The startups are born out of a vision, zeal and a desire to procreate. Most of the founders of small and mid-size firms would have already amassed vast experiences working with big corporate companies or they are fresh graduates straight out of design colleges. Whatever be the case, the change is in the air and is slowly impacting the corporate giants in a big way. Here’s how:
Leaving Nests of Security
What propels them to leave the safety net of bigger practices and security of a 9-5 job and start their own venture? While there is no single answer to this question, the founders and creative leaders of these firms show that a strong belief in their ideologies and doggedly pursuing their ambition heralds the sweet smell of success. It’s a distinct accomplishment which these practices have achieved, drawing much attention on the design radar on a global level.
As a reflection of this growing trend, start-up firms garnered maximum recognition, both in terms of the shortlisted finalists as well as winners. Brimming with innovative ideas conceptualized by young design teams, these companies are almost winning the proverbial David and Goliath battle.
Remarkably, a lot of these firms with staff strength of less than 20 are working on large scale projects in the hospitality, corporate, and residential sectors. It signals towards not only their own credibility in the market but also the maturing outlook of the industry. Property owners and developers are far more open to working with small practices today, than say, a decade ago. Quite an advantageous position I would say!
Why Brownie Points to Startups?
With savvier clients, who recognize and value the personalized services of start-up firms, projects now eschew cookie-cutter molds for fresh creative concepts. Financially, it makes better sense, as Startup firms are not burdened with the high overhead operating costs as those of large practices.
This is not to say that the days of the large firms are over. On the contrary, they’re the incubators of future talent. With increased competition globally, practices, their sizes notwithstanding, are collectively raising the design bar to new heights, and that is a feat to recognize.
Advent of Regional Design Flavors In Innovative Concepts
The virtue of startups is their zeal to do things themselves and with horizons unlimited. Today, the design is global. This fresh crop of designers target their clients’ needs and requirements as the base of their design and space planning and operate with no inhibitions, incorporating technology like never before and blending other mediums to arrive at a visually, materially, and characteristically new phase of design. Boasting of regional flavours unabashedly, flaunting ”Glocal” outlook.
Dissolving Cabin Hierarchy
The orthodox corporate look has been long replaced by a fresh, young, out of the box, need-based humane space planning, and design. Along with an open mind, space also is looked upon as individualistically as possible, respecting the need for privacy and rest. Long, untimely working hours, also globally varied working hours can make the natural resting time topsy turvy. Mindful of such extremes, the startups have crept in with their fresh outlook towards such work hazards and provided some mind-boggling space planning and working area designs. While I write, the offices of Google come into my frame of thought. The nonstop corporate giant has one of the most innovative designs. The design of an office has to reflect today’s evolving work environment, and collaborative working is becoming increasingly popular.
The global population which mostly comprises of youth and is demographically young is impacting the thought processes towards scalable designs and planning. Thus, resulting in a nonconventional working outfit devoid of cabin hierarchies.
The not – so – old CEOs and very young startups, kind of make a team which have different and varied thinking dimensions, yet they converge at a common point where borders of set mindedness dissolve favouring a more democratic setup, to each, for each yet together.
“Those who sit together, work together” seems to be the mantra which means a proactive working environment which is easy on pockets for Clients, giving way to product and graphic designers – ushering in a new era of visual language interconnecting design to needs, understanding and expression.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of HelloPost.)
