Moonglow Studio Founder and Principal Designer Erin Bhati looks to incorporate artistic expression and style into every job she does. She helps clients design their outdoor spaces by planting greenery and installing hardscapes like walkways and patios. By modeling her designs and breaking down costs and budgets, Bhati works with clients to bring their visions to life.
Bhati joined the ArtU American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Student Affiliate Chapter on Wednesday, Feb. 21, over Zoom for a special School of Landscape Architecture (LAN) Alumni Presentation to share her experience as a student at Academy of Art University and how she built Moonglow Studio. LAN prioritizes connecting alumni with current students to gain insight into their prospective fields from those who work in the industry.
Graduating from the Academy in 2017, Bhati was a part of the first graduating class of undergraduate LAN students. To help boost her résumé and skill set while at the Academy, she participated along with her classmates in the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show during quite a successful showing.
“I was part of the first year that we did it,” shared Bhati. “The first year was in 2012; we won a gold medal. It was exciting. The whole idea was kind of taking trash cans and bringing that cool urban art style to landscape design.”
She also participated in the Academy’s annual Spring Show and explained that the project she worked on was connected to the greater San Francisco community.
“For our final project in studio, we had to choose any space in San Francisco and repurpose it. I did mine on Balboa Reservoir, which was nothing and it’s just a big cement area, and I repurposed it into a park,” explained Bhati, who won an award for the project. “So, it was cool taking a space not being used, that used to be this space that held water and was just a massive concrete area, and [making] it into a park. I had a really cool concept of all the greenery and different kinds of elevations.”
Once Bhati left school, she joined a “big design firm” and began doing work with AutoCAD. When it came to starting a studio of her own, she shared that it was “really overwhelming.”
Bhati explained to students that adjusting to working independently as a business owner was a challenge after working in groups with other students at the Academy. Eventually, she realized that working with clients and contractors was much like collaborating with other artists.
“I believe that when you do start your own design studio, your clients are your ambassadors,” said Bhati. “They’re the ones who are going to give you referrals. They’re the ones who are going to do the marketing for you. When you’re working with clients, I believe it’s a collaboration. I think you as a designer are there to guide them and help them navigate their design and their vision.”
She also stressed the importance of using 3D design software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Lumion to give clients, as well as herself, a blueprint that is easy to visualize and picture themselves in.
“I wanted to show you guys how powerful it is to show 3D renderings and not just a plan or elevation,” Bhati said during her presentation. “Because it really helps the client see what it looks like, and it makes the design better, and it makes you be able to refine these even more.”
When it comes to creating a beautiful and interactive outdoor space, Bhati shared that a tip is to enter the homes of clients to visualize the view of the outside architecture from the inside.
“I want their experience not just to be when they’re outside; it should also be something they like to look [at from in their homes] and enjoy,” said Bhati.
At the end of the presentation, Bhati took questions from students in attendance.
One student inquired about how the Academy had prepared her for success, and Bhati cited a business design class where she had to create a model design firm.
“We had to come up with a mission statement, a logo; I loved that!” said Bhati. “I used that when I created my business. I love that the Academy gave me real hands-on experience.”
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