The Priest, the Duck, and the Blonde

Most jokes start out with a cast of characters such as that... 3 unlikely personnel coming together to reach a goal...to make you laugh. Architecture & design, aren't strangers to unlikely casts of characters working toward a common goal. The architect: stereotyped to be a little artsy and out of touch- but very intelligent. The client: stereotyped to be needy and unaware, but in the end their opinion really does count the most. The contractor: stereotyped to be a man's man that spends the day in the dirt like "real men". The interior designer: stereotyped to be "couch placers" and "paint-picker-outers" and the majority are women. I know people who redefine these stereotypes- but yet they still exist. Throw in an engineer, electrician, decorator, furniture representative, and a fire marshal.... and it's a circus. Yet somehow they collaborate on a daily basis to build beautiful, structurally sound buildings and make clients happy. It means a little combining of the worlds has to happen- I've worn steel-toed boots and a hard hat with a pencil skirt one too many times. And I've walked around a did a punch list and saw the look on the contractors face when we said that they need to re-paint something because it doesn't match. Electrical engineers sigh and make lights go where the architect wants, and sales reps come through when the client has a list of demands. We're all in the field of creating and we're all in the field of good business. In the end these goals will be met, but not without compromise, collaboration, and communication..... and maybe a wardrobe change and a box of donuts.