A few weeks back, Andy asked us all to have a think about our motivations, aspirations and what gets us out of bed in the morning.
For me, the initial answer that comes to mind is... coffee.
But that doesn't make for a good blog post. So I thought about it a bit harder.
It is difficult to put your finger on it, but I suppose it is the idea that...
I think that's quite exciting!
And it applies to all kinds of things...
But what does it mean? How can I define it better?
When searching for the right words, DESIGN seemed a good starting point.
Google tells me that...
So when you design something, what is it that makes it worthwhile?
Designing something is more than just straight forward problem solving.
Take this chair. There are simpler ways to make something you can sit on, but somehow this chair is a lot more than that.
Worthwhile design brings out the inherent qualities of Material, Place & Moment... and adds to its quality.
For instance, in the examples below, the way the timber is treated draws our attention to how beautiful the material is. The views from the room emphasise the landscape we are in. The moment spent walking up or down the stairs is made special because of the way they are designed.
Worthwhile design can do one thing really well. It touches us emotionally. Makes us stop and look again, linger a bit longer and think.
SO... for me, the thought that something I create could be Worthwhile and 'add to' rather than diminish life, is what gets me out of bed in the morning.
Or to put it simply, I want to make nice stuff that makes someone happy.
But sometimes...
... a good cup of coffee in a well made mug will do.