Ground Truth

US military slang uses “ground truth” to refer to the facts comprising a tactical situation on the ground—as opposed to intelligence reports, mission plans, and other descriptions reflecting the conative or policy-based projections of the industrial military complex. Regarding architecture or the practice of building, Ground Truth is our office slang, referring to the actual situation of building as opposed to design and documentation. Tactility is a key element with regards to the way we design at Atelier Jorgensen. Our office is based on combining all our resources. Drawing by hand, making mock-ups, and building models is an integral part of our process. In the field during construction this iterative approach continues where the hand stays connected to our design. We are not afraid to pick up a nail gun or skill saw to show our craftsman what we are thinking. This approach is what we have referred to as our Ground Truth—if you understand your methods and means, it will allow you to always edit and refine with authority.