Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation

The design process is inherently representational; drawing and similar tools reduce cognitive load and enable the generation, recording and reuse of ideas. This process supports the internal dialogue that fosters innovative solutions. Representations have both external forms, such as drawing and mo...

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Main Authors: Saime Gümüştaş Babalı, N. Ömer Erem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UID 2025-06-01
Series:Diségno
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Online Access:https://disegno.unioneitalianadisegno.it/index.php/disegno/article/view/797
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author Saime Gümüştaş Babalı
N. Ömer Erem
author_facet Saime Gümüştaş Babalı
N. Ömer Erem
author_sort Saime Gümüştaş Babalı
collection DOAJ
description The design process is inherently representational; drawing and similar tools reduce cognitive load and enable the generation, recording and reuse of ideas. This process supports the internal dialogue that fosters innovative solutions. Representations have both external forms, such as drawing and modelling, and internal forms, such as imagination and thought, while language is a crucial tool that guides the processes of thinking and doing. While verbal expressions convey abstract thoughts and provide insight into the problem, visual representations concretise abstract ideas. This study analyses the transitions between verbal and visual representational languages, examining how ideas are transformed into representations, what comes to the fore, and what is left behind in this process. The ways designers structure ideas, the gaps that occur in the transitions between representational languages, and the ways they cope with these gaps are revealed through an examination conducted through drawing and physical modelling. The study positions drawing as a bridge between languages, moving it beyond being a mere representational tool in the design process, and focuses on the role of drawing in framing, organising and translating design ideas, making it an indispensable component of the discovery process.
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issn 2533-2899
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
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series Diségno
spelling doaj-art-dae1027f947f4dd2951d6da19ac444ed2025-08-20T03:14:51ZengUIDDiségno2533-28992025-06-011610.26375/disegno.16.2025.10Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and RepresentationSaime Gümüştaş Babalı0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7448-5213N. Ömer Erem1Department of Architecture, Istanbul Technical UniversityDepartment of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University The design process is inherently representational; drawing and similar tools reduce cognitive load and enable the generation, recording and reuse of ideas. This process supports the internal dialogue that fosters innovative solutions. Representations have both external forms, such as drawing and modelling, and internal forms, such as imagination and thought, while language is a crucial tool that guides the processes of thinking and doing. While verbal expressions convey abstract thoughts and provide insight into the problem, visual representations concretise abstract ideas. This study analyses the transitions between verbal and visual representational languages, examining how ideas are transformed into representations, what comes to the fore, and what is left behind in this process. The ways designers structure ideas, the gaps that occur in the transitions between representational languages, and the ways they cope with these gaps are revealed through an examination conducted through drawing and physical modelling. The study positions drawing as a bridge between languages, moving it beyond being a mere representational tool in the design process, and focuses on the role of drawing in framing, organising and translating design ideas, making it an indispensable component of the discovery process. https://disegno.unioneitalianadisegno.it/index.php/disegno/article/view/797design processrepresentationsverbal-visualdrawinginter-language
spellingShingle Saime Gümüştaş Babalı
N. Ömer Erem
Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
Diségno
design process
representations
verbal-visual
drawing
inter-language
title Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
title_full Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
title_fullStr Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
title_full_unstemmed Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
title_short Drawing as a Language in the Design Process: a Cognitive Bridge Between Thinking and Representation
title_sort drawing as a language in the design process a cognitive bridge between thinking and representation
topic design process
representations
verbal-visual
drawing
inter-language
url https://disegno.unioneitalianadisegno.it/index.php/disegno/article/view/797
work_keys_str_mv AT saimegumustasbabalı drawingasalanguageinthedesignprocessacognitivebridgebetweenthinkingandrepresentation
AT nomererem drawingasalanguageinthedesignprocessacognitivebridgebetweenthinkingandrepresentation