What’s next for the design studio?
Press
In the Summer 2021 issue of INNOVATION magazine, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) posed the question: How will designers return to the studio?
Dan Grossman provided a response on how Smart Design plans to emerge from the pandemic with a brand-new studio space.
A hypothesis-fueled studio
Like many other companies, Smart Design has spent the last year adapting to the changing world and weighing the pros and cons of physical and remote work as we plan for the future. Ultimately, we landed on one side of the fence: We are investing in a new 20,000-square-foot studio space in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
But one thing is for certain, our new studio won’t have the same cadence it did in the pre-pandemic world. We believe that in order to move forward as an innovation design company, it is important to not just repeat the same habits. We view this opportunity as white space to design a truly hybrid office that fuses the best elements of in-person and remote work. We believe that our studio must be a work in progress where we test, learn, adapt, and ultimately, build new solutions – just like we do with our clients.
While we have seen other companies downsize, we believe retaining a physical space that is collaborative, functional, and inspiring is ultimately part of the magic that allows Smart Design to do its best work. Organizing complex information in a space helps us make connections and immerse ourselves in the subject matter. There is also more chance for serendipity and cross-fertilization of ideas. The ability to build and test physical prototypes is crucial for us as the physical act of making uncovers new possibilities. We also strongly believe in building a culture beyond work where we get to know each other and have fun.
Read the full article in IDSA.
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