project: shopping x luxury

A good designer is also a good communicator, therefore presentation and communication techniques are always necessary in the final stage of a project. Generally, the most usual and effective way is to visualize the design in drawing, model and presentation board.

Drawing is always the most exact tool in communicating a design. It contains construction drawing and rendering drawing. The former shows the comprehensive and complete information about all aspects, and the latter gives a general sense of the design.

Model is more intuitive than drawings, by which the client can really feel and experience the space rather than imagine. Some designers like handmade models, while in the industry, more designers prefer computer modeling by some advanced software since it saves time and energy.

Besides the drawing and model, the presentation itself actually supplements the additional information and answers further enquiry. However, it is still an important role in selling the design and finally achieving it.

project: shopping - research and analysis

How to design?

Design is a step by step process which consists of several key stages from start to finish. Basically, when I’m dealing with an interior design project, there are four main stages beginning with gathering and analyzing information. It is essential to know what have been given to you, and what it is expected to achieve. The second stage involves the brief and proposal which determine the main direction of the project based on the requirement. Stage three is when concept and creativity is worked up in drawings and details. At this point of a design project, the thinking and creating process is basic done. And during the fourth stage, the ideas are transformed into model with perfect details and ready for presenting.

However, it is only a main guide of design process. A designer can not stop thinking and testing from the beginning to the end. In stage one to three, our brain gives ideas, while in the operating stage, our hand and eye still provide some unexpected surprises. Overall, a good interior design project always spends more time and experience in thinking and researching rather than operating.

As the most basic and essential stage in a interior design project, it’s important to gather relevant information about the project as much as possible. Take this store- design project for example, we should analysis the site condition, surrounding environment, target customers as well as their shopping behavior, and etc. the more you take in consideration, the better the design is.

Sketch, as a powerful and effective way to present a design, is favored by designer in designing stage. Besides manual drawings, more and more designers nowadays prefer to use drawing and modeling software such as Sketch Up and 3Ds Max to quickly show their design.

Project: Surreal Botany

The role of the interior designer is multifaceted. To cope with this, designer needs to equip with domain skills such as analyzing, planning and designing, communication skill with client, specialists and suppliers, as well aw flexible, creative and artistic.

However, the most important role as a designer is still to make the works personal and reflect their own reality from the work. The appearances, concepts and techniques will change case by case, but the personality of design which derived from the education and understanding of interior design industry as well as the culture and custom of the designer, as a significant symbol to identify a designer from the rest is hardly modified. Louis Kahn once mentioned: ‘can you recognize the personal in a man’s work?’ implying the importance of ‘personal’ which deeply influenced the designers when they make their design decisions.

Good design can communicate with people itself. In this extend, designer’s main challenge is to listen to the particular space and find out its characteristics first, and at this basis endows it with value and concept, showing the personality of the work’s as well as the designer’s.

As a design student with general art background, I always prefer to add in aesthetics and story rather than pure function in my project. Take the Surreal Botany as example which developed the narrative spaces from several sculpture-like models, some interesting and exciting moments are created (shown in images). Since I aimed to allow the space itself telling the story, the main challenge in this project is to develop each model into a space or a feature, and then connect them meaningfully, properly and functionally.

YR1 FINAL - SHOPHOUSE FOR VERA WANG

As a first year project, it aims to give a sense of what is interior design and allows us to reflect our idea into a design.

Interior design is a people-oriented industry originated from the new industrial age which correlates closely to architecture, fine art decoration, even social and economic situation. When art and architecture experienced several modern movements, interior design also developed itself as a more advanced and mature industry to meet people’s need.

Considering the health, safety and welfare of users, interior design goes beyond simple placement of furniture, instead, it concerns professionally with all the elements of the structured space of the architectural shell such as walls, windows, doors, finishes, textures, light, furnishings and etc. Aesthetics, creativity and basic technology are required in this industry to enhance the function and quality of interior environment, and to create desired ambience.

Generally, interior design involves the entire 'feeling' of a space which requires many elements come in to play in a subtle yet effective way. Meanwhile, the designer always endows each project with unique value and concept to make sure the interior space is the one and only as well as catered specifically to the needs and likes of the user.

Thus, the most basic idea of Interior Design is to create and plan various funcational spaces which is practicable and meet the users' needs. For example, considered the life style and job demand of the fishion designer Vera Wang, her shophouse should not only contain the basic area for sleepong, cooking, studying and entertaining, but also should includes party space, exhibition area and even runway which are not required by most of the others.