The work of designing a building—even the largest and most technically advanced structures—begins with the most basic of elements: a sketch. This beautifully produced volume reproduces more than one hundred of such initial sketches, drawn in chalk, by renowned Swiss architect Marianne Burkhalter. A cofounder of Burkhalter Sumi Architects, she has designed a wide range of acclaimed public and private buildings, including hotels, offices, and private homes, as well as large-scale urban redevelopment projects.

            
Each of these chalk drawings reveals the germ of an idea, their blurred lines and simplicity rendering them more intimate and immediate than technical draftsmanship—closer in feel to the decision-making process of a solitary artist choosing among many options and sorting out problems. In their beauty and tension, they bring the work of architectural design to stunning life.