CritIt: The Contemporary 6 Inch Designer Office

Smart Phone and Tablet Apps Transform the Concept of Office Space

Tech’ing over your life:

In the 1990's everyone preached to remain faithful to pen and paper in complete paranoia over the assumed devastation computers would cause to the creative process and everything, down to how trees are planted the forest, would look like they came out of an AutoCAD symbols library. In so many ways design, from fashion, graphics, architecture, painting, and sculpture have become universal. ‘Taste’ is living up to Western standards for international aesthetics. The ‘world’ suddenly wants to look the same. Malls across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Mediterranean are homes to the same stores. And for those who fail, Amazon, Net-A-Porter, Alibaba, and other online shopping sources will easy compensate for and fill the cosmopolitan void. Financial districts of major cities look like photocopies of prototype of ‘progress’. Along with the international style paradox, ‘artists’ are psychologically required to conform to a uniform attire of khaki pants and blazers with a decorative cuffs, carrying a unisex briefcase, and holding a low-fat cappuccino with extra foam from Starbucks coffee; and expected to avoid questioning the genius of Zaha Hadid or daring to dislike the style of Norman Foster.

The upside to technology:

Archisketch

But, there is always a positive angle to the global phenomenon guided and transmitted by programs like autoCAD and access to the internet. The benefits have redefined the term 'office'; which includes tools for drafting, sketching, photographing, documenting, emailing, accounting, cataloguing, etc. All that physical needed space has been reconstructed into a small 6 inch device called a smartphone or a slightly larger tablet. Architects can quickly adjust project plans while on the phone with a client, a painter can sketch suddenly inspired ideas, a graphic designer can search a new font or adjust an entire ad, and a writer can edit an article or upload it all at a cafe, on the road, while shopping or even while still in bed.

Apps on the road:

There are so many cool apps (applications) out there that redefine the way you ‘create’. Technical progress has quickly reinstalled one design tool after another into app format with the objective of facilitating the innovative artistic process. The intended convenient and practical interactive software is meant to get ideas out there with the proper medium necessary in android format.

The Pic Fix

While Photoshop, AutoCAD, Word, and other programs are standard in a designer’s laptop or desktop, iTunes and Google Play have opened up a whole new list customized to individual needs. There are loads of programs that allow you to adjust the smart phone or tablet camera lense and edit

Fuzil App

the actual image’s size, color, focus, etc. Fuzel allows creative collages and Instagram, a well known phenomenon in itself, permits images to be uploaded on the web, accessing Facebook Twitter, Tumblr and more.

The Catalogue

For those designers who do not want to look, play, adjust, or share their own pictures, but prefer to research those of others, can look to a variety of apps. There is a vast variety of libraries out there

What the Font

with different approaches. What the Font allows users to search for unusual fonts that can be uploaded and searched through What the Font’s own digital library. This can help graphic designers evaluate new and succeeding letter styles. Pinterest allows users to follow individuals, companies, or brands through image posts. Initially the app seemed to be one that would be reserved for the entertainment of the amateur youth but has been evidently used by professionals who are

Elle Decor's LookBook

looking for inspiration, keeping up with their market, etc. Houzz and Elle Decor’s LookBook feature archives of interior and exterior spaces through photos and articles which by

Houzz

default recommend trends, products, and materials. Bauhaus ReEdition is a more straightforward furniture cataloge of the famous Bauhaus collection. ARCAT, on the other hand, is a very useful site for architects, designers, and contractors through providing its users with access to material cataloges, specs, codes, etc for renovating and building.

The Virtual Pad

Doodle Buddy

For those who want to sketch or shape their ideas freehand, there are loads of options out there.

Paper

Doodle Buddy is a fun way to store ideas, an ‘iPad or iPhone application that is literally like an enhanced 'whiteboard', which can easily be emailed to a friend, spouse, colleague, boss, or client. Evernote is a little more serious, fitting in the description of a notebook stored chronologically where ideas can be drawn with a virtual pen or pencil. Penultimate also fits within the same category; while Paper encourages multi-color and thicknesses to the design, a type of presentation board for ‘sketching out a new product, a kitchen remodel, or a business plan’. The addition Paper adds is Mix, a site where those ‘ideas’ go virtual on a sharing platform.

Penultimate

The multi-layer sketching apps, as exemplified by Morpholio Trace and Archisketch, are the free upgrades of the straightforward whiteboard approach accomplished through the inclusion of a layering tool. Morpholio Trace allows the importation of an image to use as a sort of background that the designer can creatively design over, which allows the designer to apply over, forming a collage of ideas. Essentially the app approach is similar to using

Evernote

trace paper over a drawing and adding, editing, and adjusting according to concept. Archisketch is more reserved for architects, interior and product designers. Imported drawings are brought into the app to scale allowing ‘proper’ adjustments to the design; a very practical tool. Designers can work with clients to make quick alterations to agreed transformations, on-site clarifications can be readily produced, and simple ‘creative’ ideas can be documented without the hustle of providing a hard copy to work with.

Archisketch

Morpholio Trace

The Tools

RulerPlus

Replacing other physical tools, especially for architects and contractors, are demonstrated by the at

hand apps of Ruler Plus, iHandy Level, and Measure Tools- LINEA. Ruler Plus is literally what the app name means, a to scale ruler for measuring. iHandy Level replaces the physical level tool used to establish straight lines or distinguish those that are not. Measure Tools- LINEA expands taking measurements into a world of too-easy-to-be-true. By uploading an image of a space or object, distances and angles can be market on the image that can be stored with the option of emailing the documented numbers to the necessary contact. No more notes on sketched forms, simply images with freehand calculations.

Measure Tools- LINEA

The 3D'ing

Mark on Call

For the more advanced digital creations, especially for architects, interior designers, and landscapers are Mark on Call, iVisit 3D Lite, PadCAD, and AutoDesk Homestyler, all in order of least to more complex. Mark on Call is an easy way to check whether sudden alterations work in plan format. Spaces are redrawn with simple tools to establish layout, furniture, materials, openings, etc. iVisit 3D‘gave rise to new opportunities for ArchiCAD and Autodesk 360 Rendering users by allowing them to create interactive panoramas quickly and easily.’ Uploading the appropriate files of various surfaces will allow the app to create a virtual tour. PadCAD is 'an easy to use CAD application designed for small to medium sized projects such as home additions, remodeling projects, cabinetry work, and site surveys. With PadCAD anyone can produce clean, clear CAD drawings.’ The files can be exported as PDF or DXF formats in order to open in other applications, such as Illustrator, Photoshop or AutoCAD. PadCAD allows fingers to draw, abilities to zoom in and out, with loads of undos and redos to create essentailly a professional design without the initial necessity for a super high tech desktop or laptop program.

iVisit3D

PadCAD

The Budget

And last but not least, the aspect that designers destest, billing. There are loads of apps for this too. My Price is one such app that allows the documentation of relatively necessary information in order to estimate the proposed professional budget and final estimated income.

The Limit

The best part about the listed apps, apart from their evident creation of a mobile office that allows designers to work essentially everywhere and anywhere, is that they are free and their upgrades are no dent to the wallet. The only issue that may come up, a part from having to learn how to use the apps to your own advantage, is that they are not all compatible with you android or tablet. Some are reserved for iphones or ipads which makes the whole phenomenon back to being less positive and more problematic. But for every reserved app is likely to be compensated by one that is adaptable and fitting.

CritIt

3.15.2015

The Contemporary 6 Inch Designer Office

Smart Phone and Tablet Apps Transform the Concept of Office Space

Tech’ing over your life:

The upside to technology:

Apps on the road:

The Pic Fix

The Catalogue

The Virtual Pad

The Tools

The 3D'ing

The Budget

The Limit

Bibliography (no in order)

Image Source

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3.15.2015

The Contemporary 6 Inch Designer Office

Smart Phone and Tablet Apps Transform the Concept of Office Space

Tech’ing over your life:

The upside to technology:

Apps on the road:

The Pic Fix

The Catalogue

The Virtual Pad

The Tools

The 3D'ing

The Budget

The Limit

Bibliography (no in order)

Image Source

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search

Subscribe

click!

Samia's Blogs

recommended blogs