Why on earth would you want to create 'bump space' for a living?

Being able to ‘bump’ into people down the hall or around your area gives a natural feeling of belonging, of being local, declares Ethan.

“It is about engaging in the city a different way, about communal areas and breaking down ownership, sharing more resources and connecting with people around you.”

As a spatial designer, Ethan loves being involved in creating this sharing of space at Ockham Residential, a forward thinking developer.

Ethan says he has always had the ability to translate space and things in his head onto a page - digital or physical.

“With spatial design it is also crucial to have an understanding of scale and the relationship between different objects, whether within a room or around buildings. These are skills you can work on and I’m definitely getting better at it.”

Typical day in the office?

Currently most of Ethan’s work involves the interior aspects of buildings. A typical day involves working on internal designs, managing fittings and finishes, producing construction drawings and resource consents and drafting interior packages for projects.

He also occasionally works with the marketing team to create brochures and website content to translate the look and feel of new apartments for buyers, such as rendering new projects.

“I also get involved in the spatial arrangement within buildings and working with suppliers to find furniture and finishes that create the right feel and look of the building. I could be looking at kitchen set ups one day - lounges or dining rooms the next.”

Fitting out a space involves multiple suppliers and installers, so Ethan has to consider their requirements, how they relate to each other and how to bring it all together to the deadline.

“It definitely requires a lot of communication and an understanding of the sequencing of a project, of how different elements get constructed and fit together.”

Landing the job

In his final year Ethan decided to approach design firms he’d like to work for. Ockham Residential stood out because of their innovative approach to construction and design in Auckland – and also because they were sponsors of the NZ Book Awards.

“I am a bit of a bookworm,” he laughs.

When they advertised an administrator job he jumped at the chance to get a foot in the door. It was a great move that then opened up spatial designer opportunities.

“They knew I had a spatial design degree and when plenty of projects started coming through I was tapped on the shoulder and we went from there. I’ve been here nearly three years now. It was gratifying to move into a role I had actually studied for and dreamed about from the get-go.”

First independent project – scary?

Ethan’s first solo project was designing the space we interviewed him in – the space of Ockham Collective headquarters. It was a big step up from drafting something for a project to managing the whole thing and he definitely had a few panicky moments.

“It was small scale but quite an education. I had moments where certain elements I had designed just didn’t work, such as a set of acoustic panels that overlapped with a sprinkler. I had to quickly think about it and come up with a solution.”

Best part of the job?

“The opportunity to help redefine the notion of medium density housing in Auckland is what at I love," says Ethan. "It is quite humbling to be able to go past buildings and say I helped on that – it is a really nice legacy."

Each apartment development is built close to public transport routes – bus, train and cycle - and designed to be distinctly  sustainable with lots of landscaping, access to green spaces and amenities for shared living, he explains.

“Each project has something different. For example, one complex has a scooter lift and scooter parks but no car parks. Another has a library as part of its shared communal space."

Finding his way to spatial design

As a child, Ethan was always putting pen to paper but never thought his scribbles would lead to a career. He started studying architecture at University of Auckland, keen to bring his interest and maths and physics together with his desire to draw. But after a year he changed to spatial design at AUT, looking for more connection to the arts.

“Spatial design has a stronger connection to the arts and I liked the variety of directions that opened up with spatial design. I enjoyed being able to create things less heavily connected to the built environment - including creation of temporary spaces or exhibitions that connect more directly to users.”

One of his dreams is to build a tiny house, do away with things, share things with neighbours.

“ I really want to live like that.”

(Part of the blackboard wall designed by Ethan for Ockham Collective)

Tips to students

1. "There is a real need to look at sustainable sources and look for environmentally and socially conscious ways of working and designing. It is more about how we share what we have."
2. "Get out and network! There are so many organisations, such as Designers Institute of NZ (DINZ), Green Building Council, Institute of Architects, putting on events, often free. It is very cool to see students at those and I wished I’d got into them all earlier."

Find out more about spatial design careers here.

Update

Ethan is now working as an Architectural Technician at Studio PDP, London.

Written by AUT Employality and Careers writer Angela McCarthy/video by AUT Employability and Careers specialist Rebecca Du.