Drawing Rooms

This article is an exploration of the role of drawing in the design of Irish domestic space. My ongoing involvement in the practice of architecture and in particular in the design of domestic space at various scales forms a key component of this research. The study will rely on the tacit and embodied knowledge that comes from architectural practice and from the experience of working with pencils, pens, transparent paper and computer programs in realizing a drawing, and the theoretical and practical issues that are generated by the struggle to probe reality and envision domestic life on to a two dimensional surface. The drawings of one domestic project designed by my practice, GKMP Architects, will be used to explore the issues raised. This project, a house designed for my brother and his family, also allows for an exploration of the role of personal history and our previous experiences of home in the design of domestic space.