Urban Places, Seeing the World through Design

Most people today live in cities or small towns around the world. I always pick places to sketch that illustrate an architectural integration with the landscape in a way that reflects their unique place on the earth. They are places where culture and landscape are closely connected. They are often historic and some are contemporary, but all exhibit places where landscape is integrated into and with buildings in very comfortable and simple way reflecting climate and culture. Some of the sketches of compact urban places, like narrow medieval streets or plazas connect with nature only through the sky. Sometimes it is the character of the line between the earth and sky that catches my eye and that is why I drew it.

Dewey Thorbeck, FAIA, FAAR