Amogh N P
✦ In loving memory of Amogh N P — Architect · Designer · Visionary ✦
An Indian student drawing concept diagrams and a parti sketch in a sketchbook.
Unit IIModel Making & Architectural Delineation

Diagramming & Delineation

From the idea-diagram to the rendered view — and into its site.

≈ 35 min

Before a model, a diagram; before a presentation, a study. This lesson covers the conceptual diagrams that capture an idea, the drawing systems used to delineate a design, and the photography and montage that set it into its real-world context.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson you will be able to — mapped to the course outcomes for Model Making & Architectural Delineation:

1
CO2 · Understand

Use conceptual diagrams — the parti and the bubble diagram — to capture an idea.

2
CO2 · Understand

Distinguish the drawing systems — multiview, paraline and perspective.

3
CO2 · Apply

Choose a view to delineate a particular quality of a design.

4
CO2 · Apply

Set a design into its context with photography and montage.

Parti & bubble

Capturing the idea

Two diagrams start a design — the parti (the single big idea) and the bubble diagram (spaces and links). Select a topic.[1]

The big idea

A PARTI (from the French parti pris, ‘decision taken’) is the single organising idea of a scheme, captured in one quick diagram — a spine, a courtyard, a stack. It is the thread everything else hangs from, and the first thing to delineate.[1]

Capturing the idea Parti — the big idea a central spine Bubble — spaces & links livecooksleep The parti is the single organising idea; the bubble diagram tests adjacencies before any plan.
DiagramA parti diagram beside a bubble diagram
Delineating a design

The drawing systems

Three systems delineate a design — each trading measurability for realism in a different way.[2]

SystemKeepsShows
MultiviewMeasurable, orthographicPlan, section, elevation — the measured truth
Paraline (axo / oblique)Parallel lines, measurableThree dimensions, quick to build
PerspectiveConverging lines (realistic)How the eye sees it — the persuasive view
Three ways to delineate multiview paraline (axo) perspective Multiview is measurable; paraline shows 3-D and stays measurable; perspective shows how the eye sees.
DiagramThe three drawing systems — multiview, paraline and perspective
Parallel vs converging Axonometric — parallel stays measurable Perspective — converging looks real — a vanishing point
DiagramParallel lines in axonometric versus converging lines in perspective
Photography & montage

Into the site

Photomontage drops a design into a photograph of its real site — a key technique from study to presentation.[3]

Into the site — photomontage the design, dropped in Match the perspective, horizon and shadow, and the design sits convincingly in its real surroundings.
DiagramA design cut out and placed into a photograph of its real site
A hand-drawn parti and bubble diagram of a small building.
PhotoA hand-drawn parti and bubble diagram of a small building.
A rendered architectural perspective in ink and watercolour.
PhotoA rendered architectural perspective in ink and watercolour.
A photomontage placing a model or design into a real site photograph.
PhotoA photomontage placing a model or design into a real site photograph.
An Indian student drawing concept diagrams and a parti sketch in a sketchbook.
PhotoAn Indian student drawing concept diagrams and a parti sketch in a sketchbook.
Check your understanding

Self-assessment

1. A ‘parti’ is:

2. Which drawing system keeps lines parallel and stays measurable while showing three dimensions?

3. Photomontage is used to:

In a nutshell

Recap

Start with the idea-diagrams — the parti (the big idea) and the bubble diagram (spaces and links).
Multiview (plan/section/elevation) is the measured truth; paraline shows 3-D and stays measurable.
Perspective trades measurability for realism — the language of the presentation view.
Photography and montage set a design into its real site, from study to presentation.
The evidence

References & further reading

  1. [1]The architecture parti diagram (and the bubble diagram) — capturing the organising idea. archisoup. https://www.archisoup.com/architecture-parti-diagram
  2. [2]Drawing systems — multiview, paraline (axonometric/oblique) and perspective. Ching, Architectural Graphics. https://books.google.com/books/about/Architectural_Graphics.html?id=1OkbBgAAQBAJ
  3. [3]Architectural photomontage — placing a design in its site; the evolution of representation. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/942862/the-evolution-of-visual-representation-in-architecture

Further reading

  • Ching, F.D.K. (2023). Architectural Graphics (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley — the drawing systems.
  • Ching, F.D.K. Design Drawing. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley — diagramming and delineation.
  • Lin, M.W. (1993). Drawing and Designing with Confidence. New York: Wiley.

Sources gathered and fact-checked June 2026. Published values vary by source, sample and method — treat as indicative and confirm against the cited standard before structural use.