In this industry, there is a beautiful constant that is the human connection. We have the opportunity to know our clients on a personal level throughout the design and project management processes. Inversely, as much as we get to know them, they get to know us.
The design process is not completed in a vacuum. Contrary to popular media depictions. There are countless emails and multiple meetings (either virtual or in person) that are exchanged between designer and client. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming for homeowners to realize the level of input they are to provide. Other times, they thrive in the details. Regardless of the emotional reaction to the task, owner involvement in the process is imperative to ensure the end result is not only worth the financial commitment but also the discomfort of the construction process.
As this is a human process, one cannot remove the human element from the experience. There may be delays because of extenuating circumstances with the designer or due to an inability for you to respond because of unforeseen circumstances on your end. This human experience is what makes the process so rewarding. We understand the push and pull that our lives exact upon us. We communicate, adapt, and give each other grace and compassion. In the end, we create beautiful spaces that meet your needs. Through the design process, we inhabit the same actions- we communicate, adapt, and work together to reach the solution.
Recently, our clients experienced such a delay. And transparency in communication. We lost our matriarch in the midst of restructuring our personal lives in order to ensure her utmost comfort in her twilight years. She was 98 and font of history. Her somewhat unexpected eternal sleep upended our day to day practice. We fell behind on deadlines. And we exposed our vulnerable underbelly to each of our clients, asking for grace during the uneasy time. All of our clients responded with kind words and patience. We were humbled and honored.
Simultaneously to this course of events, I was engaged on several occasions to discuss the merits of AI taking over my industry. The conversations began with curiosity and care. They wondered if I was worried in any capacity. Unequivocally, no. The reason for my lack of fear is the same reason I love what I do so very much. The human connection. We inhabit a skill which allows us to take what a client has in their mind, and translate it to paper. We not only hear what they are telling us, but also interpret what they are not. We connect with them.
AI may have the ability to compile obscure sections in the law. It may assist with the assembly of a difficult email. It may even have the ability to pilfer items from art and literature to “create”. But it cannot connect with a human being on the level that we can. It cannot interpret gestures, body language, and a collection of adjectives into a solution. A solution that is then altered to ensure it truly meets all needs. AI is a tool which can potentially lend itself to the overall craft of architecture- but it cannot take over. It cannot eclipse human creativity or connection.
The space our firm has inhabited over the last ten years has been one of advocacy. One of connection and understanding. One that provides answers in a confusing process. And that is exactly where we want to be.
