Let’s begin by saying Nicole Blair has been a favorite of MA for some time.
Listen to words that Nicole Blair of Studio 512 carefully selects to speak about her work and you may believe you are in conversation with a fashion or clothing designer, a couturier no less.
MA: “Your design vocabulary reflects an interest in wrapping a space, in folding forms, in geometric shapes and volume and in the “pockets” of space. What influences this language?”
NICOLE: “I am really drawn to regular forms, and then I like to treat them volumetrically.”
MA: “ You studied textiles and fashion early in your career. Your work reflects an interest in angles and volume, in flare and fit. How much influence do you think your early studies have had on your work?”
Nicole: “I obtained my BS at Cornell, studying textiles, business, interior design, and fashion, prior to obtaining my Masters in Architecture from Rice University so perhaps those early years were influential. As a teenager, I also worked in a boutique, styling clothing, and this was helpful in learning how the body can be transformed by the cut and style of clothing, by angles and shapes.”
MA: “What other influence was important to you?”
Nicole: “Early on I learned the benefits of making models as part of the design process, with stints at two significant, profoundly influential, and very different architectural firms in New York. At first, I worked at the compact collaborative intellectual environment of the offices of Peter Eisenman, (MA a controversial architect known more for his writings and teachings on architecture and Post-structuralist perspective, than his Deconstructivist buildings), and the second at the expansive offices of Robert Stern, (MA an architect associated with New Classical Architecture and New Urbanism). At both places, I learned the importance of making models.”
MA: “This makes sense. In fashion, the designer starts with a “toile”, pieces of muslin and paper that are utilized to create a prototype or sample that examines and verifies the extent of the tailoring required, the shape and fit and functionality of the garment prior to production and evaluates the style and relationship to surrounding space. Would you say that in architecture there is a similar alignment in the exploratory process in making a model of a proposed structure, which serves one purpose in providing the clients with a dimensional view of the space, rather than imagining the end product from a set of drawings?”
Nicole: “Yes, the way we experience space is to build a model to figure out the form, and design, and to visually experience the dynamics of the space. A model permits a procession through space, like an optical reveal. It’s an essential design tool. In this way, I can work with clients to evaluate the space and adjust the idea of space as a pre-conceived notion.”
(Physical models are of a schematic design concept for a new studio which will share the site with an existing bungalow. The new studio floats above the existing house and below the City of Austin allowable setback plane, to compliment the quaint scale of the existing bungalow instead of altering it.)
MA: “What is your goal in working with clients?”
Nicole: “I believe that the end product should be the clients’ ‘best reflection of themselves’. An early role is to assess the objects and possessions of the client if these are to figure in the new or renovated space, and design with this in mind. An example of this might be an art or craft collection. In renovation or new construction, we are so often confined by footprint, by ordinances and code, as well as working within budgetary constraints. A design plan for an older building must explore the angles and perspectives of attics and porches as well as the potential for a second level.”
MA: “What are the most satisfying aspects of working with clients?”
Nicole: “Creatively solving problems of space with accessible, and practical design that maintains its originality through the distinctive approach of unifying the space by carefully selected, and not necessarily expected, materials to “wrap” the volume and angles. I like to take the obvious and wrap or clad it in an unexpected material, to provide niches, nooks, and ledges, shelves and pockets of storage which feel as though they should always have been present.”
(Willow Fence. Photo: Jason Heinze)
MA: “Tell us about something that inspires you.”
Nicole: “For me a lumber yard is a source of creative inspiration. It’s a treasure trove of materials and ideas.”
MA: “Much like a warehouse of fabrics might be inspiration to a designer?”
Nicole: “Yes, and I like to find new ways to use familiar materials. Any space may call for serious or playful elements or a combination of both, a fun feature providing light relief. I tend to favor the unexpected, and unusual combinations of materials. Sometimes a craftsman will alert me to a new material, or we’ll engage in a dialog about exploring the use of material in a way that transforms the space.”
(Tiger charred wood siding for the Aguilar Residence renovation is sourced from local Delta Millworks, installed by the Boban Brothers.)
MA: “In fashion there are métiers or trades that support the industry, particularly the custom haute-couture sector. Applique, pleating, embroidery, lacework, and leatherwork as well as feather work, are all separate yet related specialized skill sets used by the designer, to “fashion” the garment. Architects, designers, and builders have mutually supportive relationships with the tradespeople and craftsmen who will physically create the project, these are the plumbers, electricians, engineers, carpenters, and materials specialists, would you say that it is the dialog between the architect and the “métiers” that often results in the most dynamic residences and buildings?”
Nicole: “Absolutely. Simply, we can make a better product with collaboration, not only collaboration with the tradespeople and skilled artisans who execute the designs, but with clients. It is one reason why I offer my clients the option to utilize my skill set as an architect/designer only, or as someone who will also act as a general contractor to build the project.”
MA: “You grew up in Austin. After living and studying elsewhere, what drew you back here?”
Nicole: “I returned to Austin in 2004 to open my firm. I knew I would find inspiration in the creativity that resides within the city’s population, and with the skilled and talented individuals living here.”
MA: “How do you like to work?”
Nicole: “Mostly I work alone, but I also enjoy collaborating with architects, with colleagues and friends—charrette style—to gain feedback and design direction. Solving creative problems (particularly over food and drink) is most similar to a studio environment, hence the name of my company.”
~Georgina O’Hara Callan
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