Mind over matter = Thinking ahead:
A private residence usually serves another purpose than a cafe, hotel, restaurant, office or factory. Whatever the space may be, the desired goal or effect it should have is predominantly set by its interior arrangement. What sort of feel should a private residence have? What should be the effect of a public / commercial space? What kind of people do you want to attract? And how long do you want them to stay? It all boils down to what personal or business goals you pursue. But whatever it may be, with the right combination of shapes, colors, materials and lighting a great deal of the desired effect will be achieved.
What attracts people nowadays can be determined by analyzing, mixing, shaking and rearranging ingredients such as fashion, social developments, art and ancient instincts with an intuitive, creative, experienced and business minded attitude and mould it into a concept. Mould it into a plan. A plan that describes “why we are going to do it like that, why it should look like this, and what feel and atmosphere we want to radiate”.
That very concept, that very plan is the basis for the design of the look of that space. Only after a good concept has been formulated designing will commence. Only than the spatial plan, the walls, the floors, the ceilings and the lighting plan can be drawn. As a consequence everything has been thought over and designed up front and 3-dimensionally visualized on the computer. In this way costs and looks can be evaluated without even one blow of a hammer on a nail’s head.
Due to limited time it often happens that the design needs to be figured out during the building process. Most of the time I see this happening with private projects. Its very understandable, but the better everybody knows upfront what to built, the better a client can rest assured that the final results will be as imagined. Also it cuts out the necessity for a client to be around for “last minute decisions”. Long story short: a good preparation is like using great tools: it halves the job. Investing time saves time, costs, stress and disappointments at a later stage.
But what is a good Design? Well, opinions differ on that subject, but here’s mine:
If its for a private residence I feel one should (have) build what one likes, its your place after all. I don’t care to much about other people’s ideas about it. Most of my private clients have pretty strong and good ideas of their own and I am pleased to carry them out. Needless to say I am also pleased to stand aside and advise you as desired.
If a design is meant for a public or commercial space, matters are quite different. A public / commercial space should have the desired effect on the desired target group as laid down in the concept. A cool business approach is required and personal taste should be put aside if necessary.
The schedule below roughly indicates what information is processed to a concept and design:
