An Unfinished Journey
Oh, our profession is changing. Architecture is no longer the old man’s profession it once was. Architecture is about to undergo an unprecedented, massive changing of the guard. Today, young architects are being asked to step up much earlier in their careers. And saying this I refer also the collaboration with other design fields and not only, but the internet, social media, and technology have also permeated every aspect of the way we live. They’ve had unprecedented impacts on this profession. Communication is constantly changing; what worked 5 or 10 years ago doesn’t work anymore.
Nowadays, pictures aren’t enough to sell a project. Clients are requiring firms to tell a story about people engaging architecture rather then just showing them glossy pictures at sunset. How firms practice and the business of architecture are being drastically altered. If you aren’t constantly adapting and embracing change, you’ll be left behind.
All the thoughts above, made me reflect a lot about how the whole evolution will impact an environment like Albania. We are also part of all of this, experiencing everyday the need for better collaborative spaces, mostly in our work offices. New innovative ideas are essential for the development of our market and I think an architect’s role is so important to help the clients to tell their story better.
When I first was part of the competition for this internship program, I was very focused on having experience and expanding my knowledge designing work and social spaces, helping old or new companies express themselves better and, guess what?
Actually, I am working in a design studio, which mentioned in one of the New York Times articles as “the guru of start-ups”. Being part of this team is really exciting. Creating unique spaces for new, old, big or small companies with a strong identity, in itself is both exciting and challenging. Touching these companies’ culture and understanding their mission and identity through our meetings with respective clients leads to a better understanding of their needs. It allows us to create the most inspiring offices and provide the best solution for the client. This creative and collaborative process is a new professional and personal experience for me.
Among the many projects, I would like to mention one, which is especially a totally new experience for me, designing the first office furniture line from Float Studio, which will be on market next year.
Working at Float Studio, being part of the design team for many different projects, working process overall and their approach to design, is a unique experience for me and I can’t wait to come and share my experience in Albania and hopefully with new projects!
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention living in New York City, which is an experience in and of itself, but this deserves its own story. Till then stay tuned!
