The Power of Sketching
In a recent conversation with The Architect’s Journal for their Sketchbook series, Richard Parr shared his insights on the integral role of sketching in his creative process:
At Richard Parr Associates, we value the power of design to transform spaces and experiences. But before any project takes shape, it all starts with one thing: a sketch. To me, sketching isn’t just a way to visualise ideas; it’s a process that connects the mind, the eye, and the hand. It’s the physical act of drawing that truly allows me to understand a space – not photos, not models, but the raw, unrefined sketch.
The idea of ‘looking’ is central to my design philosophy. You can never truly know something unless you have examined it closely. That’s where the sketch comes in. It’s more than just a representation; it’s a process of discovery. Taking a photo or capturing a digital image just doesn’t do the job for me. When I sketch, I engage in an intimate act of observation. The pencil or pen on paper becomes an extension of my thought process, connecting what I see to what I understand and, eventually, to what I want to create.
Doodling, for example, is a vital part of this process. I do it almost unconsciously – while in meetings, on calls, or simply lost in thought. These quick, concise sketches often form the nucleus of a larger design idea. They might not be fully realised, but they’re like a spark, igniting a whole project. And what’s fascinating is how that initial doodle might evolve over time, shifting from abstract shapes into a tangible design.
For me, sketching is all about exploring space. I have a very three-dimensional mind, and as I work, I immerse myself in spatial exploration. My sketches come from different angles and perspectives. Sometimes they take on a fisheye quality, bending and twisting in unexpected ways. I love to explore the experience of volumes, the feelings evoked by the space, and the interplay of light and shadow. My sketches flow, almost like a conversation between different viewpoints, constantly shifting to capture the essence of the design.
A lot of the time, these sketches are personal – clues, ideas, and visual notes that may never be shared with the team or the client. They’re just for me. These intimate sketches are how I process thoughts and observations. The crumpled bits of paper, the scribbled notes, they all serve to unlock new ideas that inform the final design.
When it comes to materials, I’m pretty flexible. Sometimes I grab a small set of crayons, other times it’s all about the simplicity of a pencil. While I’m deeply fond of graphite, my most reliable tool is a 0.4 Pilot pen. I love the permanence of it – once I’ve drawn something, it’s there. There’s no going back, no erasing. I enjoy that limitation because it forces me to make decisions, to commit to a thought and let it take shape without the temptation to constantly revise.
One of the greatest joys of sketching, however, is the act of travel sketching. Whether I’m in a bustling city or a serene landscape, capturing the essence of a place through my hand and eye is a meditative experience. Sometimes, I only give myself two minutes to jot down whatever I can capture in that fleeting moment. Other times, I might settle in one spot for an hour, allowing the scene to unfold slowly before me. It’s extraordinary how much you can learn in just an hour of observation, or what a two-minute sketch can reveal about the essence of a place.
Looking closely, condensing a scene into a small moment, is where the real magic happens. It’s in those small, quick sketches that I discover new layers of depth, new relationships between form and space, and even new ways of seeing the world around me.
Through all of this, I realise that the sketching process is not just a tool for design – it’s a way of thinking, a way of engaging with the world. It’s where ideas are born and grow, where vision becomes tangible. In my work, sketching is everything. It’s how I see, how I explore, and ultimately, how I create.