Tim Politis

My career and love for design began in the sandbox. Moreover, if the name was not already taken, I would have called our studio 'sandbox.' It is the freedom to create, explore and build that the sandbox provides that I have always loved. Continuing through school, I took as many art and drawing courses as I could and wound my way to the University of Nebraska, College of Architecture where I discovered the joys of creative projects.

One Line Studio, a design-focused architecture studio founded in 2012 by Tim Politis, originates from the belief that the first move (often the first gesture on paper) is significant in setting ideas, defining the critical path, and leading to creative problem solving. The Colorado based studio engages in diverse commercial, experiential hospitality, adaptive reuse, inspired living, and one-of-a-kind ventures seeking inventive solutions that turn constraints into opportunities.

Design is all encompassing. It is not only what is built and the environment that it is in, but also the many intangible elements such as time, available resources, the talent brought by others, individual interests, the economy and so much more.

For our studio, it is not the type of work that is intriguing, it is rather the problems that we discover. To do this, you need an open-minded team including clients, consultants, and contractors. It is in the open and collaborative realm that we can identify problems and through the process of problem solving, discover creative solutions.

We are currently working on the ‘The Stitch,' an elevated transit experience that soars above the Cherry Creek waterway in Denver with vistas of the Front Range and Rocky Mountains in the distance. The platforms and bridges that connect gondola stations create opportunities for vertical parklets and strings of pedestrian-focused routes that stitch together Denver’s unique neighborhoods, connecting LoHi, LoDo, The River Mile, Ball Arena, Union Station, The Theater District, the Convention Center, Auraria Campus, the Golden Triangle, Cherry Creek North and more. With a minimal footprint and a diagonal route through the city, The Stitch meets numerous bike trails, bus routes and train lines already within the city to create a dynamic, pedestrian oriented and well-connected urban environment for Denver.

I am inspired by the duality of materials and their use. It is a process of seeking resourcefulness as the seed to developing creative solutions. For example, if a wood panel can be both structure and finish. An expansion joint not only separates materials but serves as the vehicle to ventilate a space. Structural steel members are designed to support the superstructure as well as the secondary glazing, minimizing the need for additional frames.

When walking. I take a walk in the middle of the day almost every day. This walk not only is a change of environment and refresher for the remainder of the day, it clears my thoughts and allows me to see things differently. I believe there is also something about the act of doing and in this case movement that helps to expand the creative energies.

Most often excitement and curiosity. It is the opportunity to discover that which I do not already know.

There is a mix of emotions, where there is a joy in seeing something realized, however also an analytical side that evaluating the realized design as if it were simply a model for further exploration. It is a mix of seeing what was not built to plan, what could have been built, and what opportunities lie ahead.

I have come to realize that the best compliment that one may receive for a design is actually an odd question: 'What did you do?' At first this appears to be a criticism, however, what it identifies is that the design intervention fits so well into its context and environment, that the one asking the question is not able to identify what changed. It is a refinement of design so that it appears that it is always meant to be that way.

Out of respect, we have the responsibility to listen, first. It is in listening that we can be responsive, creative problem solvers. I believe it is important to check our ego's and self-interests so that we can be open minded about the affects of what we do and the potential impact to communities and the environment. It does not mean that we do not have a voice, but that we allow our connection to others and the world that is bigger than the self to shape the solutions that we propose.

We begin by listening. We have an engaging process where we ask many questions in hope of discovering and identifying the true needs of our clients.

Ask a lot of questions to get a good feel for how a design team works. Choose the team that has a creative problem solving process. In the end it will not only be more rewarding, but bring great value to your business.

We work as a team and bounce ideas off of each other. Anyone can come up with an idea, but it is the refinement and sculpting of the idea that makes for great works.