IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2015 - 5

From IIDA

Perspective's spring issue annually celebrates "The Power of Design" and the
inimitable strength of those who practice design. This year, we take an in-depth look
at the vast interconnectedness of two intrinsic aspects of design and their influence,
looking at "The Power of Place" and "The Power of Play."
A sense of "place" is as essential to the human condition as air, water, food and free
Wi-Fi. We need the "connection" offered by place-a binding tie, firmly established
by community and culture. According to behavioral scientists, our sense of place
resides in the same area of the brain that is home to long-term memory, the notion
of sanctuary and the guardian of things that we individually define as "cherished"
and secure.
IIDA is continuing our exploration of the destination and culture known as the
"workplace." Infinite words have been written and theories put forth about the
notion that "work can happen anywhere." It can, it does, and it will-as long as we
are device and gadget-enabled, and in possession of ample outlets (along with the
aforementioned Wi-Fi). However, to support a truly engaged workforce, employers
have realized that a commitment to well-being is required-something that's
intrinsically connected to place. The 18th Annual IIDA Industry Roundtable explored
the implications of "workplace well-being" and we've included a synopsis of the
meeting in this issue.

Scott Hierlinger
IIDA, LEED AP ID+C
2015-2016 President

Cheryl S. Durst
Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP, IIDA
Executive Vice President/CEO.

Like place, the notion of "play" is critical to human beings. While most regard
the activity of play as whimsical and fun, play is also serious business. Play is a
necessary element for the cognitive development of human beings. Play enables
kindness, goodwill and empathy. Play makes learning more of a joy and less of
a task, and studies show that our brains retain more when play is incorporated
into learning. Play is nondiscriminatory, nondenominational and is a universal
language. A purely unscientific survey says: take ten kids from ten different
countries and cultures, who all speak different languages, and put them outside
with a ball. What happens? Play happens-in less than ten seconds.
In this issue we consider how "play" is inherent to design. We examine how David
Rockwell incorporates play and being mindful of playfulness in a variety of notable
projects. We investigate gamification, the concept of applying game thinking to
real-world processes and activities. This notion has economic and societal impact changing healthcare, education, hospitality, aviation, retail, automotive, and
obviously design. Ask the nearest twelve-year-old about game theory and be
prepared to learn about the intersection of design and play. We also look at how the
Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, The National Design Museum, has incorporated "play"
into their reimagined home, educating a new audience about the museum's
collection and building a new community of design enthusiasts.
And finally, we've embraced our own playful side-as part of our NeoCon campaign,
we invite you to take our online quiz: "What Kind of Space are You?" (Are you more
excited by a trip to outer space, or a trip to your couch for a "House of Cards"
marathon?) You can also find our take on the classic game "Mad Libs" at the end
of this issue.
Place and Play. Two obvious, yet often indefinable things that enrich us as a culture
and uplift us as human beings-just like design.
Enjoy this issue and as always, please share your thoughts. We look forward
to hearing from you.

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Perspective is the journal of the International Interior Design Association © 2014
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2015