The Origins Of Spacesave.co

Welcome to the first post of spacesave.co.  

This blog is an idea that has been rattling in my head in different formations in the last few years.  

Summer Project

Every summer I have the opportunity to rest from my main work in architecture, and rest with family and friends, and remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus and welcome in the new year.

I also use this break to work on ‘summer projects’.  These projects may last over many years like wedding and architectural photography, or short lived like architectural rendering, website design and online marketing. 

I treat the summer as a way of cross training and trying things different from normal architectural practice.

I move from and to ideas pretty quickly, and this summer is no different.  

I’ve always been quite drawn to tiny house living, modular housing mixed in with sustainability, minimalism and design thinking. 

When the Netflix show from Marie Kondo came out January 2019, I noticed how she took a regular spring cleaning practice and made it popular.  Her show showed how regular people followed through with the process and created better living environments.  

I saw how professional organisers could make a difference in peoples living conditions, and wondered if I could approach the subject from another perspective.  

As architects, we have the skills to do site analysis, to understand and decipher clients spatial requirements, and to design spaces to meet the clients brief.  There is hope that through this process, the work improves peoples living conditions. I wondered if there could be an ‘architectural’ version of sparking joy in people’s homes.

So this summer I’ve created this blog called spacesave.co.  Its going to start pretty small, and although seemingly from nothing, I have explored some of these ideas in the past.

Meaning and Origin of spacesave.co

To explain the origin and meaning of spacesave.co, please bear with me..

I studied architecture in the late 90’s.  The course consisted of design studio and subjects including design theory, history, structure, construction and environmental studies.  I was a typical student that put all my efforts into design studio and slept through all the other subjects. Amongst the many forgotten lectures and classes, there was one lecturer that stood out.  He would introduce concepts and break them down to their simplest components, from phrases to words, to parts of words, to their meanings and origins. After breaking them down, he would string them together again and give context, meaning and purpose to the main design theory of the day.

Done in a slightly more amateurish way…

Spacesave.co is made up of two words, space and save

Space has many definitions including:

• a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied
• the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move
• the freedom to live, think, and develop in a way that suits one

Space can also be seen as an interval, or the bit in between two points in space, two edges, two datums and two markers in time.

Save is broad word used in many contexts.  The first to come to mind may be to reduce, or set apart, and can be thought in terms of balance and fiscal responsibility.

Save also means to 

• deliver from some danger, rescue from peril, bring to safety,
• prevent death and 
• theologically to deliver from sin or its consequences; admit to eternal life and gain salvation.
• To keep safe, protect and redeem

The two words Space and Save commonly come together as ‘space saving’ or ‘space saver’

And can be contextually thought of as a device, an organisation of things, an idea, a process or an action.

Motivations / purposes / outcomes

Space saving can have many motivations including to make space more flexible, more useable, and make items more accessible.  Space saving can also create opportunities from the ‘freed space’ to a simpler lifestyle, reduced mental burden and more streamlined maintenance.

Space saving can be the result of a major declutter event or can also be the sum of many minor practical actions.  It can also be achieved in a gradual, and iterative way, and be refined through design.

Whats coming up

Spacesave.co is an open idea

It will initially explore whats good and innovative in space saving ideas, how to approach certain space saving scenarios and may be filled out by recommended products and services that enhance space saving.

There are so many contexts to explore space saving.  To start of with this may include: internal areas, external areas, kitchen, studies, linen cupboards, technology, auto, camping and more.  Although I may have expertise in certain areas such as custom joinery and kitchens, I’ll hope to bring in others that may fill in with their knowledge and experiences.

We hope you enjoy this new blog, and if you have something to share like an idea or a question on the topic, feel free to email info@spacesave.co