The Joy & Purpose of Hand-Sketching
Since graduating over 20 years ago, the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence in design has evolved at an extraordinary pace. And whilst it has a place in our studio, there’s still something reassuringly human and essential about putting pencil to paper. At Sibley Grove, hand drawing isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past, it’s central to our creative process and the way we bring spaces to life.
Time and time again, I get the same comments from architects and interior designers I have worked with, “You’ve done a hand sketch - wow!”. I once worked for a massive, global architectural and engineering firm, where I had members of my team ask me how to sketch, having seen me sit engrossed in my work, a pencil and pad in hand.
effectively conveying creative thought
For the record, I am no master of hand-drawing and to some people’s surprise, that doesn’t bother me. And here lies the point; sketching is absolutely the most effective and efficient way of communicating creative thought. It connects the ideas that float around in the soft warm spaces of our brains, to our hand, and straight on to paper. You’ll also soon realise what is a good idea and what is not. You will also find new opportunities in the thing you are drawing. Quickly the idea is developed into a design. If I was a client, I would be wanting my designer to develop ideas as quickly and efficiently as possible in the most creative way. Sketching, in a way, supports the commercial sector.
In D4D we strive to Understand how things come apart, rather than go together
So, how does sketching underpin some of Sibley Grove’s core principles on design for circularity and disassembly within the luxury sector? A lot of this is about understanding how things come apart rather than go together. Design for Disassembly (D4D) demands more creative problem solving than standard, linear modes of design. On our Reselfridges projects, sketching solved a multitude of design related problems and enabled us to move quickly to CAD drawings to produce the information required to build high end, luxury store fittings against a very tight programme.
Sketching evokes play, which can lead to magical moments
When designing a luxury hotel, sketching forms two major functions; firstly, to swiftly realise the space planning to support the building, operation and business. Secondly, it allows you to dream a little. Much of luxury hospitality is around creating unique, elevated experiences. When developing ideas on computer-based platforms such as CAD, Revit and Sketchup, I have experienced the design becoming very static and formulaic. While often, it will meet the brief and work well, the result will often not get to the soul of the design. When sketching, we are playing (how often do we do that in our adult lives!) and through this playing, we find magical moments that bring so much value to a project.
One example that springs to mind, is Dapino, the speciality Italian restaurant in our recent KAUST Hotel project in Jeddah. A very modern building containing our interpretation of a traditional trattoria. It was while sketching and playing around with ideas we discovered a means of creating curved timber ribs to break up the expanses of a flat ceiling. We wanted to pay homage to the vaulted ceilings found in authentic Italian establishments. We could have spent time online image searching for our inspiration, instead it came from within, through our sketching.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about storytelling
Sketching allows us to explore without boundaries. At this stage, it’s not about perfection - it’s about storytelling. Does this space feel calm, bold, welcoming? Is it aligned with our client’s vision and values? These are the questions we explore - quickly, creatively and often collaboratively - with nothing more than paper and pencil.
When presenting a design scheme to a client, a hand-drawn sketch often speaks louder than a polished 3D render. Why? Because it invites interpretation, conversation and imagination. It brings the client into the process, giving them a sense of co-authorship. In the context of luxury interiors, where creating an emotional connection to place is key, this ability to engage the client early and meaningfully is vital.
Understanding space and the relationship of objects within it
As a studio, we’re by no means anti-technology – quite the opposite. I use digital tools on an almost daily basis and throughout the design process, from detailed CAD drawings to virtual walkthroughs. However, it’s important to us as a design team that technology supports creativity, not replaces it. Just this week, I sat in the beautiful gardens at Dartington Hall Trust, where our studio is based, and taught our two junior designers the art of single line drawing as a way of understanding space and the relationship of objects within it – not something their recent college degree had covered. Watching them develop this skill feels great, as I know it’s a tool they can use throughout the rest of their design careers, to great effect.
Staying rooted in human touch and intuition
In a world where design can increasingly be generated by algorithms, hand sketching keeps our work grounded in human touch and intuition. In this way, drawing becomes more than a method; it’s a philosophy. It reminds us to stay curious, to think with our hands and to design spaces that aren’t just beautiful, but meaningful, sustainable and deeply human. So, while the industry continues to digitise, at Sibley Grove, we’ll keep reaching for our sketchbooks - because the future of design isn’t just about what we can do with evolving tech, it’s about how we bring our unique human creativity to every design project.