a work in progress

I find it challenging to design things for myself or for abstract clients. I don't know what implications this trait has for my place in the design world, but I'm beginning to suspect that it is more of a liability than an asset. This particular image showcases my lack of advanced computer rendering skills, which is a much more significant liability in a profession that can no longer seem to function without sophisticated software and the shamans who operate it.

Lately, I've been more and more interested in issues surrounding real estate, urban planning (or lack thereof), and other settlement patterns. The stylistic aspects of architecture still excite me, and I actually prefer not to look too deeply into their history. I will admit that I romanticize the past, but only when I am out on the street. When I have to deal with old houses and buildings as a user instead of a pedestrian, I get frustrated quickly. The design profession has made progress, but often at the expense of pure aesthetics and whimsical decoration. A modern architect has to be more concerned with a holistic sensory experience than a visual manifesto. This is hardly an original observation, but it bears constant repeating.