Baltimore-based architects Carlos Almeida (AECOM), Jerome Gray (Jerome C. Gray Architect), Eric J. Jenkins (University of Maryland), Omar Calderon Santiago (Perkins Eastman) and Gabriel Kroiz (Morgan State University) have organized a small group of sketchers called Baltimore SketchWorks. They invite everyone to help celebrate sketching and the architecture of Baltimore through sketching tours, lectures, and exhibitions. Their first initiative is series of monthly sketching workshops in and around Baltimore.
These architects, with varied backgrounds, practices and career paths, believe in those the inherently human and universal qualities of sketching that link mind and body. While architects in the 21st century must embrace and use the most advanced digital technologies and tools, architects also know that there is a need for “both/and” thinking and working and that practice requires varied tools for varied situations. A sketch’s inaccuracies, mistakes, and “beautiful ugliness” not only allow for, but advances, the design search and connects us to one another. As architect Toshiko Mori notes, “I think the essential aspect of drawing [is that it creates] an immediate relationship between human beings; drawing survived everything. When I go to the world, 90% of places don’t have computers. So, to be able to interact with people, you have to draw. And then people can draw back. It’s still a universal language.”
Workshop 5 – Perspective and Composition in Public Space
Date: Saturday, May 6
Time: 10:00am – noon
Location: This session will take place at the Inner Harbor. Meet at the USS Constellation.
Bring: pens, pencils or watercolors along with sketch and/or watercolor paper
The session, led by Carlos Almeida of AECOM, will examine how sketching helps us understand the interaction of elements (people, buildings, streets, landscape) in engendering a lively urban space. Carlos will discuss the underlying principles of perspective, light, shadow, and proportion. Limited to 20 participants. To sign up, please contact Eric Jenkins (ericjenkinsarchitect@gmail.com).
Baltimore SketchWorks is an evolving, informal group of Baltimore-based architects and sketchers who celebrate architectural sketching in Charm City. The first initiative of this celebration is a series of once-a-month sketching sessions. For more information, please see the group’s Instagram feed: baltimore_sketchworks or contact Eric Jenkins, AIA (ericjenkinsarchitect@gmail.com). They invite everyone to participate.