Lecture Notes: Designing Spaces and Personal Worlds

Introduction

• The speaker is a designer and creative director.
• Focuses on creating revelations of space.
• Uses personal and professional experiences to discuss how to perceive and create spaces.

Experience of a Standardized Test

• Describes the oppressive atmosphere of a testing environment.
• The feeling of release when stepping outside into open space.
• Emphasizes the contrast between confined and open spaces.

Steps to Creating Revelations of Space

Step 1: Therapy

• Importance of understanding the reasons behind actions.
• Example: Designing "Hamilton" involved understanding the story's importance and emotional impact.

Step 2: Design Phase

• Involves creating a dialogue between creator and designer.
• Example: Designing worlds and toys for a show.

Step 3: Execution Phase

• Building and translating ideas into reality.
• Involves scaling designs and testing them in real-world scenarios.

Applying Design to Personal Life

• Shakespeare's idea that the world is a stage.
• Encourages thinking of oneself as a set designer of their own life.

Insights on Emotion and Color

• Emotion is represented through light and color.
• Example: "Dear Evan Hansen" uses inky-black darkness to convey emotion.
• Consider using color in personal spaces to reflect emotions.

Architectural Standards and Personal Space

• Standards exist for safety and usability (e.g., doorknobs, light switches).
• Encourages manipulating these standards to personalize space.
• Example: Pee-Wee Herman's stairs were designed to match his childlike character.

Kanye West’s Stage Design

• Designs evolved to match Kanye’s self-perception and artistic evolution.
• Example: From standing in front of a lightbox to a floating stage.
• Highlights how space can shape and reflect identity.

Conclusion

• Everything in the world needs to be designed.
• Encourages using design to create personal spaces that reflect one's identity and desires.
• Final advice: Apply three steps (therapy, design, execution) along with creativity to design personal environments.
• Speaker's personal resolution: To buy a new trash can.

Takeaway

• Embrace creativity and personal expression in designing the spaces you inhabit.
• Use color, design theory, and personal insights to shape your world.