Where do you find Inspiration

TED lecture: From my memory, the TED presentations are great insightful speeches, by some of the up and coming minds of today. The TED lectures were an invite only series of some of the top minds of today. I believe you can do a basic search online and at least get a portion of it.

Concerning inspiration; the design process is a fantastic way to (for lack of a better word) process the information we collect. As Chad mentioned such information can be the site, attributes of it, even the location. While the list of inspiration is undefinable and longer than we could imagine, Zach may have presented an opportunity to accumulate and exchange ideas. If we had the chance to explore and share our inspiration, at least one person may have the chance to redefine inspiration, redefine what can drive a design, and potentially even change their design process.

Note: I personally believe one shouldn’t just take a random inspiration and plug it in, design requires a well addressed site combined with a thought out concept/design.

My favorite inspiration comes from the interaction of systems. Whether they are human psychological reactions to a space (the reaction to compression and release in bookshelves) or the swagger of a suspension bridge and its effect on the human perspective ( http://www.wix.com/rtsand/designincite -> Design -> Morgan Library or E L Center).

While we cannot list all the inspiration in the world I think it great to note those that capture our eye and drive our mind.

Ryan

Theres no formula or science to it in my experience Zach.

If you havent already, check out Frank Ghery’s film by Sidney Pollack ‘Sketches of Frank Ghery.’ Pollack, a great directir, and Ghery, a great architect talk at one point in the film about the process of ‘becoming’ what you do. Pollack talks about ‘pretending’ to be a director until waking up one morning to dicover that he had become a real director. In essence, ‘fake it til you make it.’ …I guess. You see lots of first and second year design students doing this-running out after studio to buy some thick-rimmed glasses- it helps, we’re visual creatures.

Ghery talks about his process in starting a new project. I laugh every time I’ve watched the scene- He talks about making excuses, cleaning his desk, running errands, and generally doing anything he can to avoid ‘the problem.’ As inexperienced and naive as I may be, I find myself doing the same things when given a new project, whether now at work or in the school studio.

I think the difference between the process you go through at school versus work is that you gotta have something by the end of the day…else you may not get much again, especially when just starting out as a designer. In other words, it pays to keep scratching on paper or tinkering with a model while you waste time and daydream.

I’ve found that it also helps to pick an idea, when some inspiration comes (whther the idea itself is inspired or not) and run it all the way through, ie make some renderings, a nice plan, a model, and then let it age for a day or two and come back to it. I find that its easier to respond to a nice colored plan or graphic than it is to stay living in the abstract. At some point you have to pull the trigger and react.

Ultimately, I think a lot of design is as simple as making ‘something to point at,’ though that may be the lowest common denominator of design process.

Hope that hlps, everyone is different I’d summise.

An inspiring discussion, indeed. Thanks to those that explained TED.com. I shall avail myself of its benefits.

My next contribution is two words: Universal Traveler $14.95 at Amazon.com

Zach, if you have not heard of this book, or, if you have and not purchased it yet, then please do so. Upon reading it and using it, I believe you will quickly learn what Nick said…it is a zen-like experience. You will find the answers to your questions in this text…and it is a textbook, on the design process. It was written by 2 instructors at the School of Architecture and Environmental Design @ Cal Poly, SLO and first published during my second year there in 1975.

Trace, I agree if you are suggesting Gehry’s napkin concept is folly. Yes, his first exploration of the idea at Bilboa was great and new, but now everybody wants a copy. With no disparaging feelings toward those that better appreciate his work, I enjoy his works done during periods of new experimentation and discovery. To many copies came afterward each time and it got stale.

The organic concepts for architecture make a great deal of sense. Copying the success of natural systems seems perfectly compatible with sustainability. I’m waiting to see what happens when they catch up to the botanists and other life sciences now looking at and understanding biological systems as information exchange systems like digital data and computers…imagine buildings that sense everything and are in constant adaptation, almost, if not actually biologically linked to its occupants!

In the end, no matter what, it is all about the experience.

just purchased the book chad…

On to what Nick said,

Personally, there should always be evidence at the end of the day that you processed something, whether in school or in the working world. An old teacher of ours encouraged just going and drawing, showing something on a piece of paper is something more than just prolonged research or “meditating”. I personally use collage in the terms of analysis as well because the imposition of textures adds vision as well as a more tactile way to react.

This part of the process is important for me for several reasons;

a) you get on to a new idea by mentally placing one thought on the paper and clearing the head for new ideas or the next evolution

b) it is easier to share and discuss an idea with others when its on paper

c) the drawing provides numerous ways for a thought to evolve (hey this form is similar to a _______, hey this area provokes a similar experience to _____) .

Some say there is no original ideas this day, well I can always argue there are at least new takes on old ideas.

In reflection to the architect inspiration, Gaudi from barcelona was notorious and fantastic for using nature and human habits for design inspiration.