Intersecting Architectural Surfaces Between Graphic and Analytic Representations

Representing an architectural shape, mediating design/formal/semantic needs, means respecting its specificity according to the purposes with which one operates; therefore, teaching how to represent an architectural shape is a complex operation, especially if this happens in the first year of the degree course in Architecture where the heterogeneity of students' background requires a preliminary definition of a common language. Students are firstly introduced to theoretical geometries which underlie architectural shapes. So, they have to know the basis of Geometry (both Descriptive and Analytical) in order to proceed within these issues. This process requires to underline the two `souls' of architectural shapes: the theoretical and the build one. Moreover, it also leads to investigate two different types of theoretical shapes: the one that lies behind the design idea and the other one which underlies the built. We propose teaching examples focused on reading architectural shapes as a result of intersections of surfaces.