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The Architectural Drawings of Hugh Ferriss

 

Whenever I revisit certain architectural drawings that predate computers, I am awed by their beauty and the extent to which the artist’s hand is present. Don’t get me wrong; technology has made possible some incredible advances in the realm of architectural drawings, from rotating shapes on the screen to printing in 3D. Yet, often I am nostalgic for the days when architectural drawings had a bit more human feeling embedded within them.

Hugh Ferriss is one of my favorite figures in the landscape of architectural drawings. In addition to their technical precision, his renderings embody an incredible sense of drama and atmosphere, eliciting an ineffable emotional response. Ferriss took liberties in his drawings that one rarely sees today, often portraying buildings at night—not for the purpose of showing how the structure would look at night, per se, but for his interest in playing with light and striking shadows—and in a kind of soft focus, as if they’re surrounded by fog. In his time, what became his signature style was widely admired and celebrated; his drawings were sought out by leading architects and published in major magazines. A substantial archive of his work can be found in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University.

 

 

Interestingly, while trained as an architect, Ferriss rarely designed buildings himself and isn’t known for any significant architectural structures. Instead, he spent most of his career drawing renderings for other architects, including such luminaries as Cass Gilbert and Harvey Wiley Corbett. Ferriss found his niche, so to speak—a concept I’ll unpack in an upcoming post about positioning and marketing architectural glass work. I’d say it worked out well for him.