Second floor plan 1948

Curator: Here we have Leo Kornblath’s "Second floor plan," currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels clinical; the austerity of the lines and lack of texture is quite striking. Curator: Indeed. It's a working drawing, so the lack of adornment is key. Consider the labor involved in producing such a detailed document by hand, pre-CAD. It speaks to the architectural process. Editor: I'm more intrigued by the implied power structures inherent in architectural planning. Who gets to decide the flow of space and movement, and how does that affect those who inhabit it? Curator: A valid point. The design dictates material relationships and potentially social ones too. Editor: Precisely. Viewing it through the lens of social dynamics enriches the experience. Curator: Absolutely. It is a convergence of process and consequence. Editor: A blueprint for both a building and, perhaps, a system.