So often we see ranked lists of the top designers + architects. Whether they come from group acronyms or solo practice, the message is the same- these creatives brought their unique vision to life with little or no outside influence. While they are without a doubt talented and their perspectives influential, the common missing element is the real decision-maker of the project- the Client.

The most telling distinction between art + design is the inherent requirement to solve a problem. Designers don’t (or shouldn’t, in our opinion) design spaces simply to express their own, individual points of view, rather, we provide solutions for businesses, organizations, + homeowners for how best to utilize, experience, inhabit, + move through space, all in hopes of inspiring users to become their best selves. And while our “eye” + experience are critical to successful outcomes, they are meaningless without our clients.

The truth is, beautiful and inspiring design is very much dependent on our clients’ needs as well as their ability to embrace our vision and respond positively to it. In addition to parameters such as budget, timeline, sustainability, construction team, + product availability, client approvals at all stages of the process truly determine the end result.

We have seen projects go from jaw-dropping to generic with a surprise slashing of budget or last-minute swap in stakeholder. The most heartbreaking? The design that never gets built, which happens more than you think. A loss of funding, a change in business structure, and just like that; file those construction documents under “inactive projects”.

For the projects that do come to fruition, when it comes to the client/designer relationship, there seems to be an assumption that when people hire a designer, they put all their trust in us. And while this is the case for most projects, sadly, some clients still consider themselves the experts. No doubt that Pinterest + Instagram have been a huge influence. And while accessibility is important, like most practices, knowledge “light” without a full understanding of the basic principles (scale, balance, contrast, proportion, repetition, rhythm) along with wayfinding, building + accessibility codes, etc., can do more harm than good.

To the converse, many projects are improved exponentially because of clients’ engaging + collaborative nature. So, let’s give credit where (full) credit is due. Our clients are the reason we do this- straight up. Without them we are not designers. We are merely generating uninhabitable spaces with no one to experience them. Spaces made solely from the self. And while art has a magical way of connecting the masses to one individual perspective through only two dimensions, space simply cannot.

So, to our clients – ALL of our clients. Thank you. You give our work purpose + meaning, and our success is only as great as you continue to inspire us to be.