For all its benefits, technology robs architecture of art

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Last week I was looking through the archives at the Christian County Court-house for its original 1914 architectural drawings. What I found was a set of very brittle, crinkled drawings that brought back memories of a talent lost hand drawings with every detail carefully and minutely depicted from the hands of an old master long since past.|ret||ret||tab|

"Yes, we are completely computerized with multiple autoCad stations," was a typical sales tool for architectural firms in the last 15 years, but that question doesn't need to be asked these days.|ret||ret||tab|

The transformation is complete. We, the architectural profession, are computerized now I am unaware of any architectural firms not using computers to produce their construction documents. |ret||ret||tab|

The only people in architectural of-fices who still draw by hand are the old principals who still like to design with graphite and a big gum eraser. And, in that change, we have lost something very special.|ret||ret||tab|

Don't misunderstand, the computers were a godsend to architects allowing us to embrace the last minute changes brought to us by our well-meaning clients, and allowing us to add an endless number of dimensions without fear of errors that would certainly provoke a call from the contractor in the field happily pointing out our mistakes and reconfirming their opinion that architects are all idiots who couldn't build a doghouse.|ret||ret||tab|

Computers are great tools for architects and clients alike providing fascinating, life-like 3-D images that allow us to walk around and throughout structures before even one brick is laid. They have become invaluable tools for today's architect to provide the client with a successful project.|ret||ret||tab|

But computers also have stolen from architects. The drawings produced with the aid of computers are implicitly accurate but woefully boring the personality and artistic touch of a finely tuned hand are gone.|ret||ret||tab|

From the time I was a child, all the way through school, I was intrigued with construction drawings and the architect's ability to produce them. The drawings of a talented architect were art in its truest sense, both creative and beautiful. In any given town, one could recognize which architect produced each drawing based on their line quality and their style of lettering. It was said that one of my college professors had such a great hand that he could label the head of a bolt at 1/8 scale. Now these bolts are methodically specified in a huge book, placed there by a specialist whose sole job it is to write construction manuals. The talents of that professor and H. H. Hohen, who drew the old courthouse, are no longer needed by society. However, I am among many others who share a growing appreciation for this lost art.|ret||ret||tab|

We, as architects, embrace the computers and the vast abilities they provide us and our clients, yet they have cost us a beautiful, artful form of creative communication.|ret||ret||tab|

(Alan L. Bates, AIA, NCARB, is a principal of Warren Bates & Asso-ciates Architects).[[In-content Ad]]