“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.”-Ralph Nichols

Architecture is problem solving. Precisely what the problem is varies from project to project. It could be as complex a problem as an urban renewal project or as simple as a request for a functional seating arrangement. It’s about setting goals for the project and then setting out to find the best solution to achieve those goals. Understanding the project goals, referred to as the ‘design problem’, is key to providing competent design solutions. That said, understanding the project goals takes more than just a statement of functional requirements. It requires the skills of good designer and more importantly, the skills of a good listener. For this reason, it is important to take the time to listen to clients early in the design process; focusing on client goals, expectations, likes and dislikes, unique lifestyle needs, experiences with the design/construction process, desired involvement in the design process, and other unique qualities of the project. Information is obtained in a variety of formats during this  early information gathering phase of the design process, including; magazine clippings, product cut sheets, hand sketches, lifestyle needs, anecdotal stories, travels, etc. From these various sources, our job is to develop the design problem, helping to define the project goals in terms of function, aesthetics and lifestyle needs. As an example, a magazine clipping of a brightly lit kitchen and highly detailed cabinetry tells us a lot about formality, placement, comfort expectations, social importance, and workspace expectations.

It is not enough to simply listen. A good listener is also an engaged questioner and we never hesitate to ask questions about our clients needs. The purpose is to get to the root of client’s design goals whether they be style, function or emotion. Going back to the magazine clipping of a kitchen cited above, we might respond with a series of questions to understand what our client finds appealing about the image – what about this particular kitchen do they like? Sometimes it’s simply the drawer layout, sometimes the response has more to do with a functional need and nothing to do with the style. Whatever the response, the key is to help our clients get to the root of their goals for the project, large or small.

The benefits of spending time as a good listener aren’t solely for the benefit of the owner. We find it incredibly helpful to our working relationship with our client. Taking the time to listen establishes a sense of trust between us and our clients while also establishing a level of open and honest communication between the members of the design team.

Ultimately, it’s about developing a design solution that combines the client’s objectives with our professional experience in a collaborative relationship built on trust and honest communication. It’s a key component to providing design that are responsive to our client’s needs. For us, being an attentive listeners is the first step.