Working out of HMC’s Ontario, Calif., studio, Evan Troxel is a designer and mentor to others during work hours, a college professor after hours, and an instructional video blogger way after hours. Still perplexed as to when Evan finds time to sleep, we sat down to find out what amazing things he’s working on and how he fits it all into a day’s work.
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What are you currently working on at HMC?
Current Projects:
City of Industry Police Station – New design project
Classroom Design Competition for Los Angeles Unified School District
Designers Toolbox Seminar Series – Exploring design tools step-by-step
Rocking the Boat – Getting people to express their passion through dialog and design
Recently completed:
Hong Kong International Design Ideas Competition
LACCD Southwest College Design Competition
Department of Homeland Security Border Facilities proposal
Loma Linda PossAbilities Square fundraising campaign branded environment
We know you’re a great mentor to others in the studio. Where are you teaching after hours?
I’m currently teaching first and second year undergraduate Digital Design Studios and the first year graduate student Digital Design Studio at Cal Poly Pomona, as well as Intro to Revit Architecture at Mt. San Antonio College.
Tell us about your blog.
I blog about all things digital in the field of architectural design. I talk about tips, tricks, and workflows that empower architectural designers to do what they want most—be creative. I provide expert, video-based training using several different 3-D design applications, including SketchUp, Bonzai3d, Revit, Cinema4d, and Artlantis as they pertain to design. I also talk about how technology works together with creative designers. Topics like presentation tools and techniques, layout, graphic design, hardware, and software are all open for discussion.
I started blogging because I saw a need. So often the tools we use limit our designs. That in turn ends up watering down how we express our imagination. Designers get comfortable with a singular tool because they use it a lot. This has become dangerous to their creative endeavor. One tool cannot do it all. My method involves the metaphor of tools in the toolbox. A designer uses this tool for this task, and that tool for that task. All of the software talks to each other, so there is no need to try to make one do something it can’t. They are all in the toolbox for their appropriate uses at the appropriate time.
It’s my hope to create change by opening the door to a new set of tools that haven’t perhaps been considered before, and show my viewers step-by-step how to create within these applications so they can express their creativity and hopefully get some amazing buildings and spaces built. We need more great architecture that affects people. Thought-provoking space, the kind that sits you down and asks you to think about how it makes you feel.
What other obsessions keep you going?
I have a great shop space at home for personal projects—whether it’s wrenching on my mountain bike, motorcycle, or welding a custom frame for my kitchen counter, I’ve always been very into making. My father has always been a do-it-yourselfer and I have always looked up to him for that. He taught me early on how to see the possibilities in a project when you have control over the outcome. It also gives me a chance to figure out what I don’t want to do ever again—I’ll never roof my house again. Never.
Visit Evan’s blog: Get Method
Follow Method: http://twitter.com/methodtraining
