Even the most inexperienced designers will be familiar with the experience of a drawing that stubbornly refuses to resolve. The walls have been moved, the proportions corrected, the requisite attributes added, and yet there is something unaccountably wrong. Such moments typically arise because we’ve lost track of the initial premise in a series of minor edits. So take a step back, and remember why you started with that particular configuration. Was the space meant to be big, little, grand, cozy? Because when the central quality of that space is gone, no amount of editing is going to make the drawing work.
The best solution to regain momentum is to strip the design to its lowest level diagram. Draw the plan or section in heavy lines only (including walls) and eliminate all furniture, openings and secondary details. It will then be clear if the design is working in its basic composition. One of the most prevalent errors is to try to sort out problems by filling in the details in an attempt to mask the problem. If the basic diagram does not look good, make the adjustments in this stage. Often expanding a space or making a corridor run in a straight line will help solve the problems that would otherwise take hours to work out.
A second method is to rotate or flip the drawing. When the image is viewed from an unusual angle, the eyes are tricked out of their usual assumptions, and areas that looked perfectly proportioned may now look too small or too large. If it’s a sketch, simply make notes on the paper. Use it as a testing ground and not as a precious artifact. You’ll be more likely to make sweeping changes.
The recovery process won’t take long. Take 5 minutes to look at the design. Take 5 minutes to sketch the design from memory. Take 5 minutes to review both designs. Your memory sketch can help you find out what you believe is most important about the design, eliminating superfluous detail. If you find both designs are inadequate, sketch an extremely simple design that incorporates the same criteria. Even a rough representation may provide further inspiration.
This is also why a lot of people give up on a design. It’s useful to be able to see previous versions of something so that you can see the progression of the idea rather than just the current state. Eventually, projects that get stuck can serve as useful exercises in identifying issues and coming up with solutions. The skill of turning around a design that has gone wrong without starting over from scratch is a core skill, and allows you to learn even more about space, scale, and intention.
