What I believe...

It is truly never too late to start something new.
Our ideas are the seeds that instigate growth.
Communities are the result of good design and good design should come from the community.

The more we are willing to accept that we are not the same and embrace our uniqueness - the better our world will become. Somewhere along our path through life we lost the best part of what makes us individuals - our creativeness. We are not gingerbread men; people are not cut from the same mold. Why should we all be told to think the same, want the same, need the same in order to be happy?

Start wearing purple when others are wearing black. Walk the path on the left when everyone is taking the right one. Draw, write, read, sing, dance, blow bubbles, walk barefoot in the grass - do anything that uncovers the creative spirit that got buried under the years of imposed ideals of those who already lost their spark!

Champion individuality, celebrate clarity! Be authentic!

22 August 2009

Sooooooooooo

well its been a REALLY long time since i last posted anything, sorry about that. A lot has happened in the year since my last post.

the weatherspoon project is complete and i went on to conceptualize a cross between a cycling commuting center and a bicycle museum and community center called Breakaway... to see the completed weatherspoon project and the breakaway museum visit www.gwenmckinney.com. while your there check out other work that i've done over the last few years.

in may i finally graduated with my Master's degree, YAY!!!! but now i am in the sorry position of trying to find paying work. wrong time to graduate and enter the marketplace.

but as i continue to look for the next great opportunity i will continue to update you (i hope).

27 June 2008

the past few weeks...

it has been a while since i last posted anything, sorry. edgar and i have been moving at a fast pace, putting in 40+ hours a week on this project. we have explored the gift box concept, presented once [removed some walls], presented a second time [battled with ideas], we presented a third time [put some walls back]. the clients are positive and appreciate the work [so do we].

a week of fun work ... if only i could find a job that would let me do sketchup and render by hand ... if only

really starting on the finer details now ... check back later

precis 5

precis 4

so i have FINALLY gotten around to working on my precis documents and here they are... so sorry for keeping you on the edge of anticipation!

29 May 2008

speed critiques [materials]

WOW! Today blew me away - peer critiques at the speed of lighting. I had the privilege of reviewing my colleague, Meaghan Riordan's work. Her project is located on South Elm Street in Greensboro, NC. The existing structure is a two story building with a storefront on the west side of the street. The entrance is set back from the street and does not have easy access to natural lighting. The space will become a boutique for the designer Issey Miyake. Miyake uses continuous lines and pleating in his designs, and Megan is looking to capture that essence in her design. She is looking to blend "seamlessly" the historic qualities of her structure with new materials, streamlined products and translucent views. Like Miyake's work, the space according to Megan will have sculptural qualities that incorporate folding, and continuous lines.

My advice to Megan is to capture the authenticity of the existing structure and develop a repetition of line and form based off that feeling.