Students got a peek inside a local architecture studio and learn that technology, communication and a great team are key to intelligent design.

A group of seven Baltimore Design school students were selected to attend a ‘Designer for a Day’ workshop hosted by the team of designers at Cannon Design last week.

The design team welcomed students with introductions and a tour of their studio on the 21st floor of the Pandora building downtown which offered views of every tall building in the city.

The Cannon team led an exercise on the impact of design, including the thinking process and how to communicate an idea. Students were tasked with a series of sketching challenges where they used the office views to identify and sketch a building of interest to communicate an idea within given time frameworks.

There’s no challenge like a building challenge at a design studio! Students broke into teams and competed to build the tallest structure that could support a marshmallow using only spaghetti noodles, tape and string.

While the competition was fierce, one team reigned supreme! An architecture student and two graphic design students created a structure that was still standing at the end of the day.

Students learned how digital tools are used in the design process and got a lesson in the Rhino CAD Modeling software which they the put into practice with help from the Cannon team.

Designers also demonstrated how VR aides in the creative process as well as in presenting to clients.

The interior design team led an exercise in using color and materials. Students were tasked with redesigning the office lobby and created vision boards to illustrate their design, fabrics, colors, flooring and lighting. They left with a portfolio piece and an understanding of the importance this process plays in a project. They presented their ideas to the group and received feedback from their ‘client’.

The workshop included a presentation on the impact of graphic design and marketing in the day-to-day work of an architecture studio, work students didn’t realize was part of the office structure.

Students reflected that they learned ‘SO MUCH’ about what a day in the life of a designer might look like, but their biggest take away was how the team worked together. They appreciated the diversity in the office, and how everyone seemed ‘comfortable together’, like they had fun working together. They also commented on how they were impressed that the staff ‘took the day off’ to spend time with them. The impact of this professional engagement went far beyond the office. It offered another stepping stone on our path to Designing the Future.