To all those going back

So what happens when we get back to Raleigh, and especially what happens to our design?

First some observations on our design habits in Prague. I'm sure the project briefs helped with this, but assuming we didn't have to do design based off Prague and the Czech Republic, would we have done them anyways? Think about it. Is it that we are in a new place that drives our design sensibilities? Back in Raleigh, other than the Lake Johnson project some of you did, has there been any need for Raleigh or North Carolina inspired Design? Is Raleigh and NC State doomed from our eyes as being interesting enough to design around? Maybe that's why personally I need to get out. Out of Raleigh and out of North Carolina. But then there comes another problem. Once you go into the real world and into the workforce, are we really doing design based off our surroundings, or really localized work that's crunched to fit into the contraints of the client?

All food for thought maybe. A bunch of questions and no answers. :)

Comments

[nicole kraieski]

I'm pretty sure even without the project briefs we would have done design based on our experience here, because what we've seen is so new and exciting to us. Seeing the architecture and the age of this city is amazing, and being visual people we can't help but be enchanted by it.

I think we've all been in Raleigh too long to consider it inspiring. Not that we ever did. But there are aspects of it that we can draw from, and perhaps we will carry over that tradition of incorporating our surroundings when we go home. I think our experience here has give us a different way of seeing the world, and I will be interested to see how that translates back to Raleigh.

I also feel a need to get out of North Carolina, because I've been here for far too long. But I wonder how much location will really influence our design when we are in a place less exciting than Prague. I'm sure just being anywhere new will be inspiring, just because we'll be paying more attention to our surroundings. But will we be inspired enough to design something specifically about that place?

Thinking about going into the workforce is scary, because of the inevitable shit projects we will have to do, but that doesn't have to kill your inspiration. Andrea and the other designers talked about doing shit projects to get money so that they could also do fun projects. We need to not let ourselves be limited to what we are assigned to do. Like Ultra and Turbo's book about the lawyers, done just for the hell of it. I know you won't let some smelly client squash your dreams. :)