Presentation Reflection- Gatewood Studio Living Project

Over the past couple of weeks, I have to come to have a much more appreciation for designers. I did not realize how much thought and time goes into redesigning a space. One of the most important things I have learned during this process is to manage your time. It is very easy for different elements of the project to add up at the very end. You can be an amazing designer but if your board is not presentable then no one will know all the work that went into the board. The presentation board is the “make-it or break-it” moment as a designer. That is the moment when you have to own up to your work and be knowledgeable about what you are speaking about. When a question comes, you have to be prepared to answer it and not make excuses. I have also learned if you see a little mistake, someone will see it. It is better to fix all of the minor problems before presenting. Your audience will not care if you were up all night working and were too tired to fix it. They are most concerned about whose presentation is the best at that moment.
On a different note, I have learned a lot about myself and my design process. I learned it takes many attempts to get something right. Most likely, I will never get something right the first time. Planning ahead for mistakes will make the process go by more smoothly. There is much thought behind the design in general. For example, understanding function and making the space feel human is important. For example, understanding the height of the room when placing a loft must be understood and thought out before presentation time. The circulation of the space must make sense. Understanding where walls hit windows or where the entrance and exit occur should flow. During this design process, I learned there are many important stages that go into designing a space. You have to know the measurements and you must draw out your ideas several times. The most important thing I learned about this process and myself is that designing a space takes a lot of time and requires much hard work. I learned if I know something does not feel right, it’s better to do it over. If it is not right, it is not worth showing. I have learned to own up to my design and be more confident in myself. This project truly taught a lot about myself as designer. Every aspect that goes into the project is important and should never be overlooked. Like I said before, I have much more appreciation for designers who put much process into a space and present it well. Most importantly, working hard and planning ahead is key to having a strong presentation.