Remote ideation

Major changes have taken place in design practices in recent decades strongly impacted by technology, including digital communication. Positively, this means that designers can work from almost anywhere they choose. But freedom to work almost anywhere and at anytime may have drawbacks. For example, social isolation and loneliness may ensue with technology-based remote working as many aspects of design relate to the physical world with its many sensuous qualities, including in-person interaction. Indeed, as held by the philosopher Merleau-Ponty (1908-61), actual human existence is perceived on a sensual-physical level*. Physical studio space, however, is no longer the default setting for designers as AI systems combined with CAD and 3D printing provide for mobility and remote working, from ideation to prototyping. That is, AI assisted design thinking and making are changing the studio experience. Yet most designers feel the need for physical and ambient work spaces not just for work-related discussion and collaboration but for spontaneous meetings and small-talk that provide both social and emotional connections. After all, digital communication, however convenient and efficient is lacking built-in social breaks. And so, to stay motivated and productive, designers want social face-to-face connections. Studio observations, moreover, and both in education and professional practice show that person-to-person interactions foster and enhance creativity and collaborative work as well as giving designers a sense of belonging to a team or community. Text inspired by https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/digital-world-real-world/202512/remote-working-and-loneliness?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb  *Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945 French original - 1962 English translation). Phenomenology of Perception. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul

Learning from Frank Gehry

Buildings designed by the architect Frank Gehry (1929-2025), such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (1997), have gained wide public admiration as well as inspiring fellow designers. But equally noteworthy is his design philosophy: 'To design something that one would want to be a part of, something one would want to visit and enjoy in an attempt to improve one’s quality of life.' More specifically, Gehry considered architecture 'to be art' aiming at transferring the feelings of humanity through inert materials. Not surprisingly then, he greatly appreciated the visual arts, notably sculpture which influenced his architectural approach resulting in innovative and unconventional forms. In this, he experimented with industrial materials and methods, such as overlapping glass panels and titanium cladding. But key to Gehry's creativity was the role of preliminary dynamic sketches in generating design ideas (observing here too, for example, Paul Klee’s serpentine lines as the essence of creative thought). That is, he began the creative process with freeform sketching and modelling visualising what he had in mind and then turned the ideas into production-ready drawings and material form with the use of scanning processes and 3D modelling software. Gehry also took a keen interest in education encouraging students to always be curious, and let architecture open up to other subjects, such as philosophy, literature, and music. Furthermore, and although he resisted categorisation as an architect, despite recognisable deconstructivist architectural elements in his work, he advised students to study and learn from the greats, from Brunelleschi and Borromini to Le Corbusier and Zaha Hadid.