Shelves full of books, re-purposed buildings, Scandinavian furniture, succulents, wood grain, the color(s) gray, and paper airplanes...I think these are beautiful things.
A little over a decade ago, someone told me to let the beauty you see be the thing you do.
That simple statement, scribbled in a note tucked into a book that was being gifted to me, for whatever reason really resonated. At the time I didn't know what I was supposed to do with those words. What beauty did I see? What should I do and how should I do it? These questions existed in my the back of my mind for many years. Admittedly, it took me a few degrees, many conversations with some incredible friends, and a lot of coffee to finally figure out what I think the statement means for me.
I've come to understand that in addition to all of the physical beauty in the world there in also intangible sources of beauty. I see beauty, for example, in acts of kindness, experimentation, cooperation, and moments of joy. I believe, then, the thing for me to do is to use my architectural training and experience to design buildings, places, moments, and things that embody this abstract beauty.
I am sharing this with The Listserve because I want to tell as many people possible that to do this work requires help from people who have needs and/or ideas for projects. Design is only a tool for creatively solving problems. It cannot exist in isolation. It needs people. It needs you - to participate, collaborate, and solicit services. Design requires human input from both designer and client. And with all the beauty that I see, I can't image that there is any shortage of potential clients out there. So, whether you're a small business owner, big developer, or just a regular person with a dream, reach out to a designer. You may be pleasantly surprised at what they have to offer you.
I would love to connect with anyone that has or knows of a need or idea that could benefit from some architectural design and/or thinking. Get in touch with me via daam-projects[dot]com !
Thanks so much for listening.
Elyse Agnello
[email protected]
Chicago
PS The book my note came in many years ago was Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Ann Dillard. It's about seeing and gaining the ability to see within oneself.