Why do we design? For art and beauty, yes. But also for purpose. A well-designed chair offers comfort and stability, while an imaginatively created rug brings warmth to a home. Good design improves quality of life. However, beyond the functional purpose of design we must also consider the intention behind all of our design choices. While the chair may provide comfort and the rug creates warmth for five, ten or so years, what is their next purpose? Unfortunately, in most cases, these beautiful, functional pieces end up as waste. Four billion pounds of carpet are discarded in U.S. landfills every year. Renovation projects ...
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Time As The New Variable In Workplace Design Programming
Over the pandemic I, like many, dove deep into gardening and garden design. One of the fascinating things I discovered is that landscape architects design two plans: one for the initial planting installation and a second for the ultimate design, at the 5-year mark when the plants have grown to their mature form. They also do four studies to consider how their design morphs over the seasons to ensure there is year-round visual interest. Their process reflects the inherent understanding of the dynamic nature of the craft. Sure, in interior design, we create phasing plans and restacking studies but we ...
Read MoreDesigning the Metaverse - the value of starting before you’re ready
Designing the Metaverse - the value of starting before you’re ready With any new venture, finding the “right” time to start is often a fruitless endeavor. So when faced with the prospect of designing an entirely new universe, you should forgive yourself if you’re not quite sure where (or maybe even why) to start. As any successful entrepreneur will tell you, in a circumstance like this, it’s always best to start before you’re ready... And with “the metaverse” on everyone’s lips as we head into the second half of 2022, the race is already on. The technology is coming. Fast. ...
Read MoreThe Evolution of an Icon: Creating a New Experience at THE MART
As workers return to offices, shoppers and designers revisit their favorite showrooms, and industry events once again draw attendees from across the country and beyond, THE MART, an icon in Chicago’s history since the 1930s and home to NeoCon, is creating a new experience for all who enter. The vision embraces the desire for increased hospitality-driven environments within the building, providing balance and well-being to tenants and visitors in our new understanding of work and life. Re-emerging from the pandemic with new perspective and a reinvigorated focus on what will best serve the many visitors that filter through the 4 million square ...
Read MoreResponding to Changing Workplace Dynamics Amidst The Great Resignation
You may have heard the term: The Great Resignation.Anthony Klotz firsted coined this term and predicted the phenomenon in 2019, and it’s happening now. In April, May, and June of this year alone, 11.5 million workers quit their jobs. Surveys suggest that a significant portion of the population is actively looking for or creating new opportunities, and these numbers only increase when it concerns Gen Z workers[1].What can designers do to help support during these uncertain and transformative times?Designers have always been on the forefront of creative and progressive change. We may acknowledge that we’re the artists of 3D space, ...
Read MoreCreating Space(s) for All
After experiencing the collective trauma of COVID-19, today’s workforce is now in the thick of what is being called “The Great Resignation”. Studies show that a huge part of making individuals feel comfortable, safe, and productive has to do with their environment. On top of that, most employees are feeling better supported in their physical space at home, than in the office. Given that, how can employers provide physical spaces that accept their teammates where they are while providing them with a place to thrive rather than just survive?How can employers and designers bring a more empathetic perspective to workplace ...
Read MoreReframing the Office Environment
At the onset of the pandemic, employers from every industry were forced to figure out a new way to function successfully. With lockdowns in place and the traditional office structure thrown into flux, companies had to weather the upheaval in the world while simultaneously pivoting to a new way of life that mandated new ways of working. Many people panicked about how well this would work, however employees thrived under pressure. This produced an unprecedented revelation: No longer forced between choosing to do their best work, their health & wellbeing or their families, employees now had the flexibility they craved ...
Read MoreAnswered: Why Hire a Lighting Designer
When it comes to design, there are countless choices that interior designers, architects, and owners must make. Choosing whether to include a lighting specialist on the project team can make or break a project's outcome. Lighting designers offer more than layouts, calculations, and cutsheets – they are collaborative team members first and foremost, bringing an eye for detail and a wealth of technical knowledge. We’re here to explain why a lighting designer is necessary, as everyone can agree that professional lighting expertise is essential for a cohesive design. Lighting designers care about people--from their functional needs to their spatial ...
Read MoreBeyond Outdoor Dining: A New Approach to Public Space
When the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality in 2020, Rockwell Group began to think about ways for New York City restaurants to adjust their service and design. The toll on the industry, both economically and from a health perspective, was immense. Given our longstanding ties to the restaurant and hospitality community, we felt a responsibility and a desire to think about creative solutions. How could we help get restaurants back on their feet and restore jobs, while also allowing New Yorkers to come together safely to share a meal—a ritual intrinsic to the beating heart of the city? The answer ...
Read MoreThe Future of Design: Transporting Interiors to Virtual Spaces
As architects and designers, I believe that we have mastered the power to make use of our creative skills in extraordinary ways. From hours of designing to years of learning, we possess the ability to create magical moments across interior and exterior spaces. It wasn’t until a few months ago, under the guise of a “zoomed” world during a global pandemic, that I truly began to think one step further — to the capabilities of virtual space.Employing an architectural firm to design a virtual space is quite unheard of in the gallery world (or really, most worlds for that matter.) ...
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