At LS3P, Design Excellence Means We Tell an Authentic Story
At the beginning of a project, all options are still on the table. The budget, schedule, site, and program begin to establish some constraints, but beyond those parameters, what drives the design? If we want to move from “design” to “design excellence,” the story of the project is critical. The story captures the values and vision that exalt the entire project.
Brian Wurst, FAIA, LEED AP // Design Leader ©LS3P 2023Why Storytelling?
We tell authentic stories to enrich the human experience; human beings have always done this. In architecture, the stories we tell about our work define the principles around which we design. Ultimately these narratives manifest in an architecture that is deeply rooted in and of its place, reflecting both the social and historical fabric surrounding the site.
Stories remind us of our purpose as designers, creators, and facilitators. Stories are a proven unifying factor to foster harmony. In architecture, a shared story can boost collaboration, build trust, and create a common vision for the project team and for the community.
Stories serve to better engage the people who use our buildings and, as a result, elevate the human experience. Authentic stories foster curiosity, encourage understanding, and enrich us by re-imagining the unique cultural, historical, and social aspects of a place.
Architecture is an enduring material manifestation of the evolution of humans as social beings. Thus, in many regards, our buildings hold the story of human evolution. Our buildings tell many different human stories depending on the time, the place, and the values of the people who constructed them and these stories are central to understanding the human condition.
What is an Authentic Story?
An authentic story is one rooted at the intersection of the mission of the project and the conditions surrounding the project. Authenticity in this case is not merely the painstaking faithful imitation of what is already there, but a manifestation of all that is reliable, relevant, and enduring. An authentic story is based on both facts and emotions; in short; an authentic story must be both significant and full of purpose.
How do we uncover this story as we begin the design process and face a blank page? We must first take time to deeply understand the people who will use the building, the community which surrounds it, and the vision of the client. Why is this project being built? What problems does it solve? What does it celebrate? Who will be impacted by the design, and how? What is it about this work that resonates beyond the site boundaries?
Once we look well beyond the confines of program and budget and begin to uncover an authentic design narrative, that story will offer design decision-making guidance to the team at every step of the project. Through the story, guiding principles emerge that are essential for rallying all involved to a higher purpose; these principles inform every decision and every design opportunity.
How do we Weave the Story Through the Architecture?
Once the story of a project is clear, we can use it to deepen the relationships between our design decisions and the project’s purpose, location, or unique elements. We can return continuously to the project story to challenge our assumptions, clarify our vision, and elevate the design. Building upon the narrative helps us to craft a deep investigation into the program within its cultural and community context, elevating the design process and the user experience. A design which is rooted in an authentic project story is more likely to be fit for purpose, but also more likely to elicit an emotional response and foster meaningful engagement with (and within) the design.
An excellent design will achieve many other things: adhere to a rigorous logic, refine through iteration, combine innovation and expertise, provide resilient high performance solutions, elevate the human emotional experience, and catalyze change through the built environment. It is the authentic story, however, that is foundational to rooting a building within its community and driving a design process which enfolds all other tenets of design excellence.
Meet the Author
As Firmwide Design Leader, Brian contributes decades of diverse architectural design experience. His expertise lies in architectural design and design representation. He is often tasked with sketching and conceiving project schemes during design charettes and in meetings with the owner. As a leader of the firm’s Alchemy team dedicated to elevating the practice of design, Brian contributes his design acumen on projects of all types and from every studio.
Before joining LS3P, Brian was an Associate with the Philadelphia firm of Venturi Scott Brown and Associates, Inc. (VSBA), where he was involved with many of the firm’s most prestigious commissions, including a government complex in Toulouse France; renovations to the Barnes Art Foundation; and a Central Fire Headquarters for the City of Trenton, NJ. His VSBA experience included several invited international design competitions, including a new cathedral in Los Angeles and new U.S. Embassy in Berlin.
