Jordan Gray on creative friction, the fine line between passion projects and work, storytelling in design, and overcoming the beginner feeling.

Jordan Gray works as a Visualization Specialist at Hanbury.

Architecture and design always have a narrative—an evocative, deeper meaning. From napkin sketches, to drawing sets, to post-construction marketing, each medium for client communication is key to architectural storytelling. I've always had a passion for the visualization toolset, recognizing how renderings, photography, and filmmaking go hand-in-hand with the design process. It's my proverb to practice openness to new methods when there's a better way. Always explore; always collaborate.

Links

• 
  Gray Collab - Jordan’s renderings, photography, and film. Started while freelancing.


• 
  Jordan on Vimeo
  


• 
  Carolina Day School — Asheville, NC by Jordan Gray


• 
  Kappa Achievement Park: A Place to Belong by Jordan Gray


• 
  Hanbury
  


• 
  xkcd: Is It Worth The Time?
  


• 
  Unreal Engine
  


• 
  Lumion & VRay
  


• 
  Rhino & Grasshopper 3D
  


• 
  Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Revit
  


• 
  Google Books Ngram Viewer
  


• 
  Austin Kleon: Pencil vs. Computer on Hurry Slowly

Books

• 
  Less But Better by Dieter Rams


• 
  Faculty Department Volume 1 by Justin Chung


• 
  The Photography Storytelling Workshop by Finn Beales


• 
  So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport


• 
  You Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind


• 
  168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

People mentioned

• 
  Steve Martin
  


• 
  Tim Ferris
  


• 
  David Allen
  


• 
  Cal Newport
  


• 
  Jocelyn K. Glei
  


• 
  Austin Kleon
  


• 
  Dieter Rams
  

Chapters

• 00:00 · Intro


• 00:16 · Start


• 01:25 · How did you get into photography as an architecture student?


• 02:54 · How do you cope with not having time to pursue new things?


• 06:42 · Have you been doing much deliberate practice lately?


• 11:42 · How knowledge translates across tools and disciplines


• 18:21 · What's your personal way of maintaining growth and creativity?


• 32:13 · Does that friction become positive?


• 35:19 · Can everyone make their passion part of their work?


• 38:43 · Asking yourself "Does it feel gratifying? Is it fulfilling? Is it satisfying?"


• 44:27 · Have you been hearing about "storytelling" in your field?


• 48:17 · How can we focus on the human experience instead of other designers?


• 51:58 · How do you make sure a rebrand isn't just skin deep?


• 58:34 · What makes people feel something?


• 01:00:59 · What's most important to focus on if you want to change how you are percieved?


• 01:03:23 · How do you get to the point where people seek you out?


• 01:05:45 · The concept of the podium


• 01:09:14 · The chaos of taking pictures


• 01:13:20 · How much is just overthinking or overdoing?


• 01:14:34 · Will anyone notice the time you spend on the details?


• 01:17:23 · How do you go about capturing creative moments?


• 01:21:03 · Do you have any daily routines that make you happier or more productive?


• 01:22:45 · What would be some book recomendations?


• 01:24:59 · What would be your message to the world?


• 01:27:05 · Enjoying the process of grinding the beans


• 01:34:39 · Using your brain to design things vs just grinding mouse clicks and workflow steps


• 01:37:08 · How would you define simplicity?


• 01:42:15 · What have you learned about simplicity from making this podcast?


• 01:46:28 · Where can we find you?


• 01:50:53 · Outro

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