Ruth Santos

BSID 1-2

I am Creative

CREATIVITY is the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the

production of an artistic work.

If I were to ask what is the most creative thing that I have produced is probably my
Design Studio 4 project Hotel Memoirs. We were required to think of a concept
coming from our best hotel experience and from that we will get one striking word
that will help us to start. I got the word ‘memories’. Through the design process, I
think of all my precious memories from the past and asked myself, ‘what if I could go
back to those times?” So I end up making a hotel that can take you to your past. My
literal translation of the exterior is a brain, from the context of memories and its
storage. And for each spaces (Lobby, rooms, amenities, restaurant, etc.) I translated
it as human development stages; from childhood to adulthood. Why did it became
the most creative design I made? Given the fact that I have done many creative
designs it the past? Because this is the first work that I was able to produce what is
exactly inside my brain. As said in the article from Psychology Today, Creativity is
characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden
patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to
generate solutions. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. A
great idea is nothing but an imagination without the tangible product.

“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being. Creativity requires
passion and commitment. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden
and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness: ecstasy.”
said by Rollo May in book The Courage to Create.

Creativity allows us to think outside of our own little boxes. When I created by design
for the hotel, I had to think and think for a million times but I later realized that I don’t
need to push it instead I just have to let it out naturally. And when I freed myself from
the pressure, I got to think of hundreds of idea that many people adored.

Creating the design is like making scaffolding or schema inside my brain. I put the
necessary materials to it, build a good foundation until it becomes an actual design.

When my professors and classmates saw it they were astonished. One of my friend,
a writer, said that the actual design interpretation that I made from the concept is
what exactly how he pictured it. This design project also affected the ones who
already saw it in their past memories, they started to tell stories from the childhood
and adolescent age.

Cognitive Behavioral Theory describes the role of cognition (knowing) to determining

and predicting the behavioral pattern of an individual. This theory was developed by
Aaron Beck. The Cognitive Behavioral Theory says that individuals tend to form self-
concepts that affect the behavior they display. These concepts can be positive or
negative and can be affected by a person’s environment. My classmates can relate
to my design because it triggered their emotions to think of their memories, they
were able to know it because they have seen it.

How we think as human beings has so many wonderful stories and theories that
sometimes can explain by science but some can’t. I am excited to create more ideas
in the future. To let my imaginations out my mind and make it a design to be seen by
the many.

How do you think? It’s more than that.