Archive

2014.08.01

Series | Manufacturing Perspective No. 71

The importance of drawing a single line

Akihiko Watanabe

Series | Manufacturing Perspective TOP

When construction began, I was first ordered to lay out the facade tiles. The tiles were scratch-cut, giving them a unique character. The structural drawings and openings had to be carefully adjusted to ensure no tiles were left incomplete. Day after day, I pored over the elevations on the construction drawings and tapped away at my calculator. Once the exterior finishing work was completed and the scaffolding surrounding the building under construction was removed, the fully tiled exterior wall was revealed. It was indeed an extremely complex exterior wall. However, the tiles were laid precisely, the sashes fitted snugly, and the finished product seemed perfectly natural. There was no hint of the painstaking work that went into laying them out. Naturally, I was in awe of the superb teamwork and skill of the various craftsmen involved in the formwork, sashes, and tiles. It was also indescribably moving to see what I had drawn on paper come to life as a finished building. I'm sure many others have felt the same way when a building they designed was completed for the first time.

 

By the way, in those days, my boss would criticize me in various ways during checks and meetings. However, I couldn't back down so easily. Now that my position has changed, I criticize him, but he accepts it surprisingly easily. What is this? While thinking about it, I thought of CAD. When I was drawing by hand, it took a lot of time and effort to finish one drawing. First, I thought about the layout, and after much deliberation, I finally drew the lines. This is because it was very difficult to correct a drawing once it was done. On the other hand, the introduction of CAD has significantly sped up drawing work. Drawings can be moved freely, and the same items can be copied and pasted, and corrections can be made only to the parts that need correction. Furthermore, with the spread of personal computers, many software programs are available, and it is easy to do not only shadows but also various complex examinations. Convenient things should be used to the fullest. However, I am a little concerned. As drawing has become easier, isn't it easy to draw a single line? Isn't the awareness that the line on the monitor is directly connected to the actual finished product becoming weak? Drawing a single line must be quite scary.

 

Inventions and discoveries have brought revolutionary changes to society. Also, new tools have made it possible to do things that were not possible before. The world of architecture is no different. We live in a virtual age, but architecture is extremely real. The essence of our work has not changed from the past to the present. Without forgetting this, I believe that now is the time to cherish a single line.

Profile

Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc.
President and CEO MEC Design International Corporation

Akihiko Watanabe

Akihiko Watanabe

Work history
Joined Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. in 1984
2001 Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc.
2009 Architectural Design Manager 2
2012 Executive Officer and General Manager Architectural Design Department 2
2014: Director, Managing Executive Officer, General Manager Architectural Design Department 2
2015 Representative Director and Managing Executive Officer
Current position since 2017

Major works and achievements
Nihon TV Tower, Yomiuri Hokkaido Building, Joyo Tsukuba Building, JA Building

Major awards
2004 GOOD DESIGN AWARD (Nihon TV Tower)
2005 46th BCS Prize (Nihon TV Tower)
2006 Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan IEIJ Lighting Design Award (Yomiuri Hokkaido Building)
2007 GOOD DESIGN AWARD (Yomiuri Hokkaido Building)
2012 GOOD DESIGN AWARD (Koshoji Police Station and Parking Lot)
2013 GOOD DESIGN AWARD (Toyo Bunko)
2013 Kanagawa Architecture Award (Chuo University Yokohama Junior & Senior High School)
2013 Tokyo Architectural Award (Toyo Bunko)
2013 Chubu Architecture Award (Koushoji Police Station and Parking Lot)

*The content is as of the time of publication.

Update : 2014.08.01

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