A paper that has greatly impacted me as a designer is ‘Physical space and Social Interaction 04.09’, this is due to factors such as the information it presents in regards to the relationship between environment and social interaction and how it can influence the user of the space in terms of conversation, productivity and social comfort.
This has enabled me to think more in depth about how the designs that I create have an impact on how people interact with one another. This paper enabled me to realise that design is a key factor on whether the space can create opportunity for sosialisation and communication. I found this information particularly useful in the project Choc affair as I wanted to create a space that represented the brands fundamental values. One of these values being homemade and family run, I wanted to be able to make this apparent in my design to enable staff to build rapport with the customer making it feel like a family thus creating opportunity for social interaction. This article presented me with insight of how my choices for the design has an impact on whether I could make my concept a reality.
Furthermore, the article highlights the ‘importance of nonverbal cues’, (Brand). This made me think more innovatively about ways that I could create prompts for verbal interaction through nonverbal imagery. I used this in my Choc Affair alongside the branding, by using images of the team around the shop it presented the opportunity for the customer to get a sense that they are in a community which gives them opportunity to feel comfortable in their surroundings and establishing a sense of trust before making enquiries. By doing so it also develops a returning customer base and brand loyalty.
The recommendations that Brand highlights such as his ideas about windows and natural light also impacted my design choices throughout my education. I ensured that, where possible, I had as much natural light as I could provide to improve the ‘emotional tone’ and the ‘social desirability’(Brand) of the space as It is important to me that the staff and customers of any of my designs feel happy, healthy and comfortable in the space they are in.
Another recommendation that Brand highlights is the use of furniture to prompt social interaction, I found this particularly useful in my Burghaus design as I really desired to highlight a sense of community wherein people who have an interest in outdoor activities have a space to interact and form new connections. Brand comments that ‘a circle of chairs would be preferable to lines of desks’ (Brand) I chose to take this information and configure a centralised circular seating area that allowed customers to sit and have a place to explore the idea of exploring where they feel comfortable.
Although I have used Brands recommendations consistently throughout my designs I do feel as though in some projects I have created potentially ‘unfriendly’ arrangements such as the information center in Choc Affair being a desk with dimorphic chairs to speak to the staff, I realise now that in future I should find more innovative ways to prompt the customer to approach staff. However, I do not use this paper as a concrete idea of designing as it does not factor in the personality, confidence or mood of the audience and how this effects social interaction.