You know guys, I stopped being a big fan of Architectural Record (in general) and Record Houses (specifically) a long time ago. I used to love the Record Houses issue many years ago and looked forward to receiving it each year. But, in more recent years, it has just become... weird. With that said, however, Architectural Record, as an independent editorial publication, has the right to print whatever it wants and to take whatever position it wants as to what is, or is not, good architecture. The fact of the matter is, they aren't really looking at these houses from a pragmatic, functional point of view. It's all about art - like it or not. The truth is that there are many different magazines that we, as architects, can choose to read. Some we like and some we don't. Personally, I think the homes published annually by Fine Homebuilding and Custom Home are far more "realistic" examples of good "real world" contemporary design. With that said, I still subscribe to Architectural Record and I still read it each month - and look at their daily e-mail. I enjoy seeing divergent points of view about the artistic side of our profession and the "experimental" projects that some architects (and their clients) are engaged in. I don't always like the art I see in a museum either - but it doesn't stop me from looking at it - or from appreciating it for what it is. Art, creativity and experimentation are a vital part of our profession. I am looking forward to participating in the COD conference in Seattle this June and seeing, firsthand, some of the work that I have greatly enjoyed in recent years! Can't wait to meet Bill Cutler! I hope to see you there. If you haven't attended a COD conference, you have NO IDEA what you are missing!!!
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Timothy J. Mulle AIA
TMA Architects Inc.
Chagrin Falls OH
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