Skip to main content
Utah's Foremost Platform for Undergraduate Research Presentation
2022 Abstracts

Learning Through Measuring History: An Analytique Rendering

Presenter: Jordan Meyer
Authors: Jordan Meyer
Faculty Advisor: Brandon Ro
Institution: Utah Valley University

A measured drawing (or analytique) is a tradition belonging to the notable Ecole de Beaux Arts that requires attention to the intricate details of a building. Doing so can be rigorous, but a fulfilling learning opportunity. These measured drawings can be concepts, or studies of structures designed in the past. In this case, the Historic Utah County Courthouse (designed by Joseph Nelson) was the subject of study. This courthouse is one of many important traditional relics belonging to the city of Provo, therefore it became a compelling learning opportunity. This project required in-person measurements of the building, coupling those measurements with proportional rules of classical architecture to develop measurements for the entire building. The main façade, the site plan, and the classical patterns used on the courthouse were closely studied and measured. With these measurements, a digital collage was developed that allows one to become instantly acquainted with many aspects of the building at once. Overall, this exercise was helpful in understanding the vocabulary of classical moldings, elements, and building features.