BA Architecture YR 1
Brief 1: HUMAN. SCALE.
Modulor diagram according to different postures, Le Corbusier, 1954
In the tradition of Da Vinci‘s ‘Vitruvian Man‘ and Le Corbusier‘s ‘Modulor’, we will measure and draw the
proportions of the human body. We will also investigate the relationship between the human body and space.
During this task you will be introduced to orthographic drawing as we record our findings by producing scaled
drawings.
Emptied Gestures, Heather Hansen, 2014 - Untitled Anthropometry,Yves Klein, 1960 - Pencil Mask, Rebecca Horn, 1972
Workshop Activity 1: Body Mapping (Monday 24 September AM/PM)
Working in groups of 3 or 4, you need to make 2 drawings.
Each drawing should be accurate in terms of size and proportion of the human body and should be at 1:1 scale
(full scale). Carefully plan how you are going to make the drawing before you start. You should use a different
method for each drawing. Drawings do not need to be made using your hand. Consider how to capture a
particular movement; swinging arm, jumping, etc. Be loose with your definition of “drawing”: free up, take risks,
paint, print, tear, stick, make marks, make your own drawing tools, etc.
In your groups choose 2 of the drawings below.
• Make a drawing of a body sitting up comfortably on the floor and lying stretched out.
• Make a drawing which shows how far someone can reach: up, down, front and back.
• Make a drawing which shows the smallest space a body can fit in to.
• Trace the outline of a body without using your hands.
• Trace the outline of a body from 1m away.
• Make a drawing which shows how high someone can jump.
• Make a drawing which shows how someone moves when they touch their toes.
Plan your time to give yourselves enough time to plan, execute the drawing and tidy up.
Each drawing should show key dimensions: height, eye height, reach etc. Consider how to annotate this
information onto your drawing.
What you can use: Different colour pens, pencils, charcoal, chalk, scissors, masking tape, sticks, wire, string,
newspaper, glue. Remember to photograph everything you are doing - the process and the outcomes.
Consider your photographs: composition, lighting, framing etc.
No rubbish of any sort should be left anywhere in P3 otherwise we will not be able to use the space again.
Post-Workshop Activity 2: Scale (Tuesday 25 - Thursday 27 September)
Take the drawings you have made on Monday and make each drawing 10 times smaller, ie change each drawing to
1:10 scale. This is to be completed individually.
You can use a variety of methods to do this, try a couple out on your different drawings.
On the photocopier you can reduce them in sections and recombine into a finished drawings. Overlay a grid and re
draw the same grid but 10 times smaller on tracing paper and transpose each grid square by hand. Measure using
your scale ruler and redraw on another sheet of tracing paper.
Add key dimensions to each drawing noting heights and distances.
Les liens du mariage, Gilbert Garcin, 2002 - Touching the wall with both hands, Rebecca Horn, 1974 - Metric Handbook drawing
Workshop Activity 3: The Body in Relation to Space (Friday 28 September)
Working in groups of 3 or 4 (different groups to Monday), work out the smallest space that the group is comfortable
occupying with all of you standing and with a combination of sitting, standing and lying down. Try a variety of
arrangements. Move to another space and repeat the process: maybe more constrained or more open, closer to a
wall, a corridor etc... Do the measurements change?
Make a series of at least 2 accurate drawings at scale 1:10 in both plan and elevation. These should show
your bodies, the space between and the boundary of the space you inhabit. Annotate these drawings with key
dimensions.
Remember to photograph everything you are doing - the process and the outcomes.
Consider your photographs: composition, lighting, framing etc.
Outputs
Groupwork:
• 2no. drawings at scale 1:1 from Workshop Activity 1.
Individual work:
• 2no. orthographic drawings at scale 1:10 from Workshop Activity 3 (hand-drawn on A2 trace).
• Printed photographs documenting Workshop Activity 1 and 3 (formatted on A2 sheets).
These outputs should be completed for studio reviews on Monday 24 September