagement with analytical drawing improves students’ ability to integrate conceptual and technical aspects in design, supporting a progressive transition to digital tools. Additionally, the results highlight the pedagogical value of vernacular studies in promoting adaptive and sustainable design thinking, reinforcing the need for a balanced approach that synthesises traditional and contemporary methodologies in architectural education.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/5/674graphic representationdrawingarchitectural educationvernacular architecturearchitectural surveybuilt heritage documentation
spellingShingle Gilberto Duarte Carlos
Alejandro López
The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
Buildings
graphic representation
drawing
architectural education
vernacular architecture
architectural survey
built heritage documentation
title The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
title_full The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
title_fullStr The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
title_full_unstemmed The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
title_short The Systematisation of Survey Drawings: Identifying the Development of Morphological Awareness via Teaching Approaches
title_sort systematisation of survey drawings identifying the development of morphological awareness via teaching approaches
topic graphic representation
drawing
architectural education
vernacular architecture
architectural survey
built heritage documentation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/5/674
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