Design Word Cloud

Design But Quicker

Watching TV the other day and this advert for Blackberry came up.

Why, you may ask am I posting this to my blog about design?

Well its quite simply because I think this advert shows the design process ,albeit it in a fast paced manner, it goes from inspiration and initial concepts , through many stages to a finished end result.
I also think its a great video, to show how technology is changing how we design and interact with each other about design.

A New Beginning

As my time at Ken Rand Partners drew to a close, it was time to find and train a new placement student, to take over my role.

When Camila joined Ken Rand Partners, from Bournemouth University, she was thrown in at the deep end. 

School holidays are, as you can imagine, a busy time for an interiors company who focuses on school designs, as one of their key specialist areas. So when Camila joined in mid-July, there was a lot going on. Alongside all our other projects that were progressing, some further than others, we had received an enquiry from the Connaught School, for a new reception, that they would like to have done before their pupils returned in September

Together we worked hard, to complete a design proposal before the school holidays began and the key decision makers at the school went on holiday. Combine that with the on job training we had to fit in, it was a busy couple of weeks.

The design process in this instance was very fast paced with lots of emails flying back and forth as the design developed between us, the designers, and the clients at the school.

The project was approved by the school a few short weeks after the initial enquiry and the project started not long after that. I was fortunate enough to go to site during this project a couple of times, but once again my university course called me back before I got to see the completed end result. However I did hear from the school during my final week, that they were ecstatic with the design and the work that was carried out.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

The Corridor Before 

The classroom to be turned
 into the library

You know those big moments in life?  Pivotal moments that change who you are. Moments like swimming for the first time without armbands or riding your bike without stabilisers. Moments that make you uncertain and unsure of all you learnt before. That one chance to see if you will sink or swim.

Well I had such a moment during my placement at Ken Rand Partners. An enquiry from St. Osmunds Primary School for the conversion of an existing classroom into a library and a corridor refurbishment to make it a learning space as well as a thoroughfare. This was my chance.

Plan for the new corridor

Plan for the new library

A chance to show that I could create a design proposal that would win us the project through the tendering process. A chance to try my hand at carrying the project through the costing stages and site meetings with the school to ensure the design met the brief as much as possible. A chance to turn my design into reality.

Sketchup 3D rendering
 of the corridor

All this may not sound like one of those training wheels are off moments. You may be saying, "Well that’s what interior designers do."

Sketchup 3D rendering
of the library

Well you would be right but that was not the daunting part for me. My pivotal moment came when the entire project was entrusted to me, the placement student.

Everything from creating the detail drawings, that were needed to construct some of the furniture, to making sure the project was running smoothly and according to the time plan that was created with the help of our building contractors and suppliers.

The new corridor as
 of my last site visit

The new library, nearing completion

 Well as you can imagine this was all a little bit intimidating, to a not yet graduated interior designer. All my work up until that moment, especially the work that I had done earlier in my placement, was leading up to this moment. Training and preparing me. But did I trust it enough? Did I have enough self-confidence? Was I about to succeed or fail?

Just like when I learnt to ride my bike there were a few wobbly bits in my overall running of the project however with the watchful eye of the office team and help when I needed it the project progressed efficiently and nearly according to plan.

The new corridor aka
the learning alley

The new library, just the
 finishing touches left

During my final site visit to the school before I had to return to university. The staff that I spoke to seem to be really happy with the results so far and I hope when all the finishing touches are in place, it will be deemed a successful project that met their brief, in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

I also hope that all the pupils returning to that school and joining it anew will thoroughly enjoy the space and use it to its full potential.  

Designing in reality rather than in theory

Visuals for Pharmacy Layout 

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Centre
Reception Counter 

As a student you spend your time predominately designing in theory. Your briefs have been made up by tutors or design practices that are friends with the university. Nothing ever gets built as long as it looks good and appears to work within the space you pass. There is no loss of profit when a drawing is out by a millimetre, there are no demanding clients wanting their proposals yesterday ultimately you can do no wrong that cannot be fixed.

Bidbury Infant School
Cookery/ Art Room 

Yet, as I had a chance to find out on my recent placement year at Ken Rand Partners, in reality things move quickly, mistakes can be costly, clients do change their minds and accuracy is everything.

Wentworth Bowling Centre
Working with Createability

Being on placement gave me a great chance to experience what being an interior design means outside of a classroom. As a part of a three person team I was able to be an integral part of all the various projects throughout the year from school classrooms to bowling alley serveries.