Let’s look at some of the Architecture and Product Design’s top firms and analyze their process to see what makes them successful and why they are today’s industry leaders in their respective fields. How do their approach and execution make them some of the most talked about centers of innovation? It all really comes down to one “simple” detail- teamwork. Leading companies have built their legacy to stand above all others as a direct result for their reputation for collaborative work. Companies such as B+H Architects is a perfect example of that. In an article by ASIAOutlook Karen Cvornyek -President and Regional Managing Principal in Asia of B+H Architects- states that “when it comes to continuously create inspiring designs, we fully appreciate the importance of global thinking brings creativity and how collaborative thinking and value teamwork with a continuous dialogue from our clients to our contractors along the way.”
In order to be able to compete at an international level, companies have to be able to adapt to new ideas and trends that may not necessarily be encompassed if one is focused on a regional ground. That’s why companies nurture the ideal of focusing on every vicinity possible with an acumen of global attitude. Providing results to problems which comprehend a wide range of local issues, needs, and aspirations gives them leverage over other firms and puts them in front of the competition. Embracing innovation and the cross-pollination of people and the different ways of thinking is the perfect key to be disruptive in the market. When targeting the masses, it is a must for firms to be able to accommodate the user’s cultural differences. Studying the market and putting cultural methods into perspective allows the design team to consciously put usability and requirements into their design and way of thinking throughout the entire process. Providing structured training to the most talented and up-and-coming building industry internationals is key and something we value at Architect-US.
Similarly, how in architecture and in product design we take anthropometric data and principles into account to accommodate a wide range of the population’s percentile, we must take other ingredients into the creative reasoning. Take for example the global empire which Ikea has been able to build. Every single one of their designs are being put in homes and commercial spaces worldwide, and that it because this Scandinavian giant takes necessity into account when it comes to aesthetics. You must think about its function and how people will interact, live, or use whatever it is that you are designing. People tend to think that because things are mass produced, the designs are more boring or “generalized”. While it may be true in some instances, accommodation in larger scales will triumph over small sectors and niche markets. Why not design with people in mind with a team that knows and has members which lived under different surroundings?
Everyone deserves good design, so having a multicultural team that can provide results with knowledge gives its users a sense of belonging and comfort. Their insights can be used to make informed decisions meanwhile fostering creative thinking into the process. This is something which IDEO believes at its core. This diversity inclusion is one of the main tiers of creating a successful design. Making connections from past experiences allows the designer to bring value into each project as it is likely that a group of designers with different backgrounds will cover, or connect, with a much wider demographic than that of a team which has lived and worked under the same circumstances.
