2 posts tagged “design”

Age is a difficult thing.  With time comes experiance and the potential for wisdom, but at some point our bodies begin to fail.  Two weeks ago my mom called to let me know grandpa fell off a ladder and had to be taken to the hospital.  His hard headedness saved him, but it was pure stubborness that sent him up the ladder in the first place.  Thankfully a neighbor spotted him and everything was taken care of pretty quickly, though it will be a little while before he fully recovers.  The hardest part is knowing that my mom has to deal with it largely on her own.  There is little I can do from half way across the country.  

Then last week Wendy got a call that sent us racing across town to take her grandma to the hospital.  Three hours later and all we knew was that she had some kind of infection and needed to stay overnight for observation.  Fortunately, here too we were lucky.  She was able to go home a few days later.

I couldn't help but wonder as we waited late into that first night if architecture could have alleviated some of the stresses of both situations.  If senior housing could acknowledge the intense pride most of us have of our independence.  If the architecture and the programs available in Beaumont appealed more to my grandpa maybe he would have been there hanging out with friends rather then try to prune his tree.  If the waiting room at the hospital was more then just the end of a hallway, some chairs and old magazines strewn about, maybe the families with loved ones in the emergency treatment room could be a little less stressed, or at least comfortable as they worriedly waited through the midnight hours.  I know this isn't new and there are plenty of very nice establishments, but for every good hospital or home there is the opportunity that poor conditions exist.  Should I ever have the opportunity to design either project type I'll not forget the insight these few hours gave me.

Coincidentally, I was reading Old Man's War by John Scalzi as these events unfolded.  It's a book about seventy year old men and women going off to fight wars in space, all the while questioning lifetimes, war, humanity, and the soul.  

Trading shuffleboard for adventure.  

Wendy and I were at the house Saturday to clarify tome items, check on progress, and pick-up/deliver the water heater.  During a pause, Wendy's cousin's friend who is helping out pulled us aside to show us a project another project he is doing.  Similar to us, it's an addition in a garage, one bedroom, a bathroom, and an office.  He's doing that work for $60,000.

Within that context he questioned why we are doing so much?  Spending the money  we're spending and dealing with all of the headaches.  He is of the opinion that this is not our dream home.  We are young and we are architects, so we must make money.  We could just do enough for 2-3 years then we move on, sell the house, and do what we really wanted.  After all the ceilings downstairs are only about 7'-0" high, and we could do better then this in a few years (his opinion).

This coming from a builder who sees houses as investments, flipping them to make money.

Later, I asked Wendy if we were doing too much.  We both acknowledged that we're probably spending a little too much.  And it has been stressful at times.  Our project will probably surpass in market value the neighboring houses.  But you know what?  I never thought (and I don't think Wendy did either) about just putting up four walls and making a room.  We're designers and future architects.  This is an opportunity to do more then just building.  We may only live here for a few years, but it is going to be home while we're here, not just a place we stay.  

So I guess I have my answer, even if few people understand...