Don't stop talking! - Collaborative Design for the Win

May 14, 2022

When I was in design school, I thought I wanted to specialize in residential design. But half way through my college career, I got my first design job as an intern for a local architectural company. At the time I wasn't sure how long I would be there but time and God made it clear that I would not only spend the next decade and a half and counting with them but would eventually evolve into a private interior design company of my own and rent space from those architects. They and their family's are like my own family now and I'm so grateful for the opportunities and lessons I've learned as a designer in that environment. But the one thing I've learned in the Library design industry is that sometimes designing great spaces means challenging the norm. And for me that has always been about collaboration.

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Library pros really do know the ins and outs of their Library

One of my first Library clients once told me that what she loved most about working with me was that I didn't dictate the direction of design. She had worked with another designer years prior and they swooped in, put together a design concept and pretty much insisted that this was the way her Library design would work best.

I was sincerely stunned by her story because one of the most important things I had learned in my time as a design intern was that to create the best spaces, EVERYONE needs to be involved from the ground up. Now that's not to say that you want a huge committee of decision makers coming at you from every angle. Quite the opposite in fact. The bigger the committee, the harder the project.

What I do mean is that in order to create an amazing and fully functional Library, you MUST collaborate on most every detail with your entire team. That team should include your architect, interior designer, contractor, engineers, and civil engineers for starters. But most importantly the Library end users absolutely have to be at the center of every major design decision. Design meetings should be open to all those involved whenever their particular vocation is up for discussion but the carefully-selected Library staff should be at the forefront of each of those meetings. Notice I said "carefully-selected".

Communication is king

As the Library director, make sure you select a small but greatly trusted group of staff members to join you in these meetings or at the very least to be there after your meetings to discuss details and help you make decisions. I always recommend no more than three people beyond yourself so that you don't find yourself overwhelmed with too many opinions.

Make sure all are included in email communications and take the time to open yourself to forming a trusted relationship with your designer.

My own design process

When I sit down with a client for the initial kickoff meeting, I do a tremendous amount of listening. I want to know all about your Library and your specific Library culture. I want you to tell me what your vision for your new space is. What are your dreams and hopes for this space? Putting budget aside for a few minutes, what is your "pie in the sky" ideas for your Library. Let's just dream together. This is where the true identity of your Library begins to come into focus. Plus it's a great way to relax, open up and get to know each other.

The next thing I want to know is what you just cannot stand and don't want to see in your space. Do you hate themes? Do you despise the color red or contemporary design? After this initial meeting, I go into creative mode. I research some of the ideas you've given me and I begin to form design concept options that I will present to you at our next meeting. That being said, the last thing either of us want is for me to spin my wheels and waste time on design options you will hate from the start. So this exercise of discovering your least favorites is critical.

Keep lines of communication open to the very end

Design collaboration doesn't end once the design concept has been completed and the drawings have rolled out. Now is actually when Library pros and design team members become super communicative. This is when all the tiny details and questions from the contractors begin to come in and things you may have never even considered come up and answers must be found; and often quickly.

This is when your interior designer needs access to you the most. Both parties work together to get the job done. It's truly such a satisfying feeling to watch the project take shape and see the space finalized and polished. Being a part of a strong and collaborative design team is rewarding and for me it generally ends in long-lasting friendships and professional relationships that I cherish greatly.