Dan Lenander, Associate, Kasian Architecture, Vancouver, BC

Every project has a narrative. There is always an end, middle and beginning, with twists and turns like a detective novel. A narrative frames the way you experience the project. It’s important to bring everyone along on the journey; be inclusive, descriptive and expressive about how this project can be experienced. Whether you are doing an outdoor public bathroom or office tower, the use and the experience of the space are the acts that set the building apart.

How do each of us perceive the experience of the site? In our studio, laying out the scenarios and experiences help us to organize them on its site. For us the client is the main protagonist that moves through the space, connecting the project to its place as a book that can not be read anywhere else. The narrative is a red thread that frames your perception throughout the project. If you have nothing to say, the room is probably not important.

Storytelling helps the client put themselves into the project, become an active participant in the play. A narrative helps both in explaining the project and developing the layout and functional programming in the building.