CREATING SPACE
Before addressing the question “ how to create space ?” let ’ s first look into “ what is space ?”. Space ( in architecture ) is the area defined by physical boundaries such as walls , fences , etc . It is the negative between positive structures which acts as its defining boundaries . As an example , a bedroom is a space defined by four walls that separates it from the other rooms . With a basic understanding of the concept of space , we move forward to the creative process of “ creating space ”. Sam Tatulli , Creative Lead and Senior Interior Designer at Urbane , breaks down her approach of imagining space from the initial concept design all the way to implementation and how to ensure the vision is carried through to construction .
Sam begins her process from a layout provided by the lead architectural designer . Firstly , the main factors to consider are circulation and flow . The functional aspect of the home is the initial step into creating a space that is livable and adapted to the requirements of each family member . For a modern Australian lifestyle , you would consider how the kitchen area interacts with the alfresco area and additionally the relationship between the dining and living areas . Before thinking about how your home will look , it is important to define how you want your home to feel and function . While being creative , there are also some considerations due to appliances and architectural details such as windows and doors . We need to make sure everything the family needs finds its place and the space takes full advantage of natural light .
This stage is when we first start to visualise the home and the idea starts to take shape with a spatial plan ; one which defines where each area is situated by order of their function . From here the designer is armed with a foundation to start developing the aesthetics of the home which includes material , textures , colours , and other finishes . 3D modelling tools are a great asset here as they give the designer the chance to experiment with different finishes and details . On the flipside it is a great tool for communicating with clients and has a clear design proposal . It is usually the most favorable part clients enjoy on their journey of designing their home , as they have their first visual representation of what to expect .
Photographed by LP Visuals
Inspiration during this phase mostly comes from our clients ’ briefs and the conversation we had during design meetings . As a designer , you need to listen attentively to your clients and extract as much information as you can to know them better and understand what they need and what are the things we could suggest creating a home that they would really enjoy . When asked if she had any special method to accomplish this , Sam responded : “ there are no tricks to it , you just have to talk ! Engage in active conversation whether it is about design or just the personal little details that makes a person so unique . And that uniqueness is what we want to reflect in their home ”.
“ This stage of the design can be compared to sculpture and 3D modelling is an incredible tool for use to shape and reshape the space created as much as needed , allowing us to have a trial an error method and the ability to exaggerate design features to be able to scale down to find the perfect solution .”
SAM