This is the eighth in our series of posts where each person here at Convergence shares an image that influenced/ inspired them to join the architecture/ design field.
The image can be whatever strikes the person’s fancy- a building, a park, a scenic image, a design motif or detailing… any visual representation that can help to share a bit of insight into how and why the person got into this field and the work that we do.
Today, Joe is sharing his inspirational image.
One of my favorite childhood memories is of poring over residential plan books that my parents had and creating my own dream house plans. Of course, mine usually included a pool with water slides, theater rooms, and everything else cool I could think of to include. I think what inspired me then is what still inspires me today, though I’ve thought about it a bit more now and can better articulate what that is. My passion is architecture, but more specifically, the design of spaces for human interaction with the built environment.
The creation of spaces to accommodate and inspire people, or “placemaking,” keeps me excited no matter how many buildings I design. From the pen and paper tactile experience of sketching out ideas, to getting inspiration from the future occupants and stakeholders, to detailing the construction documents and seeing it built and occupied, I find great joy in every stage of the process. These days, I find myself managing the design process and providing guidance to others more than getting to put pen to paper, but that is also an inspiring challenge and allows me to be a part of more projects than I could ever accomplish on my own. I do miss the pleasures and challenges of design, though, and enjoy sitting down to play with trace paper when I can. I’m still looking for that person who wants me to design them an indoor-outdoor pool with integrated stream and three story slide, so if you hear of anyone, send them my way!
