We have been working for 12 months on designing, refining, polishing, sanding and adding new architecture to The Broad Place. These changes will be unveiled in stages from later this year, and our existing and new meditation students are in for some serious treats.
I’ve always thrived on innovation, but patience isn’t a virtue of mine and undertaking the correct sequence for projects has something I’ve had to learn over the past 16 years since studying interior architecture. Design (interiors, furniture, exhibition and graphic) taught me about conceptual creativity, research and development and sequences for execution.
I was lucky enough aged 20 to be mentored by Tina Engelen and she always said design was a sifting process, some elements were refined enough to get through to the next phase, others were too clunky, and sat in the sieve like rocks and got left behind. Sometimes you had to have the guts to let the whole project go even if you loved it but it didn’t add up. Sometimes you had to take all the smooth refined elements and build something else entirely. She always asked me ‘how can you let more light in?’
Even though I’m no longer an architect of interiors I still follow her same advice as an architect of education. Research is everything. Being bold, following my gut and saying no to the things that don’t work. Creativity is not an end result but the undertaking of flow, grit, questioning and answering.
And, constantly trying to let me more light in…
Jac x
Image and words by the talented Tess Guinery.