Book idea:

Insider's look into the architecture profession á la Kitchen Confidential. The intent is to give some insight into the pretty blasè world of commodity architecture, while helping to reinforce the importance of architecture to the public. Chapter Ideas:

1. Lack of glamour in the profession. Compare the public perception of the prestige and compensation of architects and the reality.
2. Discuss what we really do. It's not all skyscrapers and libraries. There are toilet rooms and car dealerships too.
3. The myth of registration. Let the dirty little secret about registration out. Most of the people that work on significant projects are not registered and probably have very little supervision.
4. The myth of the architectural education. Accreditation agencies homogenize design education and actually stifle creativity.
5. What does the AIA really do?
6. The Myth of Harvard's GSD- they pour people into the profession at a rate far greater than other institutions.
7. The archetypal personalities in the profession- the control freaks, the nutjobs, the philanderers.
8. HGTV and how it is ruining design and maybe DWELL is too.
9. Kickbacks & junkets.

Broomsticks & Cleats

I promised myself that I would not involve prospective or current clients in Crimes, but this was too good to pass up. I asked permission and was happily granted. The beauty of this is the execution. The block holding up the broomstick is nailed into the casing with some promise and craft. The edges of the block are chamfered and sanded. The nails were placed symmetrically and were the right size for the project. If they would have filled in the ceiling hole it would have evoked renovations at Chelsea Market, Hundertwasser, or a Lower East Side squat in the 80's. This fix has been servicing the bathroom for years. As always, click on the image to get the full detail.

The Bay Bay is not Immune

I was headed to the First Baptist Church (originally Brattle Square Church) by HHR. I wanted to see the frieze in the campanile by Frederic Barthold, the man who made the Statue of Liberty. Apparently he also introduced Stanford White to HHR, who then became his understudy. Along the way I spied this little gem on the roof of a Comm. Ave. brownstone. It is some wood shingle nightmare that snuck through the permitting process. The entire building is dilapidated. That's alot of lost rent. Make sure to click on the image, so you can see the detail, or lack thereof.

Worcester, MA

We have our first of many photos received from a professional photographer after a shoot in lovely Worcester, MA. The perps felt so much conviction about their handiwork that they decided to paint it with the most contrasting color. I have to wonder what was in that vertical swath of blue before? I can't imagine the brick and stone belt coursing just fell out.

I noticed the first crimes at my own house.

Our house in Somerville, MA was constructed around 1905 in a housing boom. The original design, as with all the neighboring homes, was attractive and rational. Most houses in the neighborhood are similar, with differing flourishes that were offered by the developer to give each house individuality.

Since the early 1900's many horrible things have happened to my house. Until we purchased the house it had been continuously owned by one family since constructed. One family member resided here for almost 70 years and is now deceased. He was the one that did the most harm.

It is rumored amongst the older neighbors that the owner was a master electrician by trade. This "shocks" me since the electrical work in the house is bordering on dangerous.

I can only assume the original owner was a trash-picker by night. Anything he found of value was nailed onto the house with copious amounts of undersized scrounged nails. He would nail a 2x4 joint with 7 or 8 six-penny nails instead of the more accepted practice of 2 sixteen-penny nails.

I spent weeks taking apart the Silence of the Lambs trash catacombs in our basement. I should have tetanus, but I survive to renovate another room.