CDW “Storytelling in Design – What Gives a Project Compelling Narrative?

It was a pleasure of joining SANDOW Talk panel as part of Clerkenwell Design Week. Thanks again for the inspiring panel: Clerkenwell Design Week, SANDOW, AJ Paron, Joseph Patrick Sgambati III, Design Milk, Caro Communications,Fleur Treglown,TiggColl

Grateful to have shared the stage with you!: Fredrik Franzon, Johannes Karlström, Kevin Haley, Shayne Brady

Some of my personal key takeaways below:

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗜𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡?

"For me, storytelling begins right at the concept and research phase.

Every project is rooted in thorough research—into the building, its context, the client’s values, and the cultural or historical fabric that surrounds it. It’s in that investigation that I often find a narrative thread—a compelling anchor that makes the design resonate on a deeper level. That’s what transforms a project from functional to unforgettable.

 One of the most powerful tools I rely on during this stage is the playful, exploratory collage. These early compositions often go beyond traditional architectural representation—they’re abstract, emotional, and intuitive.

Sometimes, it starts with something unexpected: the image of a leaf drifting in the wind, a reflection cast in concrete, or the quiet presence of a nearby canal. These fragments aren’t just poetic—they help distill a mood, an atmosphere, or a memory that can shape the identity of the space."

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞? 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗔 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗦?

"It’s a diverse group, really. Our studio was founded on the idea of projecting the feeling of home, and we work hard to maintain that sense of intimacy and emotional connection—whether it’s a compact residential extension or a 900-bed student or co-living development.

What unites our clients is less about sector and more about mindset. Some are emotionally invested because they’ll live in the space themselves; others approach the project as a product designed for others to inhabit. But across the spectrum, there's a consistent appreciation for narrative-driven design.

A well-crafted story not only anchors the project but also offers a clear and coherent rationale for every design decision. It becomes a guiding framework—helping to define what can be value-engineered without compromise, and what elements are essential to preserve the project's identity. It’s this balance of emotion and logic that our clients respond to most."

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗔𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨’𝗥𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘?

"For me, the most challenging—and also the most rewarding—part of the process is discovering a narrative that feels authentic and resonant. Once that central story is in place, it becomes a shared reference point that brings clarity to the entire journey.

When the client connects with that narrative from the outset, it creates a collaborative framework we can return to together. It helps us evaluate each design decision or proposed change through a common lens: Does this still align with the core idea? Are we reinforcing the story, or drifting away from it?

That shared narrative doesn’t just guide the design—it strengthens the relationship. It helps clients feel more confident in the process, and more connected to the outcome, because they can see how every detail ladders up to something bigger."

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟? 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨’𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 '𝗘𝗡𝗗' 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬?

"Identity is such a key topic in these discussions—and honestly, it’s often the core value that developers look for, especially in larger, more commercially focused projects. A strong narrative isn’t just anecdotal; it’s embedded in the experience of the building itself. It’s about how the space looks, how it feels to the touch, and the subtle journey it takes you on—those quiet, layered cues that reflect the project’s story.

I don’t think the story ever truly ends with the final product. It evolves through how people interact with the space, how they interpret it, and how it weathers over time. Users bring their own meanings to it, adding chapters that the original team couldn’t have predicted. In that sense, the project continues to grow, becoming richer through lived experience. Architecture, at its best, is unfinished in the most beautiful way—an open invitation for interpretation."

𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘, 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚, 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬

"Sustainability often suffers from greenwashing, and we’re beginning to see the same trend in collectible design, luxury, and even narrative-driven projects. The problem tends to arise when “green” becomes the central story, rather than one element of a larger, more meaningful narrative. It can quickly lose credibility—especially when key decisions are made without alignment or transparency.

In my view, sustainable design shouldn’t be a marketing angle—it should be a baseline expectation. And from there, we need to build stories with deeper layers. A compelling narrative should add emotional and cultural richness, not just tick a box. The industry could benefit from more critical reflection, more openness to being questioned. That’s how we can evolve—not by packaging values into slogans, but by expressing them through the lived, material, and emotional qualities of the spaces we create."

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