Contract - December 2016 - 10

PHOTO: MEG WALTON

EDITORIAL

Inspired in a Time of Uncertainty

For many, this fall has been a whirlwind. In early November, design
leaders from around the United States gathered in Del Mar, California,
for our 12th Annual Contract Design Forum (page 14), and it was my
honor and privilege to host and emcee. Our editorial advisory board,
invited guests, and representatives of sponsors learned from speakers
and each other, and enjoyed the camaraderie and opportunity to
commiserate. They were inspired by the amazing Theaster Gates,
who emboldened the audience with a passionate morning keynote
presentation about his community, his art, and neighborhood-level
engagement against the odds.
We began our Forum program on Wednesday, November 9, just
hours after the presidential election was called. Looking around the
room at an impressive array of commercial designers and architects-
some of the brightest minds in the field-we knew that this was a
pivotal moment to reflect on our profession and our nation. In a time
of great uncertainty, what can design professionals-regardless
of one's political stripes-do besides their usual day-to-day work to
make a positive difference in the world? Inspired rather than dejected,
how can design professionals truly impact cities and communities?
My sense is that, with a backdrop of uncertainty and tumult,
a time of deep creativity is forthcoming. Throughout history, some
of the greatest art has been inspired by the state of the world. In
periods of distress, artists and designers often produce great work-
galvanizing or clarifying an unleashed creative power.
It is potentially a moment of opportunity and challenge:
How does the creative community, including architects and designers,
generate works that truly matter? What is interesting, or exciting,
or urgent? What is being challenged-such as a focus on sustainability
and the environment-and how can designers stand up for both their
profession and sound policy? How do we continue to encourage
increased diversity within the architecture and design professions
when the data indicates disparities?
Perhaps, as a reaction to narcissism, could the counterpoint
be a time of greater relevance for the team, for collaboration, and for
acknowledging that our best work is an amalgam of creative talents?
Further, that counterpoint could place a greater emphasis on design
that touches humanity, emotions, and intellect-work with a soul
and sense of purpose.
10

I also sense that the near future will be a time to create and
build in new and different ways, implementing the latest in technology
and ingenuity. With that in mind, in this issue, I am very pleased to
present the feature story "The Virtual World Becomes Reality" (page 68)
by writer Sam Lubell, who listened to many design leaders within
architecture and design firms nationwide for their insights on the
use of virtual reality (VR). A growing number of firms are implementing
VR, allowing one to see drawings from a program such as Revit in
a three-dimensional virtual realm. VR's use has gone beyond simply
a cool presentation method-designers are now employing it as a
design tool to quickly understand a space and make alterations on
the fly. A client can be literally brought into a virtual interior, allowing
them to understand the look, feel, and spatial qualities of a project.
The medium's potential, I believe, is only beginning to be explored.
What had seemed to be a quirky novelty may well become a regularized
aspect of design workflow. In the same way that we can laughingly
look back 30 years at how crude and rudimentary CAD drawing
capabilities were, years from now we might see this moment in time
as one in which design began its serious leap from 2-D to 3-D.
Read our story on VR, and let me know about your experience with
the technology. We still have much to learn.
Interiors Awards Breakfast
Tickets and tables are now available for the 38th Annual Interiors
Awards Breakfast, Friday, January 27, 2017, at Cipriani 42nd Street
in New York. More than 600 industry colleagues are expected
to attend the event, which honors the winners of the Interiors
Awards, the 2017 Designer of the Year, and a Design Legend.
Visit contractdesign.com/interiorsawards to learn more
and to purchase tickets. I look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
John Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA, Hon. IIDA
Editor in Chief
Visit contractdesign.com/editorial to read all of Editor in Chief
John Czarnecki's editorials
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OCTOBER 2015
DECEMBER
2016
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Contract - December 2016

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