Plattegrond van een woonhuis c. 1864

Willem Springer Jr. created this ‘Plattegrond van een woonhuis’ with paper and ink. Though seemingly mundane, the floor plan here offers a unique lens through which to examine architectural design and its connection to broader social contexts. The drawing's material simplicity—ink on paper—belies its potential as a tool of production. It's not merely a representation, but a step in the complex process of building construction. The floor plan guides the labor of craftsmen, dictating dimensions, spatial relationships, and ultimately shaping the built environment. Considering the amount of work involved in constructing a building from such a plan, we recognize how the act of drawing is intertwined with the material realities of construction, labor, and capital. It underscores that even the simplest sketches can embody cultural values, power structures, and economic considerations. This challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and the more pragmatic realms of design, architecture, and craftsmanship.