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ABSTRACT
In the twentieth century, the functions of written or spoken language were extensively studied. The functions of drawings were studied less. This was largely due to a kind of ‘verbal-centrism’ that dominated the general discussions on the mechanisms of interaction and communication. This article explores the various possible functions of drawings, focusing on architecture, urban design and planning. It initially attempts to build a typology of the different functions of drawing and, later, to discuss relevant aspects such as the relationship of each function with reality. The article concludes by dwelling on the theoretical and practical importance of this approach.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. See recently also Millikan (Citation2009).
2. Especially, philosophy of language, philosophy of law, philosophy of drawing, and design theory, architecture theory, planning theory.
3. On the issue of ‘pictorial content’, see Aguilera (Citation2016), Camp (Citation2007).
4. ‘Visionary drawings’ (Collins Citation1979) are also included in this category.
5. The term ‘constructional function’ has been employed by Maynard (Citation2005).
6. Terms like ‘documentality’ and ‘documentary’ have recently become common in studies in social ontology (Ferraris Citation2009, Citation2012; Smith Citation2013, Citation2014; Koepsell, Smith and Sugden Citation2014).
7. Another curious example is graphical instructions on how to make origami: Maynard (Citation2019).
8. See e.g., certain components of the Siena Master plan of 1988, the Arezzo Master plan of 1985, the Prato Structural plan of 1998.
9. See the library of form-based codes available at https://formbasedcodes.org/codes/ (accessed March 2020). On form-based codes in general, see Duany and Talen (Citation2001), Sitkowski and Ohm (Citation2006), Geller (Citation2010), Talen (Citation2013) and Hansen (Citation2104).
10. See https://www.preventable.ca/in-a-rush-at-a-school-zone-seriously/ (accessed March 2020); https://www.bcaa.com/media-centre/2018/2018-09-18-new-survey-reveals-unsafe-school-zones-during-2018-back-to-school-week (accessed March 2020).
11. See again https://formbasedcodes.org/codes/ (accessed March 2020).
12. Taking for granted that design is a reflective practice (Schön Citation1983): i.e., design is oriented by theory, but contributes at the same time to testing it through design itself, in a continuous process (see e.g., Cross Citation2001; Lawson Citation2004; Çalışkan Citation2012).