Creativity Is Not Just For Artists, Construction Creates Too
In collaboration with our clients, we launched a charity DJ event to promote creativity and collaboration in the construction industry. OFF-SITE is now in its third year and we have been humbled by the support and feedback.
Construction has now been ranked as one of the industries most likely to invest in in-house creative roles, according to new analysis reported by the Chartered Institute of Building (Buddoo, N. 2024).
So, why is it important to promote creativity in construction?
A few years ago, I completed a course at Central St Martins called ‘100 Design Projects’. The course was led by Rod Judkins, who believes that everyone is creative, and the participants were from a variety of industries such as banking, law and engineering. None of us were “creatives”.
The course challenged us to think quickly as we completed a new project every 10-20 minutes. We were encouraged to come up with ideas and put them on paper as soon as they came to mind. It was fascinating to see each other’s work and the diversity of ideas that underpinned each project, with no right or wrong answer.
Throughout the week we were taught about artists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and engineers, whose inventions, technological advancements, and businesses would not have been possible without creative thinking and trust in themselves to explore original ideas.
Given that change used to happen over two or three generations and is now instant, the course emphasises Judkins theory that ‘to prosper in economies of the future, one must realise that the real currency of our age isn’t money, data, attention or time. It’s ideas.’
Thanks to Rod, the whole experience helped me to realise the value of creative thinking. Luckily, through the opportunities that our clients present, we’re able to put this theory into practice by delivering intelligent building systems, software and solutions on some of London’s landmark developments.
It’s also well documented that construction faces labour shortages and struggles to attract and retain talent. McKinsey recently published a report about how construction lacks productivity, citing that it ‘is already one of the largest industries, but its growth rate would need to double to meet 2040 demand. Any shortfall in output would cause significant bottlenecks in country-level economic, social, and environmental ambitions and is hampering countries’ abilities to address critical needs of a growing population or meet societal goals, such as affordable housing and net-zero targets.’ (Michke, et al. 2024).
Another industry-wide challenge is the race to Net Zero. Advances in technology and materials manufacturing are helping to reduce embodied carbon and improve the operational efficiency of buildings. New products exist, such as the use of biotechnology to break down waste and develop new materials for construction, or the use of software and AI to improve the ongoing energy consumption and efficiency of buildings.
In order to solve these big challenges such as productivity, geo-political economics, labour shortages, and sustainability, we require innovation. Engineering is not seen as a creative industry, but in order to innovate, we must be open to diversity, and we must be creative.
Creativity fosters innovation.
What is not so well-communicated, is the variety of amazing roles and rewarding, complex challenges that the construction industry offers. For example, Lloret is an Intelligent Building Contractor, that designs and delivers complex control solutions to increase the value of the asset and keep its’ occupants safe and comfortable.
Design consultancy employs a creative process and is a crucial part of construction, producing concept ideas and developing detailed designs through the RIBA stages. Contractors then develop designs into construction using innovative materials and engineering processes. A great example is how contractors are finding ways to reuse and repurpose materials such as steel and glass to reduce the embodied carbon of new construction projects.
Our industry produces some incredibly creative solutions to deliver the built environment in which we work, sleep, and play. We believe that by raising awareness and celebrating the creativity of our work, we can reframe the narrative of the traditional ‘builder’ and help drive our industry forward for future generations.
By Faye Young
Mischke, J., Stokvis, K. and Koen Vermeltfoort (2024). Delivering on construction productivity is no longer optional. [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/delivering-on-construction-productivity-is-no-longer-optional?stcr=6F87D004333F41328E89CE083BAA6E19&cid=other-eml-alt-mip-mck&hlkid=617c3c3d6e3f46198283a575f457d10a&hctky=13204428&hdpid=48b5b8df-8545-4fd1-8058-15624f18f9c4 [Accessed 29 Aug. 2024].
Buddoo, N. (2024). Construction industry one of the UK’s most creative, analysis reveals - CIOB People. [online] CIOB People. Available at: https://ciobpeople.com/construction-industry-one-of-the-uks-most-creative-analysis-reveals/#:~:text=Construction%20has%20been%20ranked%20as%20one%20of%20the [Accessed 29 Aug. 2024].