Seeing Through Cross-sections: Implementations of an Age-Old Graphical Form on Landscape Description

Abstract

After centuries of use and age-old empirical origins, the theoretical and practical process of intersecting an object in a three-dimensional space with a plane and representing its shape, commonly known as “cross-section”, it is still the foundation of architectural and territorial representation. Despite this, the critical and inventive possibilities linked to the vertical plane study, especially if applied on the landscape description, do not take advantage of extensive theoretical speculations and practical experimentations. In fact, the experiences related to this way of use are less practiced and theoretically deepened in comparison with those applied to the zenithal view in mapping.

This paper traces new correspondences between well-known descriptive procedures, usually applied to the plan, and the exploration of the vertical dimension. This process allows the discovery of sometimes-underestimated matches. Likewise, the combination of section drawing and photographs extends the reading potentials and critical power of description, allowing the association between measurability and sensation. Such reflections underline the indispensability of a simple graphical form like that of the cross-section and its endless possibility of renewal in new implementations.