Creative constraints

Do you also have negative associations with this word? My first reaction when contemplating the notion is indeed negative, but is this attitude misplaced? Each of us, whether in our private or business lives, faces restrictions that form the framework for our actions. Przemo Łukasik, co-founder of the Medusa Group architectural studio, cites as an example the budget and technical constraints we encounter whenever we decide to renovate our bathrooms. Who among us has not gone through the kind of traumatic experience of more than once having to compromise on our beautiful lavatorial vision. In the interview in this issue (‘From Bytom to NY’), the architect also points out that things are similar when it comes to designing a large building. In such cases we also sometimes, quite often literally, end up trying to optimise the process. But we shouldn’t be afraid or resentful towards optimisation; we simply need to adjust to it. The retail sector is also having to adapt to a new reality: the new law restricting on Sunday trading. For this month’s magazine, we invited players and experts in this field to our round table discussion on the topic. Six months after the law came into force the conclusions that have so far been drawn can be found in the feature article entitled ‘Change is the only constant’. The office space market is another that seems set for a shake-up. In the words of Antony Slumbers, a specialist in the impact of technology on the real estate market: “Offices are similar to retail properties in the sense that we don’t need a shop to do shopping anymore, just like we don’t need an office to work in.” A broader look at the future of this segment can be found in the interview entitled: ‘Your flexible friend – the landlord’.