5 minute read
FIELD NOTES
LESSONS LEARNED
The past 18 months have presented the world with a barrage of unforeseen challenges, the effects of which we will grapple with for years, if not decades, to come. The cultural and economic consequences of the global pandemic and social justice reckonings hit the design industry, but architects and designers held strong, supported one another, and produced inspiring work across a broad range of disciplines. GRAY reached out to 10 studios in the creative community to ask them what they learned in 2020, and which lessons they will take with them as the world begins to reopen and reconnect.
DIETER VANDER VELPEN, DIETER VANDER VELPEN ARCHITECTS “The line between a physical and virtual meeting has almost completely faded, which also means that the threshold for enlisting an architect from another country and collaborating internationally on projects has become significantly lower. In the past year alone, we have started projects in Los Angeles, New York, and Mumbai, without ever having met the client in person. The fact that these projects were able to take off virtually offers interesting opportunities for moving toward a hybrid model that allows us to realize the most beautiful physical projects around the world while working in an almost completely virtual way.”
ANDRÉ FU, ANDRÉ FU STUDIO “I used to travel very regularly prior to the pandemic, which was a great source of inspiration to me. I found travel incredibly valuable, as it allowed me to assimilate the authentic essence of the places in which I was designing projects, and to interact with clients firsthand. Having witnessed the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry, I would like to see hotel design that is prepared for the new normal: deliberately designed to allow customers to feel confident and safe, but without losing a sense of luxury and community.”
EMILIANA GONZALEZ AND JESSIE YOUNG, ESTUDIO PERSONA “It’s OK to take time if we need to, the creative process doesn’t respond to any particular agenda or show, and resilience and compassion are key to keeping our collaborative studio thriving.”
KELLY HOPPEN, CBE “After the last year, what I’ve learned is to not change my routine. I got up every day and went to the gym at home, got dressed as though I was going to work, and went to my study to work remotely. Keeping a state of mind that was organized and that felt somewhat normal helped enormously. I also learned that anything is possible, but you have to be open to change and adaptation or it simply won’t work.” »
—ALAN MASKIN, OLSON KUNDIG
KIMBERLY DOWDELL, HOK “The past year taught me the importance of consistent and clear communication in the context of leading remotely. While I was president of the National Organization of Minority Architects and no longer able to visit members and partners, I found strength in being able to connect digitally with weekly messages and webinars. Even at my studio, the thoughtful daily messages sent by our managing principal somehow softened the uncertainty we were all experiencing in the grips of the pandemic. People rely on leadership most in times of greatest challenge. Thus, being a steady and vocal leader is vital when silence would be especially unsettling.”
JOHN AND WONHEE ARNDT, STUDIO GORM “It’s OK to let go. Sometimes timing doesn’t work out for certain projects. We are a small office and have a family. With the uncertainty around the pandemic, we learned to focus our limited time on the projects that we really care about, choosing ones that are enjoyable, meaningful, and that allow us to learn new things.”
ALAN MASKIN, OLSON KUNDIG “This past year has taught me the value of two diametrically opposite ways of working. Ordinarily, I thrive when I’m in Olson Kundig’s design studio, solving a problem with three or four other people who are smarter and more creative than I am. In that modality, I just know what to do. Last year, while working alone in a small, poorly heated room, I had to adjust. I started a new ritual of getting up before sunrise to momentarily turn off the noise of politics, disease, sadness, and longing . . . and I’d just draw. It was a creative outlet and way to explore solutions and possibilities and I clung to that like a life raft.”
OLIVIA LAM, LIV DESIGN STUDIO “People are resilient. Having a strong team will be key to your long-term success, allowing you to be robust amidst uncertainty. I’m truly thankful to be working with a team that’s so passionate about design and everything we do here at LIV Design Studio. Our shared passions for interior architecture, technology, and design helped anchor us together when we were forced apart.”
INGA SEMPÉ, DESIGNER “The last year has taught me that this big event isn’t enough to get a big change into people’s mentalities. The first day after the first lockdown, people were queuing in very long lines to enter low-cost fashion brands in Paris’ main streets. One tries to relate fashion to design, but the rhythm for the [cycle of] creation and consumption is very different. I always try to work with quality brands—the biggest takeaway is that my projects have taken even more time, as factories were slowed down or totally stopped.”
JARON LUBIN, SAFDIE ARCHITECTS “Over the past year, I have observed how significant the break has been away from the typical work ritual and how fluid our design process has become. I am much more comfortable now reaching out for short and informal conversations and sketch sessions with my collaborators, which is contrary to the previous world in which there was a certain formalism to setting and attending proper meetings. Also, according to my wife, I’m an angry typist.
