Design Journal #001

Every project begins with observation.

When we think about redesigning a space, our first instinct is often to move furniture, sketch layouts, or imagine new forms. At Studio Presenta, we deliberately chose a different starting point.

Before drawing anything, we decided to observe.

Project Bay, the workspace where Studio Presenta operates every day, is more than a room. It is where ideas are discussed, sketches are made, presentations are prepared, coffee is brewed, deadlines are met, and design decisions are constantly negotiated. If we were going to redesign it, we first needed to understand how it actually works.

During the first week of our Design Residency Program, three design residents were asked to conduct independent research on the existing workspace. Their task was intentionally simple: observe, document, and identify what they believed were the most significant issues without discussing their findings with one another.

The objective was not to produce solutions.

The objective was to learn how to see.

What We Observed

Although each resident worked independently, several observations repeatedly appeared across all three reports.

The existing workspace presents several recurring challenges:

• Storage is insufficient for documents, personal belongings, and studio equipment.
• The working chairs are not designed for prolonged design activities.
• The coffee-making area interrupts the working flow and circulation.
• Air circulation remains limited, particularly during long working hours.
• Lighting is uneven across several work areas.
• The workspace lacks a dedicated area for presentations and collaborative discussions.
• The overall visual character of the room has yet to fully represent the identity of Studio Presenta.

Interestingly, these findings were remarkably consistent despite being produced separately, suggesting that many of the issues are immediately visible to different observers.

Beyond the Problems

However, identifying problems is only the beginning.

A statement such as "the storage is insufficient" naturally leads to another question:

[Insufficient for what?]

Documents?
Material samples?
Personal belongings?
Design prototypes?
Or perhaps something else entirely?

Likewise, saying that circulation is inefficient invites another question.

[Is it the circulation of people?]

Objects?
Ideas?
Or the workflow of a design studio itself?

These questions are far more valuable than immediate answers because they prevent us from designing based on assumptions.

Observation is not about collecting problems.

It is about uncovering better questions.

A Reflection

One insight became increasingly clear throughout this first week.

Project Bay is not simply an office.
Neither is it merely a place to work.
It is a space where thinking happens.
Design conversations unfold here.
Ideas are tested.
Mistakes are made.
Decisions are revised.

In many ways, the workspace functions as part of the design process itself.

If the process changes, the space should evolve with it.

Perhaps the redesign of Project Bay is not about creating a better room.
Perhaps it is about creating a better environment for thinking.

What's Next?

The first week has given us observations.
The next challenge is understanding behaviour.

Before deciding where furniture should be placed, we need to understand how people move, pause, collaborate, concentrate, and create within the space.

Only then can we begin designing a workspace that genuinely supports the way Studio Presenta works.

Because every meaningful design begins not with certainty:
[but with careful observation.]