VIRTUAL New Schools of Thought

Abstract

The Allegorical Visual Construct examines the role of allegorical drawing in architectural education to deepen conceptual understanding and critical thinking. Allegorical drawing enables students to transcend conventional architectural representations by integrating symbolic and metaphorical imagery, allowing them to explore abstract concepts, narratives, and socio-political critiques within architectural spaces. This practice bridges architecture with art and literature, enriching designs through layered meanings and storytelling. By encouraging conceptual thinking, students expand the interpretive potential of architecture, exploring what built environments could signify beyond function. Allegory cultivates a critical approach, challenging students to rethink traditional architectural forms and engage with broader dimensions of human experience. Through narrative building, students develop visual symbolism skills, expressing complex themes and emotions, thus fostering a vocabulary that connects architecture to broader cultural narratives. This process involves experimenting with unconventional representation, drawing inspiration from surrealism, medieval iconography, or mythological motifs, and encouraging innovative visualisation techniques. By linking theoretical frameworks with practice, students imbue their drawings with historical, philosophical, and literary insights, broadening their understanding of architecture’s role as a reflective and communicative medium. This method encourages reflective architectural practice, transforming technical drawings into dynamic interpretive constructs that contribute to the advancement of architectural thought and design.