Good craftsmanship is a crucial part of any design job. But what exactly is entailed with creating a high-quality project? We talked with Kyle Blute, an artist and designer in our studio, about his perspectives on craftsmanship and the role of the ever-evolving digital world.
Digital craftsmanship: What is the difference between the process of crafting something digitally and in person?
There is ultimately no difference between tangible and digital craftsmanship. When designing in both the physical and digital sphere, you need to really focus on attention to detail in order to produce something with successful results. The digital process is extremely important, whether you are creating floorplans or something that will eventually be 3D printed.
Craftsmanship is just as important in the digital design process as it is in the tangible execution.
Is there any particular stage where paying attention to craftsmanship is most important?
It is crucial to care about the quality of your work from the very beginning, which elevates something from being just ok to something that allows each person in the process to perform at their best level.
Lazy craftsmanship ends up ruining the experience of both the end user (in our case the guest) and also the people building and maintaining that experience. If high-quality work is produced from the very beginning, it allows each person in the design chain process to perform at their best level.
How does your art experience influence your design decisions?
In school I was able to work with a wide range of disciplines including glass blowing, ceramics, woodworking, printmaking, and weaving. This experience has really helped me understand the materiality of design and the desired tactility. With this understanding, I can see how materials behave, how far they can be pushed, and what they can’t do. And this material understanding has been very helpful in making informed design decisions.