In support of history from the drawing board

Colin Rowe and a reflection on the past as project encouragement

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to revisit the particular analysis perspectives and techniques developed by Colin Rowe. He was able to construct an alternative relationship between History and Project that, even today, has a powerful pedagogical value which invigorates the role played by the former in the architect professional training. Thus, a possible path for its articulation with Theory and Criticism is pointed out. An anecdote, mentioned by Rowe himself, is used to deal with the context in which he discovered the potential of what we call “history from the drawing board” involving the language, the concerns as well as the sensitivity which are characteristic of design studios. Infused with immediacy and enthusiasm, this kind of approach is far from scholar classificatory trends and Art History cautious filiations. Visual analysis effectiveness -being sometimes conceptualized by means of diagrams- is considered. In addition, the focus on both the building itself and the design decision making underlying its form rather than that on wider contextual information is analyzed along with the recovery of and the reflection on specific disciplinary concepts.