I’m a naturalist. I tend to lean more towards the organic side of things. I enjoy the variations of organic form. They are not ostentatious or contrived. They instill harmony in ones surrounding. Purity of form is the highest developed Art. This is what every artist hopes to achieve. Seeing beauty in pure form is not easy. Many people do not understand it. It might scare them. Others feel it immediately and it is praised. I have presented designs to approval committees and they have always liked and approved my design concepts. This is true even when I am pushing the limit on code issues. I bring up the various interpretations of the codes and show how what I am proposing will benefit all parties. This brings people together. Approvals are always better when everyone sees the bigger picture.

Harmonizing within the design and community is the greatest achievement. Expressions of movement and natural processes evokes a more natural flowing life. Space is not dead; it is part of your every day experiences. It adds or detracts from enriching your life energy. Design can invoke the intuitive and creative choices in you. That surge of fancy expands your soul. It up lifts you. When you really see the rational analysis of a harmonic companion, one that expresses the synthesis of nature, you appreciate where you are at and have the added advantage of knowing the difference of being in other environments. Culture, Reason, and imagination can then be expanded. This has an additive affect. The appreciation of life expands. The spaces that achieve this, as in World Heritage Sites, are sought after. People flock to them.

A good design has a sense of place. Each building type has its specific uses, character, and building materials. All can be designed to have flexibility of use due to changing requirements over time. Building materials can be used based on how they will wear, cradle to cradle material analysis, and how you plan on maintaining them. In public buildings you look for security and openness for the community to match the governing rules of your society. You can design into each project the meaning and mission of the building. The new design concepts, utility systems, and the building materials can all be used to show what is important to you. Every design decision has a psychological impact. Visuals and quality enter into each choice. The layers of life and experiences are tied to the authenticity of the choices made. What we do as Designers is manipulate space, light, structure, and the use of utilities. I address the nuances of human experiences and actions. The honesty in design should be obvious to all. The enclosure of space, being secure from the elements, maybe from others is important. What was the original use of the buildings? The design is also a statement of art. How advanced are you in your thinking of the meaning of life?

To maintain an Architectural practice, you need to review what you do as a professional and the results you achieve for your clients. This active duty will keep one relevant and better prepared for the next project. Clients will want to pass your name around and refer others to you. Feedback from your clients on your services are essential in one’s internal review. Communication is key. The clients need to know what options are available and what to expect during construction. This includes what can be incorporated into their project advancing the design and be able to work through the community approval processes. This is getting harder every day. The entire design team needs to understand all these issues. If getting an approval to build needs some up front planning, then do it. Do not wait for the big ugly issues to come up when you are ready to submit plans to the city. Start it early. Brainstorm the issues. Use the entire development and design team’s knowledge and experience to define all the problem areas. If you are lucky, once those concerns are addressed and worked through, they will meet the required guidelines to achieve permitted plans without great delay.

So, here are some design thoughts for the day.

Design that is flexible, capable of being shared by others, adaptable for future use without building shell modifications are more effective and sustainable then others. This provides options without having to re-build. That is a sustainable principal. It also means that a sustainable building does not need as much square footage. You can design flexibility with standardized parts. The parts can then be interchanged providing even more flexibility to create a rich and enlivening space. With this method there is an inexhaustible gift for nuances and the expression of nature. Nature is like that. There is a balance in nature, enriched by its individuality in life forms. You can enjoy a room the same way you enjoy being in a forest. You can enjoy the moment, everywhere. The inside of a room can extend to the outside in design, views, detailing, and experiences. There can be a dialog between nature and culture. All design can be grounded in the function of the development, be rational in its decision making process, and incorporate the latest technical innovations. It just takes responsive thought, the right design budget, and the right amount of care by the client. Intelligent design has true value. It can also lead to short and long term improvements in the investment mechanism one is developing.