Drawing as Encounter. On Freehand Drawing in Architectural Education and the Beginning of a German–Polish Teaching Cooperation

In an era of digitalized architectural education, freehand drawing is often seen as obsolete, yet its relevance is resurging due to technological progress. This paper examines freehand drawing as a creative, epistemological, and intercultural practice in contemporary teaching. Based on a German–Polish collaboration between Cracow University od Technology and Berliner Hochschule für Technik, it shows how drawing fosters spatial awareness, sensory perception, and reflective thinking, complementing rather than competing with digital tools. The exchange highlights drawing as a universal language bridging pedagogical and cultural differences. Freehand drawing thus emerges not as an anachronism but as a forward-looking approach, offering valuable insights for design education in the digital age.