After successful completion of the course, students are able to read, understand, rethink and convey spatial information. They have cognitive and manual drawing basics for the representation of real and imaginary spaces and can communicate their ideas visually.

Here you will develop key basic skills for other courses and for the practice of architectural planning:

Observation: You discover properties of objects, light and space by precisely noting observations. You experience and reflect on dimensional and proportional relationships. You will receive practical tips on this.

Representation: You will overcome problems and typical errors in spatial drawing and make good decisions about effective visual representation. You master the composition of spatial images by consciously handling the image frame.

To do this, you use graphic design means in a targeted manner and choose suitable media.

Rooms, objects and people are presented by you in a powerful visual statement.

Thinking spatially: You train the ability to think three-dimensionally in space and learn to put your thoughts on paper (or in another suitable medium) and develop them further there.

Implementing ideas: Finally, you will sketch, spatially develop and finish your own concepts.

The main emphasis is on practical exercises: 1. drawing from observation, 2. drawing based on ideas, 3. taking photos, 4. thinking visually, 5. composing

In “group exercises”, drawing from your direct perspective is in the foreground. Freehand drawing or painting is trained. This is about important things for architecture: people, bodies, rooms, space are depicted, partly also in plan representations, but above all from the perspective you actually experience.
Simple objects and interiors require controlled proportions and clarify the laws of linear perspective.
Figural drawing and nature studies require an examination of organic forms. Exercises can require meticulous observation or, on the contrary, provoke lively, intuitive, free drawings.
Techniques and media are varied. Linear, shaded and colour studies are required.

Imagination skills are trained in a series of “homework” (parallel to the “group exercises”). Also Photos (or drawings made in “group exercises” while observing) can be imaginatively enriched according to specific “rules of the game”.

Photographic studies are required (mostly as part of the homework). Active composing through the choice of frame, direction of view, light, time, ... also sensitizes you to the effects of images.

The final "project" is an artistic composition task: Here a large picture is to be created that let the viewer experience an architectural fantasy of your own invention in a suggestive way. It is often done as a collage or montage. Creative interpretations and individual expressiveness as well as the adequate use of techniques are particularly challenged here.

The lecture series provides practical, technical and artistic inputs and perspectives. At the end of the respective lecture, homework is also explained frontally and exemplary results are commented. It should be electronically "visited" on a regular basis to accompany the exercises.

You also have to keep a (handy) sketchbook as a notebook or “scrapbook”! Draw in it wherever you can! Drawing must become natural and normal for you! A visual "lecture transcript" in this book is mandatory as a check of your reception of the lectures content!

1. The group exercises require observational drawing according to specific weekly tasks and then work on the “project” in a permanently stapled DIN A3 Drawing pad. The tasks, which are provided with instructions and, if necessary, are illustrated with explanations, are processed by you independently on a weekly basis and their results are uploaded in good time (the preparation time required for this is group-specific). They are discussed in the online meeting. The ongoing submission and participation in the meeting is compulsory and controlled (equivalent to "normal" face-to-face exercises with compulsory attendance)!

2. Homework is done parallel to the group exercises. Their topics are tailored to this. For each homework there is a tutorial about the respective learning content. Results are exemplarily commented frontally. In addition, the weekly “Tutorium” offers the opportunity to discuss homework individually. On a case-by-case basis, your group supporter also comments on the progress in the meeting.

3. The series of lectures brings inspiration and information. It should be “visited” on a weekly basis, as it is also tailored to the content of the exercise. It is checked via parts of the sketchbook.

4. The sketchbook is kept individually. Motto: "A drawing a day". It should be your study-related notebook, as is required in other subjects (e.g. building construction). Do not keep a special, additional sketchbook especially because of “ZVS” (=Drawing and Visual Languages)! We do not control the topics reflected in the book (apart from the obligatory visual note in our lecture series)! We do, however, require proof that it is available and that it is being used vitally by an upload into TUWEL as a multi-page PDF. Of course you can leave out drawings and notices you don't want to show.

You are registered automatically by the way of "Orientierungskurs"-registration .

If you only want to take part in the orientation course (and not in ZVS1), you must deregister from ZVS1 via TISS!

Only if you are not participating in the orientation course do we ask you to expressly register in one of the groups that have been set up. At the beginning of the semester, they will be redistributed into the groups from the orientation course. Due to capacity reasons, there may be a change of appointment or supervisor.

Coordination and contact: Daniel Chamier (chamier@tuwien.ac.at)

Announcements and links to Introductory lecture and following events: see Nachrichtenforum in the TUWEL course

The Total of the required study papers (uploaded in TUWEL)
Attention: normally we ask for a physical delivery, maybe this time too ...!

Lecture notes for this course are available.