What Is It About Architects?

What is it about architects? I just love the way they way they draw and the way they write, and they have some of the best notebooks. I've posted a few on my own site, such as this fabulous one by Lebbeus Woods:

Now a UK publisher has released a new book about architects' sketchbooks, reviewed at The Independent.

Eighty five architects from around the world have rifled through their studio drawers and thrown open their Moleskine notepads to share some of these early sketches and doodles for a new book. Architects' Sketchbooks provides a fascinating insight into "the blood, sweat and pencil lead that go into designing the world we live in," says Will Jones, who spent 18 months compiling the volume. "Architects have all of this wonderful work that never gets seen. All of a sudden you see this big new tower appear in the London skyline, but you don't see the work that goes into it. Perhaps 10 years before it ever gets built there's something on paper."
These are no meticulous technical diagrams on squared paper or detailed blueprints, though. "That could be a little bit heavy," says Jones. "We wanted to look at the inspiration behind the architects' work – how they initially put pen to paper. Some of the work is very detailed. Some of it is the first mark on paper, just scribbles. You think, 'how can they ever turn that into a building?' But that's what these guys do."

I'm no architect myself, but these are inspiring!