You do not need to wait for the completion of a construction project.
New solutions are making tactile creativity seem doable for large organizations and high-use public spaces, without introducing undesirable constraints (such as pickup, lost parts, and set-up). The Everbright is just one example of a solution, and there are sure to be others emerging in this space. Everbright makes an ideal habitat for creativity to incorporate into an existing space. Tactile, interactive creativity engages the hands, eyes, mind, and body, and plunges the mind into a deep state of creative flow. When tactile creativity is incorporated into the permanent design of a space, it provides a much-needed trigger for creativity—which has become elusive in the modern public space.
You may have observed that creativity is about setting up a series of counterpoints. It is not simply about having a new perspective and being able to look out the window and see a vast view of the ocean; it is also about having a consistent, cozy place to work in which the same types of things tend to happen at the same times of day.
A vast, expansive view and a small nook are equally important to cultivating creativity in an organization. Likewise, in a library, a centralized center for knowledge where people are focused on achieving a goal (such as finding and checking out a book) is the ideal home for engaging in open-ended creativity through tactile, sensory play.
WHY IS BUILDING OUT A NEW SPACE A GOOD TIME TO INCORPORATE CREATIVITY?
The best time to think about designing for creativity is when you are building out a new space. Here’s why:
1. Creativity has physical, environmental requirements.
Creativity is an endless, regenerative activity that people will never tire of. When you embed open-ended creativity into your interior, you will make creativity a permanent part of your space, and your culture. Creativity is a mindset, a way of thinking, that is continually reinforced through daily habits and practices of individuals and of the group. When everyone is consistently on the same page, magic happens.
2. The nature of work and public spaces means people will continue to be disoriented and overstimulated, and will need a grounding exercise.
Life will continue to pull us out of our ideal states of mind. People will never stop needing reminders that they are capable of getting back into a flow state, and that they are capable of finding a creative solution to any problem, by using their bodies, striking up unforced conversations with colleagues, and allowing their minds to rest meditatively and in an unfocused way on a problem.