Title: Work steps
Key words: Observation, Drawing, Note
After we got to know the book and quickly skimmed into it last time, we know the book consists of two main parts. Besides the text part that Smeaton reported to us about the procedure of building his Lighthouse on the Eddystone Rocks up to the completion of the present lighthouse. There is another part that shows some drawings. I will pick 2 aspects and show how it could be a concept that relates to the entire book. The title name is ‘’Work steps’’.
At first, Smeaton visited the location where the building site of the Lighthouse took place. The observation step was started. Smeaton wrote all collected information in the first part of his account (Book I). The contents in this part contain the general information of the Edystone Rocks such as the situation and the circumstance, the weather, the time of the tides there etc. Furthermore, Smeaton concerned about the construction of the previous lighthouses that were destroyed by storm and fire. So, that time he was aware of mistakes his predecessors made and saw the necessity of the improvement on the lighthouse he was going to build. -> For more information about the detail in constructions and what Smeaton discovered while he planned to build the third lighthouse on Edystone Rocks, you can find it under the Concept names Innovation (Credit Meret Renold).
Besides the written part, Smeaton drew needful plans and sections at the same time. Some of them are accompanied by notes or descriptions. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine what the text says. In this case, the drawing helps us to recognize the text. E.g., this passage:
It is for some not easy to imagine how far 14 miles is. But thanks to the drawing you can see the approximate distance by comparing the distance between different locations.
Conversely, texts or notes also do support the drawing. They describe what the drawing shows and help to understand it easier. Here Smeaton took some notes about low and high water during a spring tide of water that goes with the drawing.
The reason I chose this concept is that I want to emphasize how important drawings, sketches or image references could be. They can help you realize your imaginary images and ideas into a visible form. Moreover, sketches and drawings are like collections of your knowledge that is useful for the further steps of your work like Smeaton did in this book. He prepared his entire building proceedings by collecting information first and then made some drawings and plans out of it like where the building site takes place, how should the lighthouse look like etc.
These work steps are the most common work process. Especially for us as architecture students who will face it again and again…