I chose Intentional Design as the focus of my Design Journal or ‘blog’ because it truly captures my approach to any design project. To some that might seem obvious, but I think that when you venture into any creative endeavor there is always the possibility that it can go off track or morph into something else that is unexpected or unwanted. Sometimes unexpected can be good, but on multimillion-dollar development projects it is often unwelcome.
Design Intent is another way of saying it and that is how it was presented to me during my design studies. Every time we had to present our designs in class, one professor would always press us on our ‘design rationale’. In other words, WHY did you design it that way? WHAT made you choose A rather than B? We were expected to explain why we did what we did based on foundational principles. We couldn’t just answer with it looks cool or ‘I’ liked it because in the real world, it needs to get built and you always have a client.
Doesn’t sound very fun or creative, does it? It can be though. It can be groundbreaking, immersive, and thought-provoking. I know that because I’ve had the opportunity to do that throughout my career. It boils down to understanding the framework, knowing how far you can push the boundaries and then executing at a high level with your focus on the original conceit or Design Intent. One of the ways I like to look at it is to imagine stretching the canvas first, and then opening your mind up to the big blank white area before you that’s waiting to become something unique and special.
Why the Nautilus Shell?
A nautilus shell is fascinating because it is complex and beautiful and has stood the test of time. We objectively see it as an object frozen in time, but the fact that it housed a living creature and was engineered to sustain its function in a harsh environment is remarkable. Its beauty is evident on both the inside and outside showcasing nature’s impeccable design sense, or more specifically nature’s inherent Design Intent.
Final Thoughts
Diving into the details of the evolution of a nautical shell might not seem like a creative pursuit, but research is a big part of my approach to design. You may even notice that I was inspired by a nautilus shell in one of my Featured Projects. I like to learn new things and I’m curious about most everything so you never know when something might find it’s way into a design concept.
So, as I evolve my Design Journal, my objective is to share what I see, what inspires me, what I’m curious about, what I think about and how it could manifest into… a design with intention.
