Using Summer As The Springboard For New Ideas 

For architects and designers working on healthcare, senior living, and corporate projects, light and airy themes might not seem like a fit. But, more and more, creative design inspiration is being appreciated across all industries. In honor of the coming months, what about drawing on summer themes for your next project? Here are some ideas. 

Aligning With The Sun

For many people, there’s no greater symbol of summer than the sun. It can be a great source of inspiration, at face value, but it has also played a powerful role in cultures throughout time. For example, consider the summer solstice (June 21st), the day when summer officially starts and also the longest day of the year (in terms of daylight). 

An Architectural Digest author put it beautifully: “Solstice offers the chance to admire the expertise of the architects of the ancient world who painstakingly designed temples, pyramids, and other intriguing buildings to align precisely to the movement of the sun–critical to ancient cultures dependent upon knowledge of solar movements for successful harvests.” 

The sun, then, is much more than just a beacon of warmth and summertime. The step pyramid of Chichen Itza, for instance, was built to align with the summer solstice. On that day, over the course of five hours, light and shadows create seven triangles on the side of the staircase. 

Another example comes from the Incas, who held religious beliefs about the sun. As such, they built the Temple of the Sun in Peru so that the sun would shine through it and illuminate a specific spot carved on a sacred rock on the solstice. 

Summer Themes

In addition to stunning architectural creations, this season also offers designers many design ideas to use in interior spaces. To start, the color yellow is generally regarded as a bright, appealing color. Infuse some warmth into an otherwise stark space by making use of yellow and complementary shades that feel like summer. 

The summertime is also associated with nature and growth. When designing your next project, consider how a floral accent wall or fruit-themed art (e.g. lemons as a focal point) might create a lighter, more friendly environment. 

Perhaps nothing says summer more than a sunroom. Whichever kind of building you are working on, could you make a space for something like this? Think of plentiful windows that let in natural light, white or fresh colors and vibrant pillows. Such a space could be a haven for stressed employees in need of a few minutes to themselves, a senior who would love a comfortable, cheerful area to sit with their grandchild or a worried spouse waiting for their significant other to get out of surgery. Little details can go a long way in boosting moods and making difficult situations more palatable. 

So as you seek out creative design inspiration for architecture and interiors, why not start with summer themes? And, as always, if you would like to work with a partner that puts the human experience first, we would love to help!