Visual Discoveries

There are three standard methods to visually represent a building: the plan, elevation, and section. The section drawing is a vertical slice of a building, depicting the relationships between interior and exterior as well as any level changes. While the section can serve as merely a functional drawing for construction, it can also be an exciting, revelatory drawing that can artfully depict a building, landscape, or object.

Visual Discoveries: A Collection of Sections is an image-forward book that is devoted to showcasing notable section drawings throughout history and demonstrating that the section drawing, while having roots in architecture, has spread to many other professions and disciplines. These professions include medicine, transportation, product design, geology, and landscape architecture. Architects and designers featured in the book include Paul Rudolph, OMA, Zaha Hadid Architects, Diller Scofidio Renfro, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Foster Partners, Weiss/Manfredi, and Mecanoo. The book also features cross sections created by Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, and Robert Fulton.