If Architects Had to Work Like Programmers
© Copyright Frank D. Kanu 2000-2008
This morning I found these really cute story here:
Dear Mr. Architect:
Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure what I need, so you should use your discretion.
My house should have between two and 45 bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.
Keep in mind that the house I ultimately choose must cost less than the one I am currently living in. Make sure, however, that you correct all the deficiencies that exist in my current house (the floor of my kitchen vibrates when I walk across it, and the walls do not have nearly enough insulation in them).
As you design, also keep in mind that I want to keep yearly maintenance costs as low as possible. This should mean incorporating extra-cost features like aluminum, vinyl, or composite siding. (If you choose not to specify aluminum, be prepared to explain your decision in detail.) Please take care that modern design practices and the latest materials are used in constructing the house, as I want it to be a showplace for the most up-to-date ideas and methods. Be alerted, however, that the kitchen should be designed to accommodate, among other things, my 1952 Gibson refrigerator.
To ensure that you are building the correct house for our entire family, make certain that you contact each of our children, and also our in-laws. My mother-in-law will have very strong feelings about how the house should be designed, since she visits us at least once a year. Make sure that you weigh all of these options carefully and come to the right decision. I, however, retain the right to overrule any choices that you make.
Please do not bother me with small details right now. Your job is to develop the overall plans for the house: Get the big picture. At this time, for example, it is not appropriate to be choosing the color of the carpet. However, keep in mind that my wife likes blue.
Also, do not worry at this time about acquiring the resources to build the house itself. Your first priority is to develop detailed plans and specifications. Once I approve these plans, however, I would expect the house to be under roof within 48 hours. While you are designing this house specifically for me, keep in mind that sooner or later I will have to sell it to someone else. It therefore should have appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers. Please make sure before you finalize the plans that there is a consensus of the population in my area that they like the features this house has.
I advise you to run up and look at my neighbor’s house he constructed last year. We like it a great deal. It has many features that we would also like in our new home, particularly the 75-foot swimming pool. With careful engineering, I believe that you can design this into our new house without impacting the final cost.
Please prepare a complete set of blueprints. It is not necessary at this time to do the real design since it will be used only for construction bids. Be advised, however, that you will be held accountable for any increase of construction costs as a result of later design changes.
To be able to use the latest techniques and materials and to be given such freedom in your designs is something that cannot happen too often. Contact me as soon as possible with your complete ideas and plans.
Respectfully,
J.P. Anonymous
P.S.
My wife has just told me that she disagrees with many of the instructions I have given you in this letter. It is your responsibility as the architect to resolve these differences. I have tried in the past and have been unable to accomplish this. If you cannot handle this responsibility, I will have to find another architect.
P.P.S.
Perhaps what I need is not a house at all, but a travel trailer. Please advise me as soon as possible if this is the case.
Technorati (All Links are external): accommodate accomplish acquiring aluminum architect architects bedrooms big picture blueprints bother carpet choices composite siding consensus construction bids construction costs contact cost breakdown cute story date ideas dear mr deficiencies design and build design changes design practices discretion do not worry feelings final decision finalize freedom gibson great deal have been unable held accountable insulation job latest materials maintenance costs mother in law neighbor once a year please take care population priority refrigerator resolve respectfully right decision showplace sooner specifically swimming pool travel trailer wife likes business it something funny
This morning I found these really cute story here:
Dear Mr. Architect:
Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure what I need, so you should use your discretion.
My house should have between two and 45 bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.
Keep in mind that the house I ultimately choose must cost less than the one I am currently living in. Make sure, however, that you correct all the deficiencies that exist in my current house (the floor of my kitchen vibrates when I walk across it, and the walls do not have nearly enough insulation in them).
As you design, also keep in mind that I want to keep yearly maintenance costs as low as possible. This should mean incorporating extra-cost features like aluminum, vinyl, or composite siding. (If you choose not to specify aluminum, be prepared to explain your decision in detail.) Please take care that modern design practices and the latest materials are used in constructing the house, as I want it to be a showplace for the most up-to-date ideas and methods. Be alerted, however, that the kitchen should be designed to accommodate, among other things, my 1952 Gibson refrigerator.
To ensure that you are building the correct house for our entire family, make certain that you contact each of our children, and also our in-laws. My mother-in-law will have very strong feelings about how the house should be designed, since she visits us at least once a year. Make sure that you weigh all of these options carefully and come to the right decision. I, however, retain the right to overrule any choices that you make.
Please do not bother me with small details right now. Your job is to develop the overall plans for the house: Get the big picture. At this time, for example, it is not appropriate to be choosing the color of the carpet. However, keep in mind that my wife likes blue.
Also, do not worry at this time about acquiring the resources to build the house itself. Your first priority is to develop detailed plans and specifications. Once I approve these plans, however, I would expect the house to be under roof within 48 hours. While you are designing this house specifically for me, keep in mind that sooner or later I will have to sell it to someone else. It therefore should have appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers. Please make sure before you finalize the plans that there is a consensus of the population in my area that they like the features this house has.
I advise you to run up and look at my neighbor’s house he constructed last year. We like it a great deal. It has many features that we would also like in our new home, particularly the 75-foot swimming pool. With careful engineering, I believe that you can design this into our new house without impacting the final cost.
Please prepare a complete set of blueprints. It is not necessary at this time to do the real design since it will be used only for construction bids. Be advised, however, that you will be held accountable for any increase of construction costs as a result of later design changes.
To be able to use the latest techniques and materials and to be given such freedom in your designs is something that cannot happen too often. Contact me as soon as possible with your complete ideas and plans.
Respectfully,
J.P. Anonymous
P.S.
My wife has just told me that she disagrees with many of the instructions I have given you in this letter. It is your responsibility as the architect to resolve these differences. I have tried in the past and have been unable to accomplish this. If you cannot handle this responsibility, I will have to find another architect.
P.P.S.
Perhaps what I need is not a house at all, but a travel trailer. Please advise me as soon as possible if this is the case.
Tags:
accommodate accomplish acquiring aluminum architect architects bedrooms big picture blueprints bother carpet choices composite siding consensus construction bids construction costs contact cost breakdown cute story date ideas dear mr deficiencies design and build design changes design practices discretion do not worry feelings final decision finalize freedom gibson great deal have been unable held accountable insulation job latest materials maintenance costs mother in law neighbor once a year please take care population priority refrigerator resolve respectfully right decision showplace sooner specifically swimming pool travel trailer wife likesTechnorati (All Links are external): accommodate accomplish acquiring aluminum architect architects bedrooms big picture blueprints bother carpet choices composite siding consensus construction bids construction costs contact cost breakdown cute story date ideas dear mr deficiencies design and build design changes design practices discretion do not worry feelings final decision finalize freedom gibson great deal have been unable held accountable insulation job latest materials maintenance costs mother in law neighbor once a year please take care population priority refrigerator resolve respectfully right decision showplace sooner specifically swimming pool travel trailer wife likes business it something funny
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09:38 on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2004
C