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MARCH 2015 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \
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Colorado Pulse
Herr believes part of the reason
American culture values design so
differently than Europe is because
Americans tend to be driven by their
ability to quantify things. “So how
do we quantify success?” he asks. “Is it
about the dollar, or is it about how a
space makes people happy, or makes
them feel – the experience? It’s much
easier to quantify dollars-in, dollars-out
than it is to quantify an experience. That’s
why people here are more driven by mon-
etary value. An experience needs to be felt
to quantify or put a value to it, and that is a
great deal more challenging.”
Semple Brown adds, “Yet, clients can learn.
They learn over time how much can be ac-
complished with good planning, simple form
making and great design solutions. That’s what
our clients are seeking and that’s what we de-
liver – simple, intuitive, comfortable, inspiring
spaces. It’s all about the experience – you need
to see and feel the work to truly understand the
value.”
Cole believes there is a “lot of truth” to Vitruvius’
philosophy in his book “The Ten Books on Archi-
tecture” – based on what he calls firmness, commod-
ity and delight. “Firmness is about the integrity of
the building. Commodity refers to the
financial and physical resources – using
them in a prudent and thoughtful way.
And delight is about beauty and the ex-
perience,” she explains. “It is our respon-
sibility to balance these three and help
our clients understand that, as designers,
we need to consider all of them. If you can
sincerely and earnestly work to do this well,
you can bring a product to fruition on time and on bud-
get, and with delight.”
“People interested in design tend to take it in through
visual means – ‘look at all these cool photographs!’” adds
Herr. “In reality, we live in our environments by moving
through them, touching, smelling, feeling heat and cold.
It’s a much richer experience than what a photograph
can share. Too many people believe that if a space photo-
graphs well, then you’re done. But that approach is one-di-
mensional – and it diminishes the value of ‘experienced’
architecture. That’s where the real value is.”
Cole sees a shift happening, however. “Our clients are
getting more and more sophisticated. They are well trav-
eled and well read, and many have worked with another
architect. So it’s less and less of a hurdle to promote good
design,” she notes. “The greater challenge is to work it into
the budget while also meeting the energy and sustain-
ability criteria that we now deal with on public buildings.
Governments are also demanding more of their buildings
today.”
Herr concurs with Cole. “Great design boils down to the
Vitruvian triad – firmness (does it work?), commodity
(does it make economic sense?) and delight (does it bring
beauty?),” he shares. “I would argue that a lot of design
in our age captures function and economics, but it’s hit
or miss if it’s beautiful. Apple has clearly put a very high
priority on the ‘beauty’ part and they have benefitted. But
you look at other companies in the PC industry and they
are not pursuing or prioritizing beauty in the same way.
We have learned that people will pay more for beauty.”
“The global ‘value’ of great design is that architecture
can change lives,” concludes Sheppard. “It’s about far more
than just the pragmatic. But this lofty concept is ultimate-
ly accomplished through a relentless focus on the details.
A designer must understand senses, and psychology, and
color theory and how they impact people. A light-filled
interior is good, but not every light-filled interior is good
design. So, the layers are important ... Memorable, intrigu-
ing, fascinating projects demonstrate an understanding of
these layers, even if it’s not obvious at first glance.”
“The emotional responses (as opposed to physical ele-
ments) in environments provide another kind of value
that is much harder to define,” he adds. “There is no for-
mula one can follow. It’s more of a layered recipe. And not
all designers have the ability to introduce emotion, art and
feeling into spaces – which is why this ‘add-on’ value is
less tangible, but just as important. Design that changes
people’s lives is the ultimate value.”
“We as architects have an interesting imperative here
in the U.S.,” adds Herr. “If we as designers can tell the story
and carry the message out to the end users, then we may
be able to catch the wave of curiosity about food, products
and architecture that will build over time into a society
that becomes more saturated with an intrinsic valuing of
design.”
Herr concludes. “Great design takes time. It must be care-
fully considered … (and) the process it takes to get to there
is rarely valued because most people don’t understand it.
If they truly understood it – then they might value it.”
\\
Maria Cole
‘Our clients are getting more
and more sophisticated.
They are well traveled and
well read, and many have
worked with another
architect. So it’s less
and less of a hurdle to
promote good design.’
– Maria Cole, gkkworks