I'm so proud of myself - I have been quiet for over a week!
It's interesting to me what becomes your standard for value. I have to believe it has a lot to do with your location and the market that dominates that environment. And residential development is the expression of individual (persons or family's) egos! Just like automobiles - "What should I drive to make observers think what I want them to think - not to reflect the true condition of my existence."
After architectural school and being made to believe I could save the world's population from their own unfortunate taste, I went to Hilton Head Island, SC where "Who is your architect?" was the subject of all cocktail talk.But I lived at the north end of the Island with the Marsh Tackies, a breed of outcast ponies that was tied out in sandy and grass parcels to graze between jobs! It was a Cinderella existence.
Then I moved to Williamsburg, Virginia - another sort of fantasy land that supported Colonialism. Amazingly, there were enough of us renegades to foster a fairly interesting contrast to the standard. As the Chairman for the ARB for the City for longer than I care to rmeember, I learned a lot about individual taste as it relates to values, and the process of dealing with regulated values in design. And for the past twenty years I have been managing architects involved in developing one of the fastest developing universities in the country. It's interesting to watch egos express themselves.
I have learned one major lesson that serves me well. I am one of many Not just architects, but humans as well. And not one of use is perfect, nor do we really have THE answer for others. Not just as architects, but as humans as well.
I appreciate this dialogue. I think it is healthy to avoid stagnation of all elements in life - variety is truly the spice in life. Hilton Head Island is magnificently boring - so is Williamsburg. They are great examples of how to do boring well.
I'm now married to a most wonderful individual who comes from a family that works in rice paddies in the Philippines. After nearly every monsoon season, they would have to build a new bamboo shelter to house themselves. To "rebuild" doesn't fit here because there was nothing left with which to start. Yet she is happy and very appreciative of whatever I have to offer her. And she gives me so much more with her sweetness and constantly beautiful smile. And Good Lord can she cook!!!
I have reframed what is valuable in residential architecture and life in general from years of being flexible and listening to others. Think about what it means to truly listen.
And with housing - remember - they have to live in it. Is it livable, and will it last - in all respects?
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George Jennings AIA
G Booker 3
Tappahannock VA
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