Proyecto Hotel Maya Hilton 1966

This design for the Hotel Maya Hilton, by Fernando García Ponce, shows us a project rendered with pen and wash. See how the hand of the artist is ever present, mapping out the design. I love how the linear structure of the building contrasts with the fluidity of the washes. Look how Ponce renders space through thin washes of colour, building up a sense of depth through this. The trees and landscaping are evoked through loose marks, their organic forms in contrast to the buildings firm geometry. The choice of sepia tones create a sense of nostalgia, maybe hinting at the long history of the Maya. It’s reminiscent of the work of someone like David Hockney, particularly his architectural drawings and paintings, where a sense of place is evoked not through photorealism, but through the artists own mark making and intuitive response to a scene. Ponce offers us a subjective interpretation of a building and space, celebrating the process of its construction.