Designers often think that the best solution for a design problem is the outcome of a logical thought process, a problem-solving exercise outside of issues of “taste” and “style”. We’ve taken a different approach over the last 40 years. We’ve tried to confront style head on.
We’ve always had the sense that the way to navigate the vagaries of fashion and obsolescence—the inevitable fact that stylish design becomes quickly dated—is to choose freely from the world of images. We’ve tried to avoid the political and moral issues that are associated with working in a particular idiom—modernism is often thought of as morally superior to, say, a (decadent) period style.
We believe that the only truly modern approach is one best described as hyper-eclectic.
Philosophy
We try to understand what is really important to the client, and how far the edges can be pushed. We learn about the schedule and budget constraints. We try to understand the existing conditions—what the host building has to offer. We do enough research to understand how others have approached similar situations. We collect materials and images that seem pertinent. We internalize all this and put it aside. Then, we design.
We tend to think of all projects as brand exercises. Once we began creating environments for retail clients—spaces that support and extend retail brands—we found that the same strategy could be applied to any program that one could encounter in the fields of interior architecture and decoration. We approach the design of a residence, for instance as—without any irony—an exercise in the brand identity of the family who will live there.
All of our projects are collaborative efforts. Our studio is a big open loft space and though one of us manages any given project, we all get involved in the design process. Spontaneous brainstorming sessions are a way of life for us.
We work closely with clients throughout the design and construction process. Our clients tend to be smart, engaged, and committed to good design.
Often we team up with other design professionals: graphic designers, landscape designers, lighting consultants, engineers. We also work closely with the people that build our projects. Craft is critical to the success of our work, so we collaborate with the woodworkers, plumbers, electricians, masons, metal-smiths, painters, upholsterers, and the other contractors and craftsman who are an important part of the outcome.
The design process is what makes us tick, but the outcome of the design process is how we’re judged. Press is nice, and we’ve had our fair share, but happy clients are what make us the most proud of our work. Happiness comes in many forms, from staying within a tight budget, to making a place feel right. And judging from the number of repeat clients we’re blessed to have, we’re pretty sure that we are making them happy.