We all know what it is like to have a conversation with someone genuinely engaged and present in the moment. 

 They look you in the eyes; there is a mutual asking of questions and a responding with feedback to the discussed topics. It produces memorable moments of intimacy, setting benchmarks for future interaction. 

In life’s busyness, it is essential to slow down and make the most of these moments when they arise. 

I believe that there is a way design can facilitate these special events. 
In a recent project for a repeat client, this was taken to new levels I had previously not considered nor anticipated.  

My client and friend was sadly diagnosed with cancer during the design process. 

 Such circumstances tend to cause us to reflect and adjust. 
 As a designer, I believe it is the height of honour to consider how one’s environment could facilitate such a dramatic change in personal conditions. There is a paradigm shift of sorts that takes place. It involves paring back to meaningful essentials that force us to reflect on the momentary.

What could that look like? To me, it is about creating space that offers two distinct outcomes. 
- Encourages memorable human interaction 
- Facilitating moments of peaceful reflection

In my opinion, the first is about crafting space that gently encourages togetherness. This might translate as a firepit surrounded by fixed seating or providing a sunken indoor living area pointing one to another.

The second is inherently sensory. It is about feeling the breeze, experiencing the warmth of the winter sun, enjoying the way light is filtered through leaves, and capturing views through the framing architecture can provide. 

Making allowances for such things means continual enjoyment is found within the memory of the moment. 

It is not about trying to force circumstances, but rather allowing for them to happen organically. It facilitates future experiences that I will never be privy to but have been allowed for in the humblest of ways. 

Anthony Rigg – Bleuscape Design