ZHF hosts 2025 Drawing Matter Summer School
ZHF supported Drawing Matter’s prestigious Architecture Summer School again this year and, for the first time, we hosted the school at our Grade II listed building in Clerkenwell.
During the free four-day course, from Wednesday 27 August to Saturday 30 August, students took part in various activities and were guided by the teams at Drawing Matter and ZHF, alongside a team of young architecture tutors.
On the first day, students made drawings on paper that covered ZHF’s gallery floor, which became a large collective mind map. Students explored their knowledge of architecture through the journey they took to arrive at our building, recording memories and observations through words and drawings. It grew in the following days, based on their trips to Drawing Matter and Saville Row, and other activities.
The second morning was spent at Drawing Matter to explore its collection of drawings. Students were asked to choose and discuss works that they liked and disliked, and make their own drawings in response. This activity was followed by a talk with architect Peter Wilson who discussed his life and work using examples of his own drawings and sketchbooks, which are held in the Drawing Matter collection.
In the afternoon, the students walked from Drawing Matter to Hauser & Wirth, to introduce them to the ideas of observing and documenting the objective qualities of a space. Students were spaced along a crossroad in Savile Row to create elevation drawings inspired by elements like textures, sounds, street life and what stood out to them. They then assembled their drawings into one large collaborative piece at Hauser & Wirth.
On the third day, the students were split into three groups, each led by a pair of tutors who devised their own unique programme of activities that analysed ZHF’s building. The first group drew in 2D and 3D to create a wide range of design ideas, the second group created tools designed to change their interpretation and perception of space, such as kaleidoscope glasses that altered the way you see, and the final group surveyed and observed the building through the use of multiple drawings that were added onto a group model.
On the final day, friends and families of the students were invited to ZHF to view their works and hear them present the inspirations and methodology behind them. It was another successful year for the Summer School, with the students performing outstandingly well in exploring architecture and furthering their own knowledge, supported by a group of new tutors. We look forward to seeing next year’s Summer School. You can follow Drawing Matter’s website for future updates.