I came across a quote many years ago from an artist in the beginning of my creative journey. She said, "be good at more than one thing in your profession, because it will increase your chances of survival" and that just stuck. I talk a little bit about my relationship with design growing up in my bio. I felt called to pursue a career path that pushed me creatively. I'm pretty sure I drove my parents crazy growing up feeling the need to re-invent myself in different chapters of my life, I wanted to be a dancer, I wanted to be a DJ and produce music. I wanted to be an artist, a photographer, a director, a set designer, a graphic designer. I wanted to build brands and digital experiences. I wanted to design spaces. I never felt indecisive, I was just curious.
Curious Coco.
This past year, I had the opportunity to contribute concept to a commercial space that would push creative boundaries in ways I had never worked in. This project called for completely stepping out of the box and articulating design in environments we don't often see here in the states. This design concept was inspired by the legendary and one of the most influential architects of all-time, Zaha Hadid.
I studied her, her process, where she found inspiration, how she executed concept. The more and more, I learned about her, I became wildly intrigued by her commitment to pushing boundaries and relentless energy to never accept the ordinary. I became her student, watching every video on YouTube I could find. I needed this, I needed her in this very specific design chapter of my life.
I remember the day I visited the site for this project.
"Indeed, our designs become more ambitious as we see the new possibilities created by the technology of other industries." - Zaha
My initial instinct was to capture every dimension of the space with my video camera in a first person view. My professional background in video and photography would play apart in how I would reference the energy in the environment. I needed to understand how the space felt from each corner of the room, the ceiling height, how lighting reflected from each wall. I went home and studied the footage and opened up my design programs. I knew graphic design would aid in visualizing elements to capture the Zaha-inspired site.
I worked along side our architect and CGI artist to digitally build the space. As each phase of the project progressed and we exported versions of the renders, the concept was no longer an idea but it became a tangible product, a functional space, a design built for the future. My heart fluttered and my stomach flipped. This experience imprinted me in a way where I knew I was going to want more of this. I now understand Zaha's relentlessness and insatiable appetite for pushing her own wild creative boundaries. She loved what she did and wore it passionately.
Throughout the years of my design journey, I've learned to appreciate the process more than the result. The result is rewarding, but it's trusting the process and being honest and confident in what you have to offer. I'm ready for whatever comes next.
- Coco Fierro
These images collected from ZAHA HADID were apart of my initial mood board.
To be continued...
Comments will be approved before showing up.
WHEN A ROOM IS LIT
And I'm not just talking about flipping on a light switch. Lighting has the ability to set the mood, draw the energy and fill the essence of a room. I personally love natural lighting, I have large windows that draw a lot of natural light during the day, so my drapes stay open until that Las Vegas golden hour hits.
