vdis10011 restoration interiors 2 lecture 4: concept development
TRANSCRIPT
VDIS10011 Restoration Interiors 2 Lecture 4:
Concept Development Ramona Solomon
You’re trying to solve a problem and your concept will lead the way and give you direc8on for your design decisions. • How do you form a concept? • What ques8ons do you need to ask in order to develop one? • How does your concept become the roadmap for your
design?
A good design begins with a good design concept.
concept (n) – a general idea used to formulate a plan
A design concept is the idea behind a design. It’s how you plan on solving the design problem in front of you. It’s the underlying logic, thinking, and reasoning for how you’ll design a website. Your concept will lead to your choices in color and type. It’ll choose your aesthe8c and determine floor plan layout. Every design decision you make will fall back on your concept for direc8on. Your design concept becomes the framework for all your design decisions.
What is a Design Concept?
Verbal – the verbal parts of your concept might be words you use to describe the site. For example your design concept might be one of sophis8cated elegance. Verbal concepts tend toward the abstract. They’re focused on the message your design is to communicate. Visual – the visual parts of your concept might be a specific image or color scheme. It might be an idea to use circles prominently. Visual concepts tend to be a liMle more concrete. They should come from the verbal part of your concept. Visual concepts are focused more on the how of conveying your message.
We can think of design concepts in two ways…
What to do Before Crea8ng a Design Concept Developing a design concept is something of an individual process. There’s no one right way to generate an idea and what works for one won’t necessarily work for another. However there are parts to the process that everyone should go through. Defining the problem – You can’t solve a problem without knowing what that problem is. Before developing a concept for a site you need to talk to your client and ask ques8ons about the client and their goals for the site. Research – Your client won’t be able to tell you everything you want to know. You’ll have to do your own research… Both of the above should get you thinking and begin the idea genera8on process.
Genera8ng Ideas Collec8ng inspira8on is one thing. Genera8ng ideas from inspira8on or from within is another. There are a few ways you can generate ideas….
Brainstorming
Sketching
Mind Mapping
Genera8ng Ideas… Brainstorming Brainstorming – When brainstorming write down any idea that comes to you as a word or phrase. The goal is to jot down as many things as possible without spending much 8me thinking about any of them except to let them lead to new ideas. The idea is to generate as many design solu8ons as possible. A bubble diagram can help you to see the ideas grow and even become interrelated. The basic rules of brainstorming are: a) Quan8ty counts at this stage, not quality. b) Wild and exaggerated ideas are encouraged. c) Every idea has equal worth and should be wriMen down. d) Build on ideas put forward. e) Postpone judgement or analysis. Working on a large piece of paper is the tradi8onal method, however, if working alone, then a Visual Diary is a good place to record your ideas. Begin by defining the design problem. For the interior designer, this may require the isola8on of a few key descriptors such as “beachy”, “relaxed”, “and welcoming”. Use word associa8on to extend the concept. Beachy -‐ sand, water, open spaces, dunes, breeze, blue, aqua, shells, dri[wood, fishing etc.
Sketching – Some8mes words alone aren’t enough and sketching is a beMer way to generate ideas. You have an idea that feels right. This is the beginning. Sketch it out! It only takes a few seconds, and it gets the idea out of your head. Now sketch some more ideas. You won’t know whether your first idea is the best un8l you explore others. Learn to embrace your pen and paper, and you’ll be thrilled at your speed of ideas. You’ll wonder why you ever fought it. By giving yourself the freedom to scrawl out rough ideas, you’ll get to crea8ve places you could never have imagined
Genera8ng Ideas… Sketching
Mind Mapping – is a way to brainstorm in a more visual way by showing connec8ons between similar and dissimilar ideas. It is a great way to see how different ideas are connected to each other. Click here to go to a video that provides a rapid (99 second) overview of how to Mind Map.
Genera8ng Ideas… Mind Mapping
Mood Board/ Concept Board
The concept board is a visual presenta8on of style, mood and colour of the future space. A client looking at a concept board must be able to understand the overall feel and look of the room. Though, it doesn’t show the concrete furniture, finishes or accessories yet, so the designer has the freedom when working further on the project. Design Statement
Design Statement introducing the “Big Picture” of the concept. A strong design statement is specific and discusses the ac8ons the designer will take to meet the client’s needs. Your statement should include both your inten8ons or goals for the space and the specific strategies you’ll use to accomplish them.
Ideas need to be developed for….
• Furniture selec8on • Space planning • Colour scheme • Window treatments if required • So[ furnishings • Accessories • Ligh8ng • Cabinetry • Wall, ceiling and floor coverings • Materials & Finishes • etc….
At this stage of the design process, design solu8ons are refined, clarified and determined to become func8onal and individual.
Refining ideas…
Space Planning While an architect or building designer is responsible for the main structural design of a building, the interior designer can have input into the use of space within the structure. The easiest way to develop changes is by laying tracing paper over the original plans and drawing up the new concept. Once the designer is sa8sfied with a proposal, he or she should dra[ up the plans as professionally as possible for client comment.
Traffic Flow and Furniture Placement Analysis Copies of the plans should then be used to conduct traffic flow and furniture placement analysis. This is the most important step as it confirms the func8onality of the design proposal.
Refining ideas…
Refining ideas…
The best designs start with a great concept. It’s your idea for how you’ll solve the problem of communica8ng your client’s message. Your concept will show you where to go with specific design decisions. It’s the roadmap you come back to again and again through the design process. If something isn’t working it’s probably because it doesn’t fit the concept. If nothing is working you might want to explore a different concept.
Concept Report…
This document outlines in great detail the concept design proposal for the client. It is impera8ve that it is presented professionally. This means that it should not only look impressive, aMen8on to detail must also be clear and accurate. It should reflect the designer’s ability to gather a brief and produce design concepts that meet and exceed a client’s expecta8ons.