Inspiration In The New Year
A friend recently asked me: “Where does your inspiration come from?” My clients are my first source of inspiration. The client, as a homeowner or as an office-worker, is in the space the most — they understand how it will be used and oftentimes, they can communicate to me (through photos from the internet or sketches or even gestures) what they want and need.
The style of a design is often client-driven. I do not work as a dictator, presenting one drawing of exactly what I think the design should be, but rather, I present two or more ideas for every step of the design process — from the plan to the exterior elevations and roof shape.
Inspiration also comes from my collaborators. I work with other designers and engineers and together we develop solutions for design problems. My favorite part of working with a collaborator is to roll out a piece of trace paper over a plan to study and experiment together from everything from the best location for a door into the home to the balance of the bulk of the refrigerator with the rest of a kitchen to how a beam will work in supporting a new roof load.
I love reading magazines, too…
Dwell and Architectural Record are my two favorite magazines. I love the accessibility of Dwell, especially as an e-letter in my inbox — it is full of pretty pictures of a variety of homes that families enjoy. I like their summary articles about trends, too — anything from paint colors to kitchen back-splashes, it’s easy to find an article applicable to a project’s need. I read Architectural Record, a monthly source of design news, continuing education resources and case studies for architects, every month when it arrives in the mail. My favorite part is turning the pages and being wowed by the variety of magnificent buildings being constructed all over the world. The article series I look forward to the most is the case studies series featuring a few new buildings of a type. Here I find inspiration for new cladding ideas or even the re-use of an existing building.
And finally, I find inspiration in the every day — looking around me when I walk downtown, listening my favorite soundtrack while I draw, when I’m out and about on the weekend, or in the color of the sunset.
What inspires you?
