On 18 July, AIA UK, NOMAuk, and Archisource brought together 50 architecture students and young professionals at the Truman Brewery in London for No Undo — a one-day sketching workshop and competition held as part of the London Creates exhibition.
No screens. No software. No undo.
As organiser Anna Mytcul Applied Technology Specialist at KPF, explained:
“I've watched sketching quietly disappear from how we teach and practice architecture. Not because it stopped mattering - it's still how architects think spatially, test ideas, and make decisions under pressure. It just stopped being taught the way it used to be.
So we built a day around it.”
The day combined three workshops, eight mentors and a live team competition.
My workshop opened the day. Fifty people who had never met one another had one hour to begin working as effective teams.
Together, they created Team Charters that set out their strengths, what they needed from one another, what success would look like, how they would make decisions, the challenges they might face and three guiding principles to keep them on track.
The aim was simple: arrive as strangers and leave as a team.
Philip Buckingham then led a hands-on session on Materials and Composition, exploring markers, ink, pencil and watercolour, while Laura King of KPF led the Project Execution and Presentation workshop, helping teams bring their ideas together ahead of the final competition.
Final Competition
Each team received an iconic building by blind draw and produce a set of hand-drawn presentation drawings. Judged on craft, communication, and teamwork. Two hours. One A0 board. Entirely by hand.
The room was full of conversation, concentration and energy as each group, supported by an experienced mentor, worked out how to collaborate before putting pen to paper.
It was a pleasure to work alongside Anna, Philip and Laura, the mentors and judges, and to play a part in such a thoughtful and well-organised event!
