Maestranza

ideas for a housing competition

My family thinks that I will continue working because I enjoy it - and they are right. Mostly. 

I enjoy the process of thinking, drawing, coming up with ideas to solve problems, getting ideas built, teaching people and learning from them. But people also get in the way; they don't listen, they drag their feet with decisions, they are lazy and petty. And that takes the joy out of the process of designing and creating good architecture. When these distractions occur, I feel like it is not worth the hard work and time away from the other things which I want to do; draw, paint, make simple furniture, plant vegetables, read, watch foreign films (I can't work and watch foreign films at the same time) and cook for friends.

I am very fortunate to have a group of people around me who help me while I work. The Spanish have a name for this 'maestranza' - I think this is a military term. Francis Mallman, the celebrity chef uses this term to describe the way he works; with his team on hand to pass him a fork to turn a piece of meat on the fire, or a herb to garnish a dish. I have this as well; my raggedly team of colleagues presently working from home BUT always on hand to start a drawing or to complete a detail. 

ideas for house interiors

patients are screened before entry is permitted

 

wind breaks and canopies

main door for an office - finalising steel details with the builder