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Dicky Lewis, Co-Founder of White Red Architects, unpacks the evolving world of architectural concept creation. From hand sketches to AI tools, Lewis shares his journey and insights on blending traditional and digital methods.
I believe that the first “spark” of inspiration often comes from a manual sketch or scribble. However, I don’t think creativity is limited to one approach. It’s really about blending different styles and tools that suit each individual’s preference. AI, in my view, is a rapidly growing resource that can join a variety of other digital techniques to significantly enhance the creative process.
I used to dread the blank page.
Whether it was a fresh sketchbook or a new project file on my iPad, the fear of making the wrong move would always get to me. For years, I wrestled with the balance between hand drawing and digital tools, feeling like I had to choose one or that using digital was somehow "cheating."
But over time, I learned something important: it’s not about which tools you use—it’s about developing a process that works for you. This realisation has transformed my approach, and I want to share how we've refined our concept creation process to embrace both hand-drawing and digital tools in harmony.
Concept creation is the backbone of any design project, setting the tone for everything that follows. While capturing the initial idea is critical, what often gets overlooked is the ongoing process of refining that concept through collaboration. This continuous evolution—shaping, adjusting, and communicating the idea—is just as essential as that first spark of creativity.
I tend to sketch very quickly, often messily, on notepads, trace paper, or whiteboards. Then, when I want to neaten things up, I move to my iPad, adding layers, colours, and—most importantly—the ability to erase! This combination of analogue and digital tools became my go-to method for capturing and refining ideas.
Incorporating both techniques into your process, instead of choosing one over the other, can open up new ways of working and allow you to communicate your vision more effectively throughout the project.
One of the things I love most about our studio is seeing the variety of ways in which architects develop and communicate their ideas. Some prefer quick hand sketches, others mark up digital drawings, some scribble on whiteboards, or choose the good old point-at-the-screen approach. Each style brings something unique to the process, and I’m always impressed by the diversity.
That said, I still have a soft spot for those beautifully neat hand-drawn sketches in a sketchbook. We recently hosted a fantastic workshop with Phil Dean aka the ‘Shoreditch Sketcher’, where we had the chance to reconnect with our pencils and refine our sketching skills. It was an inspiring experience that helped us dust off our old habits and bring a new level of confidence to our concept-creation process.
So, why do many architects struggle to adopt digital tools or embrace new technologies in their process? The answer often lies in resistance to change. Many don’t see digital tools as part of the creative process, or they fear these tools might disrupt their established workflow.
This hesitation is natural—our inner "Luddite" makes it easy to dismiss new tools as a potential threat. But the real danger of this mindset is that it prevents growth. Architects who cling to outdated methods risk slowing down progress, limiting their ability to refine ideas, and ultimately hindering the full potential of their design work.
It's not the tools themselves that cause failure—it's the reluctance to evolve. Without embracing new innovations, you miss out on opportunities to streamline your process and elevate your creativity.
With the rapid advancements in AI tools, we’ve made a conscious decision in our studio to lean into these technologies as part of our concept creation process. With the help of the amazing Keir Regan-Alexander from Arka Works, we’ve participated in workshops and one-on-one training to explore the most useful AI tools. These sessions not only taught us the practical applications of AI but also helped shift our perspective on their role in design.
One of the biggest takeaways for me was realising that AI tools aren’t here to replace visualisations or creatives—they are here to inspire, refine, and enhance the design process. Rather than stifling creativity, they offer a way to experiment and push boundaries. I’m genuinely excited about integrating these tools into our workflow, and I see them as a complement to hand-sketching, not a replacement.
The key to successful concept creation isn’t about choosing between hand-drawing and digital tools—it’s about finding the right balance and embracing a process that works for you. Whether you’re sketching on paper, refining on an iPad, or using AI to add new dimensions to your ideas, the most important thing is to stay open to evolving your approach.
By blending the best of both physical and digital techniques, you can enhance your creative process, improve communication, and ultimately produce better designs. Don’t be afraid to explore new tools—they might just take your work to the next level.
A few useful tools:
Out of the iPad sketch apps, this is my preferred choice. I’ve tried Procreate, Adobe Fresco, Mental Canvas… but having the option to scale is a huge advantage. I also love the ✍🏻left-handed mode.
This is still very exploratory for us but I find it a really useful source of inspiration and exploration.
Krea
I initially looked at this for the image-to-video capabilities and didn’t really like it, until Keir Regan-Alexander showed me the image enhancement tool, I keep getting mind blown 🤯by how much a subtle refinement to an image can make.
You can see a post of our work together here:
Algorithms & Aesthetics: Using Generative Design and AI tools to design Architecture, ft. Arka Works
