“I believe in the value of allowing projects to take a long time”. As the designer publishes his latest book, Drama, we talk to him about his childhood in the theatre, storytelling and the power of being “an outsider”.
“Designers are more aware of storytelling and narrative than ever before, because the public has become so much more aware of the designed and built world around them,” says David Rockwell.
This hasn’t always been the case however, as the architect and designer says in his latest book, Drama. As a student at the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, he recalls being penalised for developing a narrative behind one of his projects. “Narrative wasn’t something many architects were interested in” back then, he writes.
It’s not like that now though, he says. A combination of the public’s attention towards good design, and an explosion in accessible design-related vocabulary has made it so. But he says Rockwell Group has always had “a very unique way of designing that invites and involves listening to a story”, be it a hotel, set or school.
“Working in the theatre feels very much like home to me”
Rockwell’s portfolio boasts a variety of different projects – most recently the Oscar’s set design and Moxy South Beach Hotel in Florida. But he says working in theatre is his favourite space, and this is the basis on which Drama is built…
This article is written by Molly Long from Design Week. Read the full article “I believe in the value of allowing projects to take a long time” here >
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