Who says a change of scenery is a bad thing? Nobody, nobody says that, at least not in this studio! Usually, it is considered a good thing, and I think that is true for our current situation as well. This week has certainly seen a large alteration to our surroundings. We are waiting out Florence in Clemson, but we are still trying to move forward with our designs and design thinking for our project.
Part of being back in Clemson is being reunited with classmates that we haven’t seen since May, and hearing about what work they are doing in their own studios this semester. That is where the change in scenery comes into action. While we have been thinking on a one track mind about our studio’s project these last few weeks, we haven’t gotten quite the same diversity in design initiatives that we would usually have from talking with other studios on a myriad of projects.
Sometimes that is where the best ideas are discovered: the conversations with peers, looking at half completed study models on other desks, checking out trace paper sketches pinned up on the walls. This is where having a studio environment can be so powerful. The generation of ideas and discussion around them is perhaps the best cultivator for good designs.
So whether it is looking at our own ideas with friends who are not familiar with the project and studio goals, listening to design thoughts for a brewery in Clemson, SC, or hearing about the theoretical design for a cabin designed for extraterrestrial beings, there is always a new perspective to be gleaned. It is up to us as designers to use this opportunity as an advancement for our project and not let our designs become stuck in the doldrums as we wait out the coming hurricane. It is exciting to think about how this could positively impact our studio work! We will continue moving forward enthusiastically and benefit from this change of scenery as best we can.
