‘Is the architectural sketch dead?’ asks new Pratt exhibition

Andres Jaque – The Earth Palace. Image courtesy of Pratt School of Architecture

Mariel Collard – Grids06. Image courtesy of Pratt School of Architecture

Curated by Andrew Holder, Chair of Graduate Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at Pratt, the exhibition brings together more than 200 sketches produced by over 60 contemporary architecture practices. The works span a wide range of media and approaches, from pencil drawings on informal surfaces such as napkins to digitally layered images.

Hilary Sample – Plant with Holes. Image courtesy of Pratt School of Architecture

The exhibition is organized around two central questions: what constitutes a sketch in contemporary architectural practice, and how sketches function conceptually within the discipline today. The curatorial framework proposes that sketches act as “levers,” enabling architects to assert the physical and material dimensions of architecture within an increasingly digital and dematerialized design environment. Despite their small scale and provisional nature, sketches are presented as tools capable of exerting influence disproportionate to their size.

Neil Denari – Summaryy House 1. Image courtesy of Pratt School of Architecture

According to the curatorial concept, the selection intentionally places different generations and working methods in dialogue. Participants include practices that rely heavily on digital tools alongside others that prioritize analog or material experimentation. The range of works also reflects diverse roles for sketching, including conceptual exploration, technical development, and speculative representation.