Sense of Scale: A History of Full-Size Drawing in Architecture

This book to be published by gta Verlag (2027) addresses the history of architectural drawings known as ‘full-size’ or 1:1', a distinct sub-set of architectural drawings whose representation corresponds in exact size to the referenced object. Although occasionally discussed in the literature, these drawings have yet to be examined systematically across time. For centuries, critical details, components or joints were commonly drawn on building surfaces or on large sheets, without a scale reduction, and the practice only recently ended following the rise of digital drawing in the early 1990s. They were often made quite large: a full-size plan and section of the dome of St. Peter's was incised in the pavement of St. Paul's fuori le Mura in Rome, and paper drawings could measure up to two meters or more for columns and wall sections.

Quietly and with hardly noticing, it seems architects are losing their sense of scale, with symptoms such as flattened buildings facades, poorly proportioned floor plans, and over-sized details and building assemblies. Simply put, our tacit knowledge of spatial and material relations, once central to an architect's craft, needs to be examined again. The reasons for this loss of scale are undoubtedly complex, but certainly changes in drawing practice are a central starting point. After three decades of working without scale in digital working drawings – Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) – drawing scale is disassociated from everyday practice.

In writing a history of the now-defunct practice of full-size drawing, this book provides an opportune critique of scale, as both a historical practice and current concept. The unusual dimensions of these drawings gave them a special use and status, underscored by terminology used to describe them: "la vera grandezza", for example, in Italian; "true scale", in English; "fuld størrelse” in Danish, or "Naturgrosse" in German. The decision to draw full-size often contained a rhetorical or ethical dimension, reserved for signature details, tricky joints, or crafty installations. Additionally, they usually had a practical function, as both a design drawing and a template for craftsmen. In different periods or contexts, they could be utilized for doors and windows, complex material assembles, ornaments or profiles. The modern convention of 1:1 indicates a dimensional correspondence, but this betrays its unique status in the history of architectural practice. 'True scale' indicated a drawing relationship that was not only mathematical but 'lived'.

This book surveys the entirety of this drawing practice, from its origin on construction sites and building surfaces, to its transfer onto paper in the late 15th century, and finally in its role in the 'art of building', i.e., from the 19th century until circa 1990. This will be a large-format publication, composed of a lengthy scholarly manuscript and high-quality image reproductions. The goal is to produce a standard reference on the topic for years to come and to be a highly sought edition in by architects, students, historians and libraries.

This is a book project on the history of full-size drawing in architecture.