BELINE (FREEHAND SKETCHES)

What does a small-format sketch mean to me, which can also become a large-scale structure built into physical reality through a later process? Perhaps such a sketch is primarily a way of quickly thinking and transferring ideas onto paper – ideas that, if all the necessary conditions are met, are later realised in material construction. Another aspect of my sketches is those from my travels, where I record travel impressions, selected architecture, details, and so on. And I want to show both kinds of sketches in this, my latest book, which will reveal another side of my creativity.

In 2026, the opportunity arose to publish a third book entitled beline (whites) and subtitled Freehand Sketches; in this, I want to present my approach to understanding space, design and architecture through drawing. Hand-drawn sketches accompany my design work from the first ideas and thoughts to sketches of the construction details that are necessary for implementation. This makes up one group of my freehand drawings, while the other consists of sketches that were created during my numerous travels around the world. I was inspired to sketch on site by Professor Marjan Ocvirk in the spring of 1987, when we went on a student excursion to Italy in our third year. On that trip, the professor inspired us to record and understand architecture by making drawings in a sketchbook, and so I learned what happens when you devote yourself to what you see for a few minutes and try to transfer it to paper.

Robert Potokar

IDEA AND CONCEPT
Robert Potokar

The sketches and diary notes are from 1993, 2000 and 2003, while the project and study sketches were mostly drawn in the office over the past twenty-five years, from 2003 until May 2026. The third group consists of travel sketches made between 2010 and 2025 during various journeys around the world.

SKETCHES, DRAWINGS AND TEXTS
Robert Potokar

EDITORS
Robert Potokar and Mina Gutović

PREPARATION AND PROCESSING OF SKETCHES
Brigita Ahačič

INTRODUCTORY TEXT
Aleksander Saša Ostan

TEXT REVIEW
Špela Kuhar

SLOVENIAN PROOFREADING
Katja Paladin

ENGLISH PROOFREADING
Paul Steed

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Ivan Ilić

PUBLISHER
Ravnikar - Potokar arhitekturni biro d.o.o.
Ustanova Fundacija Piranesi

PRINT ORGANISED BY
Božnar in Partner d.o.o.

COPYRIGHT
Robert Potokar

FORMAT
240 x 240 mm

PAGES
288

COVER
hard

Printed in Slovenia, September 2026