The Globus Design Associates Blog

Sustainable Design Collaboration Begins in the Classroom

Design for Sustainability classroom at Kean University. Photo: Suzan Globus

I've accepted a position teaching Design for Sustainability II to Earth Science and Interior Design and Industrial Design majors at Kean University.  I am especially excited to be teaching sustainability to this mix of students because interior designers recognize the need to collaborate with scientists to document the effects of interior design on the environment and building occupants in order to better understand the value of design.  Hats off to Kean for combining these disciplines in the classroom to enable the students to learn from each other and carry their comfort with collaboration into the workplace after they graduate.  Case study, anyone?

Students Collaborate to Create Successful Design Charrette

Over 100 college interior, industrial, graphics and advertising design students gathered to solve a fictitious new product launch design problem in a 3 hour charrette at Kean University's Robert Busch School of Design's "Let's Charrette" at the Thinking Creatively Conference. 

Photo: Suzan Globus  As the profession mentor of one group of 10 students, I helped them to strategically work backwards from their goal of producing a presentation board and helped them focus on the outcomes. 

Photo: Suzan Globus  After individual design development, the sub-teams selected their best concepts and presented to the group of 10.  After group consent, the sub-teams of interior, graphic and advertising students worked on store design, product design, logos and advertising campaigns.

Photo: Suzan Globus  The real value of design came from the students' collaboration across different disciplines to reach their goals.

Photo: Suzan Globus  Representatives of our group presented their concept board to the 100 plus people in the room.

Photo: Suzan Globus  The team celebrates a job well done.

"Thinking Creatively" Design Charrette has Practical Applications in Collaboration

Looking Forward to Mentoring Interior, Graphic and Industrial Design Teams

I have been invited to mentor a Design Charrette at the annual Thinking Creatively conference at Kean University April 7-10 with nine other standouts in their respective fields. The charrette is open to students of graphic, industrial and interior design to let them experience the challenges and benefits associated with working on a multi-disciplinary design team in an integrated manner. The design exercise supports the theme of the conference, Intersections in Design, Technology, Science, Commerce and Culture.

Having had the opportunity to represent the American Society of Interior Designers at a TED (short for technology, entertainment and design) conference several years ago, I am happy to see that the concept of integrating various disciplines to achieve innovative results is spreading throughout the conference world.

Team work.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Multi-disciplinary Collaboration Starts in School

I am happier to see collaboration spreading throughout the realm of education.  If we train  students to practice collaboratively, they will expect to work as part of an integrated team, learn to excel at it and be able to explain the advantages to their clients. 

My firm's interior design services have been engaged near the end of a design project on occasion because the client thought interior design happens after the building is designed.  In most cases, the decision to schedule the project this way is based on the incorrect assumption that money will be saved. If interior design is integrated into the project from the beginning, my firm's experience indicates that the results far exceed those when interior design is left to the end and the cost is less in the long run.