Thinking through drawing

The exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts offers a window into the Chris Wilkinson RA’s creative process, revealing the central role drawing plays within the development of a design.

The Royal Academy of Arts hosts an exhibition by the architect Chris Wilkinson RA (b. 1945) bringing together 30 years of his architectural drawings and sketchbooks.

For an architect, the sketchbook is not just a place to draw but a place to order thoughts, to graphically and visually gather information and to develop a design response. “Thinking through drawing: Chris Wilkinson RA” offers an extraordinary window into the architect’s creative process, revealing the central role drawing plays within the development of a design.

Chris Wilkinson RA believes passionately in the importance of drawing by hand, particularly in an age dominated by digital media. This exhibition contains a selection of Wilkinson’s sketchbooks, drawings and watercolours from the last three decades, alongside architectural objects. They reveal his design thinking, from initial site studies and early concepts to design development and constructions on projects including the Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth, Maggie’s Centre, Oxford, and the Kings Cross Gasholders. A specially commissioned film by Candida Richardson accompanies the exhibition.

<b>Top</b>: Chris Wilkinson’s sketchbooks. Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA. <b>Above</b>: Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth (completed 2013). Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA
Maggie’s Centre, Oxford (completed 2014). Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA
Crown Hotel, Sydney, Australia (completion due 2019). Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA
King’s Cross Gasholders (completion due 2016). Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA
Stratford Depot, London (completed 1991). Photo Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: John Bodkin, DawkinsColour © Chris Wilkinson RA


until February 14, 2016
Thinking through drawing: Chris Wilkinson RA
Tennant Gallery and Richard Sharp Council Room
Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House, Piccadilly, London