I confess – I am addicted to Google Images – a client or a
colleague mentions a spot for a beer or the best pizza in town or a crazy piece
of architecture and there it is in all its 1080 x 1050 glory!
What the hell am I (are we) doing?
True inspiration has yet to come to me through this screen
and really touched my design soul. Sure we research new design trends, a far off hot spot or an old school hotel, but we can’t afford to stop there.
I can recall every restaurant I have stepped into and how it
felt to be there because the contextual surprise, tactile nature, sounds and
smells are critical to our design process. Understanding a project in context and
why a designer, an architect or an artist made the moves they made is
fundamental to truly understanding and learning from a design response.
There are hundreds of sites that will provide an
eye full of amazing design candy, but nothing is a substitute for siting in a space
and watching the sunlight cross through, hearing a crowd, touching the bar top and
sinking into a bad ass banquette for a round of sidecars.
Great projects at ai3 have always started with a “road trip”
full of daylong walks from spot to spot, taking in the look and FEEL of great
places. Dan started by stomping through the east and west village with our
friends from Holemen & Finch before we ever picked up the pen. I spent a day in
a downpour walking the street of NYC with Carolyn, Neal and Steven before we
even talked about the design of Miller Union. Another trip with Steve, Robby
and Bill shaped our view of ALMA.
Making the effort to experience places and space
in person has always paid us back. In the typical world of billable hours and
deadlines it is tough to balance, but at ai3 it is invaluable and a part of our
culture that fuels the design process!
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