Fun technique to help a client identify what they are looking for

  This summer as I have been catching up on my design readings I came across a supplemental spread provided by Dwell magazine.  It was called, At Home In The Modern World, Designers We Love - Bay Area Edition, in which I highlighted a tip to share from San Francisco's Barbara Scavullo of Scavullo Design.  
  Dwell asked Barbara, "What's the best way to get a client to state what they're looking for?" Barbara said that years ago she attended a class taught by the designer Agnes Bourne, who was leading an extension at Stanford.  The course was intended for people who were about to build their dream home.  
  The tip I want to share from this article is in the way Agnes guided the class to put together a box of things they liked, and it could be full of anything - a photo, a feather, pottery from Morocco.  The point was to get people comfortable with finding the underlying emotional connection to these things in an effort to help them see how they could translate that feeling into their homes.  
  This reminded me of what Evelynne Doone spoke about early in her teaching of Materiality 2.  I feel that if I had read this article sooner it could have aided me in my design solutions.  Particularly, with the 525 Brannan high end condo proposal we submitted as our semester long project for Studio Practice 2 with Katherine Lambert, this technique could have been a tool for creating a design solution.  Because we began with such an in depth study of our ideal homeowner, and were asked to know so much about what they do in their professional and personal life, where they spend their time, and what they're lifestyle is, I think it could have been beneficial to create a box in an effort to really get inside the mind of these young professionals.  

Material samples allow the client to see true colors and textures, as well as get an idea for how one material can compliment and be paired with another

A sample photo collage of finished space along with material selections and exciting textures and color mixes that make the room pop.

Again, real samples are crucial to aid the client in understanding the variance of textures and colors within one material type as shown here with glass in crushed form (left) or collected and stacked (right).

Work with your clients style - perhaps a more playful approach is the successful approach.  One of the most fun finish selections I've done was with another designer - we sat on the ground, surrounded ourselves with materials and color swatches, and played a spontaneous, speed round of mix and match. Go with your impulse!

 Presentation boards done, materials identified.

 Fin!

Interior Design Lecture Series - Architecture For Humanity

I believe I can safely say it would not be a unique statement to claim that the lecture with Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture For Humanity, which was presented to CCA this Fall was inspiring and heartwarming. The passion and care for humanity shared by Cameron's team of architects and interior designers was such a pleasure to hear about and see the work of. It instilled a deeper awareness that I have the power to work towards and affect, even in the beginning level of interior design, the lives of those around me and internationally. He made it clear to me that the environment I work to design has the power to benefit much more than the immediate lives it touches. The lecture has affected my goals for design beyond what I thought interior design had the power to do. Changing lives in the present can have an even greater exponential benefit to future lives and I am proud to be in a position where my education and career allows me to help in this beautiful cause and realization.

Final Review Photo Layout and Response

-Canopy only serves a single purpose. Consider it being smaller or scale it larger and engage it with the church's roof.
-Consider creating a jungle gym that serves the DHP and also the mission kids.
-The time discussing the sleeping area was less successful
-Should have discussed more about the arrangement of the programs in depth.
-Should look at the existing elements to improve rather than adding something new.

Final review

1. lost connection from the initial design strategy

2. storage can be shown more detail, such as storage item's dimension

3. sequence photo can dress more detail

4. the last layer of my hybrid drawing can be more precise

5. the jury likes that i move mission kids to church program so the DHP has their own space

Final review and comments

comments:
1.Need furnture for flexibility which is cool
2.Front people space where people can have conversation which is good, but can think about make an entrance ranther than just a passage way.
3.find relationship
4.think about they come from different experiences into design
5.show the main idea(big idea)

Final Review

Critique:

-Rigidity; allowing clients to form their own spaces and place a personal stamp on their surroundings. This could be better addressed. Perhaps by manipulating the storage wall. The idea of a large space is effective.

final revies

1, use model as a way to find problems, not just presentating.

2. drawings did not show space quality

3.think about other ways to arrange the beds

4.pull the idea of the continue lines to the whole site

5.the size of the bed

6.work more about space, not just objects.