Now that you have fallen for the click bait title, a quick reflection on current progress in Studio V. With the studio being physically open for us to work in (for those who chose to head in) some of the usual sights and scenes of schematic development are starting to take place, such as used trace paper starting to pile up and diagrams spreading out across whiteboards. After dealing with remote forms of working in differing capacities since March, I’m starting to realize how much I missed this. There is a relieving freedom in being able to sketch with the team and be able to follow each of our ideas to its full potential by talking it out in person and thinking in tandem. Since the way we interface with each other is no longer limited to the narrow confines of the “mute/unmute” function on Zoom calls, I think more ideas, voices, and potential for creativity end up on the table. Right now it seems that we have no shortage of ideas for ways to replace the bridge at Forest Park in West Ashley, which is a good spot to be in. The task moving forward feels like it may be one of a somewhat reductive nature, in which the challenge is to take all of the raw ideas and possibility and refine it down to something with which the site agrees, the clients agree, and us, as not only the designers, but the builders, agree with and are proud of. Not so much of a compromise as it is a process of distillation and purification until all that is left is the best parts of the project. Our first little milestone along the path in that direction will be tomorrow, as we have our first schematic presentation for feedback from the Charleston Parks Conservancy at which we will be presenting three schematic options, from which we will ultimately be narrowing down to just the one.
Though we are not as reliant on our zoom backgrounds to make statements, the good vibes still run on in the background. Here’s a throwback shot of Mohamed transcending the limitations of physical space as he shimmers in and out of a virtual realm of the highest positivity (a.k.a. screenshot from when his background was glitching on zoom).