What exactly is creativity? It is stringing together pieces of information that your brain has stored from different experiences, from different periods in a unique sequence to solve a problem. If then, how do you get more creative?
During my architecture days, I have had several of my school friends ask me this - how do you keep the ideas coming? What do you do if they just..... stop? Honestly, I myself have spent sleepless nights, arguably a bit more than I would confess, on this very topic. Because, I am a person of stability. If I know exactly what to do, a defined path, a systematic approach, I ace it. You have a math exam coming, build a strategy. Plan ahead, leave no room for surprises. I knew exactly how much to cover and how much time I had. It was all quantifiable. So then, you can imagine the shocker I received at arch school, where everything is organic. Creativity is to be trusted and pursued, it will come to you, when it does.
So all through school, my focus was not design, but a system for design. I spent a whole lot time on understanding the brief, studying my references, building a concept, creating prototypes and finalizing on one. And I would say I kind of succeeded, but these very strategies have helped me in design, in my entrepreneurial journey and life in general. (Subtle prompt to head onto https://www.theabsurdarchitect.com/post/why-we-need-creative-people-on-the-top to read more). Creativity too can be learned, I realized.
A system for architecture inspiration - A scientific approach on creativity
We all have a bias. In our design, I mean. For some it might be vernacular, reminiscent of an age bygone. For others, futuristic, aspirational in its nature. For me, I am inadvertently attracted to a mid century modern and 80s aesthetic, reminiscent of the childhood, I grew up in, in the Middle East and my parents music collection. Creativity hence is an extension of oneself. Your tastes and sensibilities are shaped by your journey, and your architecture inspiration is predominantly your experiences. In design, all you learn is to quantify it systematically and if needed understand your clients' bias.
The more experiences you have, conversations you make, debates you partake and seasoning you go through, the more creative you become.
Well, don't you get it then. As our real life experiences diminish, we become increasingly reliant on documented experiences and borrowed thoughts.
A solution
Did you know that creativity is simply your brain finding new neural patterns? Basically they just thread information available in different parts of the brain in a unique combination to find a one-of-a-kind solution.
#1 Relax
No, I mean it. You need to unwind to let your brain build effective pathways. We have spoken enough on it.
#2 Build information
Remember, that time you sat on a design problem and a random experience you had in school paved way to your design? This is your brain finding bits of information for potential solutions. So the key point is this - have more experiences, more memories. Engrave them in your system. Write them down, journal them, blog them, document them. At least make a damn Instagram post about it. A meaningful life is where you find inspiration.
And all this should happen, before your laptop does.
Have a wonderful week!
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