“I should say: the house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.” - Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space.
-
My interest in people and their behaviour perfectly accompanies my interest in Architecture and Design. The way spaces have the ability to shape people's thoughts, emotions and behaviour is nothing short of incredible, and the minds behind these influential and provocative designs have been an inspiration to me for years.
From spacial layout to colour theory, use of materials, lighting, music, and smell; an array of different elements contribute to the Architectural make-up of a space; each one having a drastic effect on people's behaviour within it.
When talking about inspiration, my focus is never purely centred around Architectural and Interior Design based works. I find that this can be a restrictive way of thinking, as influence for designing spaces or buildings can be pulled from all manner of places; including art, fashion, poetry, photography and philosophy. These are all areas that I possess a great deal of interest in, and that have proved invaluable tools when it came to shaping my design thinking.
I love anything that causes a reaction; be that positive or negative. Great design has the ability to immediately alter a person's mindset and emotional state. The first time I can recall this happening to me was when I visited Barcelona and was introduced to Antoni Gaudí's work. La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Casa Milá were my first introduction into how the raw beauty and disruptive nature of a design can be so impactful. From then on, I became obsessed with anything that caused a stir in the waters of its contemporaries. Designers who strayed from the path, creating their own avant-garde individualised style whilst still respecting the craft became the driving force behind my own concepts. Visionaries like Gaudí, alongside others such as Dorothy Draper, Jacques Garcia, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood have all inspired me to look beyond the boundaries of expectations to create something impactful and wildly unexpected.
Having studied Philosophy at BA level, I began to notice the correlation between philosophical theories and Design.
Throughout The Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard speaks frequently of the human experience, and how to understand it.
When designing for my first major project, my main focal point was creating to inspire. By this, I mean that I wanted to awaken something in people that caused them to reflect on elements that made them feel connected. For me, this meant creating a space which inhibited traits of “home”.
Bachelard asserts that “all really inhabited space bears the essence of the notion of the home”. He goes on to examine the poetic image, and how elements of intimacy and memory imbedded within the home are reflected within it.
Bachelard's work is extremely important to me, as I align myself with his way of thinking. He views the house as the most intimate of spaces; a place where memories are made and secrets are kept within each individual piece of furniture or interior structure. This deeply emotional and spiritual connection people have with their homes highlights the varied and intimate dimensions of our existence.
As a designer, it is more important than anything to honour this connection and ensure that it is reflected in my work.
-
Through an early start in business ownership, I was fortunate enough to bring my concept to life, and gained a first hand look at how my design work functioned in a commercial environment. This experience served to further my knowledge of human behaviour and how people reacted to various changes in their environment. This is something that I feel will serve as an invaluable tool when applied to certain aspects of the course content.
The content covered in each module would give me the opportunity to expand my knowledge immeasurably; giving me the academic skills confidence I need to excel in this field. It is difficult for me to put into words just how much this opportunity means to me, as it's truly not something I could have predicted.
Though I didn't arrive at this point in my education via the traditional route, I feel my practical experience would be invaluable.
The previous stage of my life allowed me to discover what I was truly passionate about and gave me the freedom to explore it. The process of conceptualising, planning, implementing and finally beholding what was once just an idea was an experience like no other.
I still have a lot to learn, but under your guidance, I know I can thrive and exceed my own expectations.
I now invite you to view my portfolio, to see how my initial thoughts and concepts helped bring a vision to life.
Seven Sins Coffee Lounge
Location: Birmingham UK
Size: 1600 Sq ft
Designer: Greg Heap
Photographers: Jason Holzer/Sian Ashleigh
Year: 2019
I remember visiting the now infamous Shoreditch Grind and being absolutely captivated by the atmosphere that hit me as soon as I walked in.
I had always associated coffee shops with a quiet, peaceful ambience; somewhere you'd meet an old friend after work for an hour before getting kicked out at 6pm.
Situated in an unusual cylindrical space on Old St roundabout, Grind was a far cry from the low-fi Jazz and worn leather sofas that I commonly associated with my coffee shop visits. The music was loud and the bass thumped through the raw white-bricked walls. I watched espresso cups fly back and forth across the tiny space; the coffee emitting an absolutely incredible smell. The customers were eclectic and all looked as if they had a thousand stories to tell.
As I stepped closer to the counter, I noticed that coffee wasn't the only thing on offer here. By night, Grind transformed into an energetic cocktail bar, serving up everything from Margaritas to Espresso Martinis.
From the moment I took my first sip of coffee, I was hooked. The tongue-in-cheek branding, obnoxious neon signs and blatant middle finger to the dated coffee shop mould was bold and inspiring. I had never seen anything like it, but when I thought about it, it made perfect sense.
In a place like Shoreditch, people don't clock off at 5pm, so why should the businesses? I set out to recreate the same energy I'd felt that day, and could think of no better place to bring my vision to life than “the Shoreditch of Birmingham”, Digbeth.
-
Seven Sins was born out of a desire to redefine preconceived notions and expectations that accompanied Birmingham's coffee shops and coffee shop design.
My goal was a simple one. Serve world class coffee in surroundings which embodied the area and resonated with its inhabitants; bringing them together via the same medium. I wanted to create a space which felt like a home; one which was free from the constraints of the coffee shop mould and embraced the DIY, punk, artistic and ever-changing aesthetic of Digbeth.
Reinventing the wheel was never my intention, but reshaping the ways people thought about and treated coffee was something I felt extremely passionate about. In order to do this, I needed to dismantle and rebuild the coffee shop structure; in a way that encouraged people to form their own connection to the space.
By factoring in aspects of Philosophy, Art and human behaviour, I was able to to create a space which promoted the idea of coffee as a social tool rather than a simple commodity.
The design and layout were integral to this ethos being conveyed successfully.
Due to this being my first major project, I compensated for my lack of experience by undertaking much of the work myself. I utilised the previous contacts I had made in order to help me bring my concepts and visions to life. By working with them and studying their processes, I was able to give myself a first-hand understanding of the planning, designing and manufacturing process.
When stepping into the space for the first time, it is abundantly clear that many of the fixtures and features have been crafted by hand. I chose to leave many of the imperfections as they were, as this reflected the external make-up of the surrounding environment. It also added a human element to the space; an important customer focus.
Digbeth inhabits many similar traits to Shoreditch in London.
Independent shops, bars and events merge seamlessly with larger creative firms; all embodying the spirit of the area. The cross-section of eclectic inhabitants worked in my favour when it came to designing for a broad range of people. Though being involved in many different sectors, Digbeth residents tend to share a common trait, which is the love for the creative industries. Graffiti adorned walls and live street performances are admired by fashion designers to skateboarders to web developers. This love for the boundary-pushing individuals who keep the area alive unites the people who live and work here.
Having grown up here and experienced what this unity felt like, it was an honour for me to create a space which would attract eclectic individuals from a variety of creative industries.
-
It was important to me that many of the building materials were reclaimed and sustainable. Alongside the benefit of keeping costs to a minimum, it ensured that I was giving new life to discarded and under-utilised items. Throughout my previous ventures, budgetary restrictions often dictated that I made the most out of whatever I could find, so implementing this method moving forward ensured that I stayed grounded.
My intrinsic involvement in the project forged an extremely personal connection. Large elements of my personality were reflected in the final outcome, which only served to strengthen the impact of what I had created. When people felt connected to the space, they would also express a connection to me personally. By expressing intimate personality traits into my design, I was inviting people into my home; my vision of what a home should feel like. The deeply personal nature present in every feature resonated with people, and created an atmosphere unlike anything I had ever experienced.
For me, this is the most important aspect of my work.
I chose to have the photographs shot on 35mm film rather than digital, as I felt the raw aesthetic better reflected Seven Sins' image, as well as the imperfections of the location.
Seven Sins' ethos encouraged customers to treat the space like a home; doing away with time restraints, clinical surroundings and behavioural norms commonly associated with coffee shop settings.
With regards to photography, I like to capture those "in between" moments, where there are no rules or expectations. The idea of just "being" was a message I frequently reinforced, as it encouraged people's natural behaviour and reflected the authenticity of the brand.
When conceptualising the design for Seven Sins, I had to ensure that I was astutely aware and mindful of each design element in order to maximise the impact of the space.
My previous involvement in the coffee industry, paired with my consumer experience aided me greatly in creating a space which functioned practically, as well as aesthetically.
I was able to utilise this experience and employ it to my design thinking; assigning or removing elements based on their functionality and visual impact within the space.
Immediate visuals were very important to me. My goal was to redefine the rules and expectations that accompanied coffee shop design. Minimalist, Scandinavian inspired spaces-with their stark white walls, wooden benches and exposed Edison bulbs were approaching the end of their all-encompassing reign over the 3rd and 4th wave of the coffee movement. As we entered the 5th wave of coffee in the mid 2010's, focus was shifted onto matching the environments to the products within them. With world class speciality coffee now being offered as standard in many venues, customers were starting to become more discerning when it came to their café of choice.
Having implemented a lofty benchmark for coffee standards, industry leaders started to roll out boutique and refined venues to reflect the quality of their product. An obsession with excellence, along with technological investments and marketing brilliance was paramount in order to keep up with and surpass fierce competition.
With this in mind, it was of upmost importance that I created a space that was a far cry from the stripped back, cold-feeling environments of my predecessors. I have listed some initial observations and concepts that eventually lead to the birth of Seven Sins; taking into account user needs, original infrastructure and key discoveries in consumerism and design.
-The space was situated in a grade two listed building, meaning any major alterations would need to be authorised by the governing body. The original red brick however, expressed a historical charm and added to the already striking façade of the exterior.
-The large street facing windows offered an abundance of natural light during the day. This allowed me to work with more experimental lighting designs-as practical function wasn't imperative.
-I was able to utilise various structural elements to my advantage; rather than viewing them as a hinderance.
-Due to the building's historical significance, I wanted to preserve and showcase some original features, for example using the building number “7” as inspiration for the brand name. I also paid homage to the buildings original function as the Bird's Custard Factory by way of colour; using a bold yellow for a feature wall that created a great visual impact upon entering the space.
-
Lighting was one of the main elements of the design that could be approached with a great deal of creative freedom. The amount of natural light that lent itself to the space gave me the freedom to create striking, avant-garde interior lighting that wasn't restricted in design by its practicality. Examples of Art Deco, Industrial and Modern are incorporated into the lighting designs to create varying moods in the areas they were situated.
I wanted to create a lighting feature which utilised and accentuated the original infrastructure, rather than fighting against it. By running multi-coloured flex cables along the natural pathways, I formed a striking silhouette which highlighted both the interior formation and the lighting fixture itself.
Situated parallel to this feature, local lighting company Iron Oxide installed "Tears Of Bliss", which highlights the beauty and unique qualities of each hand-blown bulb. As a visual representation and homage to the Fibonacci sequence, a singular filament is wrapped around the central column, creating a striking visual impact. Cascading the bulbs from the ceiling added a new dimension to their superior aesthetic presence, and reflected the name of the installation quite beautifully.
My goal was to make each piece of lighting visually impactful using juxtaposition. The layout of the space naturally separated it into various sections, allowing me to create respective “rooms” within an open plan area. This Art Deco inspired Chandelier added a striking modern flair within the historical building. Situated parallel to the large arched window-the formed glass inlayed around the edge of the fixture refracted sunlight, creating beautiful light formations across the ceiling. During the evening, the intensity of the tinted bulbs within the Chandelier was heightened in order to cast out a warm glow which created a new set of patterns.
For this project, my goal was to create a clean, elegant bathroom design which would suit a modern property situated in a rural location.
My personal style embodies dark, rich colours and undertones, elements of Maximalism and a Gothic flair. I wanted to test and showcase my skills by designing something that reflected the polar opposite of these styles.
Whilst modern in design, the house would need to respect the historic land on which it was built. This would mean drastically reducing the amount of waste materials and energy commonly associated with modern living.
Reflecting this sentiment within the bathroom design meant creating a space which imbued a calm contemporary aesthetic, whilst retaining functional practicality using only essential items.
The type of property that would house such a space would attract the attention of minimalist, environmentally conscious buyers with flexible budgets. With this in mind, I used high quality natural materials to construct the main features of the space. The bath is a free-standing polished stone resin, set on marble floor tiles in order to give maximum stability under its weight. Granite tiles line the walls and boldly contrast the elegant white features.
Copper adds a pop of colour whilst being an ideal sustainable material for the heated towel rail, due to its 100% recyclability and superior thermal and electrical conductivity.
With regards to lighting, being energy conscious was an important factor to consider.
Due to the location of the property, I thought it would be ideal to make use of the abundance of natural light surrounding the space. I constructed two large windows on either side of the bath in order to flood the space with light, whilst providing the user with a portal to the beautiful natural scenery.
Bringing the outside in was an extremely important part of the design process for me.
Whilst conserving energy and reducing waste by using natural sustainable resources and materials, the windows to the outside world bring about a humbling and tranquil atmosphere.
Inspiring suitable emotions to correlate with current surroundings is imperative when designing such an intimate space.
