Dream Big, Start Small, and Act Now
It was this idea that was the motivation behind the FXFOWLE Flash Sketch Mob.
How It Began
Seiji and I wanted to create a kick-off event, which would eventually lead to a series of design-related activities aimed at generating buzz and excitement around the office. Using the "Act Now" idea as inspiration, we conceptualized an open-ended creative exercise that would help usher in the launch of the B-sides event series.
Why Scale Figure Drawings
An architect's scale figures are like signatures. At some point in your life, everyone has drawn one...even if you're not an architect. And it is not a definable realm of art, so there is no judgment attached to it. But nevertheless, it reflects everyone's personality and creativity. It is also small and simple enough not to be an overwhelming task.
The Brief / The Event
The brief was to engage participants in the simple task of creating a scale figure – of all shapes and sizes – to be pinned up on the wall in the gallery. Beforehand, we created a youtube video explaining the concept behind the flash mob event and sent it firmwide. Accordingly, at 5:30pm the next day, a mob of designers joined us in the gallery for a pin-up session of a different kind. The discussion and conversation at the reception was not about which scale figure was the best or the worst. Rather, everyone was genuinely interested in the range in style of the sketches and how different they all were, which led to fun and dynamic conversation.
The Take-Away
Oftentimes, design crits/discussion in the office are about good versus bad. However, B-sides is interested in a different kind of discussion -- one that welcomes different opinions and interpretations. So, if we can have more flash mob-like exercises in the office, the B-sides feel, quite strongly, that the FXFOWLE design culture can only further enrich itself.