Cannon Design Blog

I have never been afraid to admit via this blog that I am not an architect. When I joined Cannon Design more than two years ago, I did so as a public relations/marketing manager with an interest in social media. I believed I could add value to the firm as a communicator, despite that fact that, “I knew nothing about architecture.”

What I’ve learned over the past 28 months it that I wasn’t entirely correct in that assessment. Sure, I can’t sketch-award winning buildings or know exactly where to position a building to ensure it receives maximum daylighting, but I do recognize and appreciate strong design. The notion that architecture and I live unconnected lives has been erased.

For example, I’ve always had a strong passion for fitness. Up until I joined Cannon Design, I always figured you could arrange fitness spaces any which way and people could exercise – it was that simple. Through working with our firm’s sports group, I’ve learned it’s much more complex. And, healthy design extends beyond gyms and fitness centers. It permeates how we design workspaces, public transit systems and even cities. Well-designed spaces can promote healthy living and encourage fitness.

I also grew up in a household of educators. My father worked as a math teacher for nearly 20 years before becoming an assistant principal and principal in my hometown. My mother has worked in the higher education community nearly her entire life. My work with our education group and The Third Teacher has opened my eyes to the challenges and opportunities each of them have faced during their careers. In many ways, my work at Cannon Design has helped me understand my parents’ professional lives in much greater context.

These are two of literally dozens of examples I could give about how my time with this firm has opened my eyes to the importance of strong design. My shortsighted view of architecture from a few years past – it makes buildings look good – has dissolved. Intelligent architects and engineers drive our society forward, solve problems of all scales and change the lives of people every day. So many aspects of our world are driven by strong design.

There’s no doubt that architecture connects all of us. It has connected me to my personal and professional life in new ways. It connects people who live in the same community and designers who work in the same field. It connects people to cities, cities to schools and schools to our collective future.

Building on that, we now live in a world where communication can occur instantaneously and connections can be forged in exciting new ways. My work with Cannon Design’s social media platforms has enabled me to share our firm’s ideas globally. It’s incredible the different groups, organizations and institutions that we are able to connect with thanks to these new technologies. Just a couple weeks back we learned a school in Australia had found a video we’d posted from Buffalo, NY and was going to play it for students. This makes the world smaller and our ideas bigger – driving the conversation forward at an incredibly rapid pace.

It’s a good thing that design connects. It ensures that we’ll meet the challenges of the future as a collective force. It offers the opportunity that we can create a stronger future together.

Chris Whitcomb - 28 Mar 2012

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