OTP Design’s Design Principles & Inspiration

By OTP Design's Director of Design - Austin E.

Design Principles
We’ve put together three main keywords which we believe is an accurate representation of our design principles that we follow on every project we take on: Adaptable, Modern, Practical.

Adaptable - We have a strong belief in creating spaces that are suited to the client’s needs for now but also have the ability to be reconfigured in the future. If a space can be repurposed then it provides flexibility for the end user. Some examples of this would be a closet that could be converted to an elevator, a basement that could be sectioned off to make a rental unit or designing the structure to support another floor above in the future.

Modern - When we layout a floor plan, we’re always taking into consideration flow and daylighting to make sure the space feels as open as it can. We always try to push the limits on design styles to give them a modern interpretation. We’re rooted in modern design along with contemporary, transitional, and craftsman styles. We believe any style can have a modern twist to it. 

Practical - At the end of the day, we want to make sure the space is functional and well thought out so everything is practical to use. We make sure every space has a use and purpose. We also think about efficiency in design so that elements such as spans for structure and systems for heating and cooling are kept within realistic bounds. 

Design Inspiration 
Our design inspiration looks to the past and present of the built environment. The past reveals the roots of residential design when we built to fulfill a need with basic essentials. There’s core connections to spaces that we still use today. The present shows how we’ve developed a way of life and expanded needs to wants to make homes multifunctional. It’s up to us to design to the future to make sure our designs will stand the test of time. 

There’s a lot of inspiration to be found in nature itself as shapes and patterns can be found in vegetation. The topography of a site can also help dictate the form of the building as it needs to adapt to fit onto the site. The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci sequence can help to proportion spaces or elements to be visually appealing. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture and prairie style are always a source of inspiration. The new design styles pushed the boundaries of what was feasible at the time and have become timeless design pieces which still fit into the modern era we’re in now.