The May workshop focused on interior architecture with visiting inspirer Sarah McCall-Morgan, founder of Ongl Design + Make, who gave a engaging talk about her route into the profession.
Part one: warm up
To start, everyone brought with them an image of their favourite interior space, which ranged from libraries in Liverpool to seven-star hotels in Dubai. The wide scope showed the many aspects to consider in interior architecture and design, as well as highlighting the influence of personal preference/taste.
Part two: inspirer
Next, Sarah McCall-Morgan, once an aspiring doctor, shared her journey to becoming both the founder of Ongl Design + Make and lecturer at the UWE School of the Built Environment.
Although Sarah was always creative, playing the saxophone to a good level, she also excelled in maths and sciences. She explained that, given her ability to get high grades in these subjects, the expectation of her school in Carmarthenshire, Wales was that she study medicine at university. Sarah chose her A Levels in light of this, picking Maths, Chemistry and Biology (with a fourth in French).
However, after she had already completed her UCAS form, and secured offers from medical schools, she changed her mind.
Instead, she took an art foundation year, having not studied art since the age of 14 (the way her school’s GCSE subject choice columns worked meant that she couldn’t chose both music and art). It was here that she discovered interior architecture. Realising that this discipline would enable her to unite her love of art and design with a scientific brain, she re-applied and accepted an unconditional place at Cardiff Metropolitan University (the course has since re-branded as Interior Design).
Sarah graduated in 2009, directly into the credit crunch. With employers not taking on new graduates, she took a temporary contract in Bordeaux, France, where she was able to put her A-Level to good use. On the back of this experience, she was offered a job in Cardiff. Although she enjoyed the projects she was working on, Sarah explained that she had a yearning for more design responsibility and influence.
It was this desire for creative control that spurred Sarah to setting up her own company, Ongl Design + Make, with her husband and brother. Sarah was honest about the realities of running her own business, particularly describing the stress of having to make sure that money was coming in. However, she said that the benefits outweigh the negatives, saying that "every day is an inspiration day, every day is a learning day."
Sarah described some of the projects that she has worked on since, including a tensile T-shirt web at the London Design Fair, a collaborative project with children from Willows High School of Educating Cardiff, a nightclub, and the interior refurbishment of Cardiff's Welsh Cultural Centre, Ongl's biggest project yet.
She advised the young people to pursue their passions. Sometimes, she said, you need to stand up to pressure from parents and teachers to follow a particular path.
Although Sarah was always creative, playing the saxophone to a good level, she also excelled in maths and sciences. She explained that, given her ability to get high grades in these subjects, the expectation of her school in Carmarthenshire, Wales was that she study medicine at university. Sarah chose her A Levels in light of this, picking Maths, Chemistry and Biology (with a fourth in French).
However, after she had already completed her UCAS form, and secured offers from medical schools, she changed her mind.
Instead, she took an art foundation year, having not studied art since the age of 14 (the way her school’s GCSE subject choice columns worked meant that she couldn’t chose both music and art). It was here that she discovered interior architecture. Realising that this discipline would enable her to unite her love of art and design with a scientific brain, she re-applied and accepted an unconditional place at Cardiff Metropolitan University (the course has since re-branded as Interior Design).
Sarah graduated in 2009, directly into the credit crunch. With employers not taking on new graduates, she took a temporary contract in Bordeaux, France, where she was able to put her A-Level to good use. On the back of this experience, she was offered a job in Cardiff. Although she enjoyed the projects she was working on, Sarah explained that she had a yearning for more design responsibility and influence.
It was this desire for creative control that spurred Sarah to setting up her own company, Ongl Design + Make, with her husband and brother. Sarah was honest about the realities of running her own business, particularly describing the stress of having to make sure that money was coming in. However, she said that the benefits outweigh the negatives, saying that "every day is an inspiration day, every day is a learning day."
Sarah described some of the projects that she has worked on since, including a tensile T-shirt web at the London Design Fair, a collaborative project with children from Willows High School of Educating Cardiff, a nightclub, and the interior refurbishment of Cardiff's Welsh Cultural Centre, Ongl's biggest project yet.
She advised the young people to pursue their passions. Sometimes, she said, you need to stand up to pressure from parents and teachers to follow a particular path.
Part Three: site visit
Inspired by Sarah's work on the café at the Welsh Cultural Centre, Amy led a trip to the neighbouring Arnolfini. She asked the participants to look at what they liked (and disliked) about the space, bearing in mind specific factors like seating arrangements, serving efficiency, accessibility, crowd flow, target audience, acoustics and decoration.
When the group returned back to the Architecture Centre, each person was asked to describe the space in one word. Responses ranged from "modern", "trendy" and "green" to "overwhelming" and "confusing".
Part Three: design challenge
In the final part of the session, participants split into groups to come up with their ideas for an independent café in the city centre. The open brief asked that they identify a target audience, and to design a space that they thought would attract that group.
The first group came up the idea of an international café, with areas to represent different continents distinguished by endemic plants and colour choices. Using earthy colours and lots of greenery, the envisaged the café being attractive to the multicultural visitors in the area.
The second group presented their idea of an aquatic-themed café, using fish tanks to segment different areas of the space. They thought that, by making clear spaces for separate uses, their café could appeal to the widest ranges of audience.
The second group presented their idea of an aquatic-themed café, using fish tanks to segment different areas of the space. They thought that, by making clear spaces for separate uses, their café could appeal to the widest ranges of audience.
The next group proposed a venue on a boat in the floating harbour. They suggested using dark wood on the floors, with light walls to open up the space and reflect the water outside. At night, they suggested using fairy lights to enchant the space. They envisaged their design as creating an irresistible haven for passersby.
The idea of a floating café was a popular one, with the final group also suggesting a venue on a narrowboat. Their idea involved the movement of the boat to new areas, which would allow them to test which moorings were most popular with customers on different days and times. They focused on creating the feeling of space, with minimalist interiors using wooden bench seating and metal industrial lights and a floorplan included outward-facing seating.
Amy then wrapped up the session, thanking Sarah and encouraging participants to consider applying for the Hauser and Wirth 2018 architectural drawing summer school.
Useful links:
More information about taking an Art Foundation Year.
Interiors courses at Cardiff Met and UWE
Dezeen Interiors
Ongl on Pintrest
Remodelling Buildings Book for further reading
The idea of a floating café was a popular one, with the final group also suggesting a venue on a narrowboat. Their idea involved the movement of the boat to new areas, which would allow them to test which moorings were most popular with customers on different days and times. They focused on creating the feeling of space, with minimalist interiors using wooden bench seating and metal industrial lights and a floorplan included outward-facing seating.
Amy then wrapped up the session, thanking Sarah and encouraging participants to consider applying for the Hauser and Wirth 2018 architectural drawing summer school.
Useful links:
More information about taking an Art Foundation Year.
Interiors courses at Cardiff Met and UWE
Dezeen Interiors
Ongl on Pintrest
Remodelling Buildings Book for further reading
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