A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Criticisms
a lot of this week that has just passed has been devoted to the "Dallas Estate" Project. well... maybe that's what i like to call the "house" my parents are planning to build in Dallas. it's so "Dynasty" -esque no? remember that stupid zit com in the 80's about flashy rich cowboys filmed in nowhere city of Las Colinas? (not Dallas!... thank you Mike Davis). heehee. anyways, on wednesday we woke up way to early and drove to dallas for an afternoon meet with a prospective builder. the meeting was actually very very illuminating in terms in learning what it takes to build a house. the funny thing is, that some of the lessons learned really have been issues that is hould have been more than aware of, coming from almost a decade of architectural experience. what do i mean? the power of an image.... to either translate the right idea...or the wrong.
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so my parents want a little psuedo japanese temple aesthetic in their house... you know, glazed tile roofs, flared fairly cantelievring eves, pointy doo-hickies along the ridge. however, they also want to do it on the cheap... meaning somehow we have tof igure out conventional texas residential construction...interpretted... to suggest this foreign look. i mean, i think its possible indeed... but the issue is when you show a builder a picture of a japanese temple... he sees a japanese temple. maybe this is just the builder mentality of trying to build what you show them... and not the architect mentality that is trained on translation. but the builder started saying well... that's gonna cost and arm and a leg and i'm happy to do it, but still..it'll be expensive. at the mention of the word expensive my mom chimes in and says...why... its so normal.
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there's a miscommunication on both ends. one side sees complex and prices complex, the other side sees simple with some complex elements...interpretted...and sees cheap. the answer prob lies somewhere in between and that will be the architect's job. but i did learn some fascinating things like how in residential construction... the architect really isn't much part of the picture...if indeed the house is pretty "conventional"... which ours... may not be. this makes sense, as the builder seems to be the one who really coordinates all the building trades and actually gets the house built. the architect seems to be only contracted for two sets of drawings... a plan, and the four sided elevations... and an electrical layout. everything else that you think an architect could do...like sections, framing plans, fixtures, etc ( that you do see in non-residential large building stuff that i have experience in)... nope... architect not needed.
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goes to show how much we're loved! the day after dallas we went to go visit a potential architect, and this architect being chinese, i think my parents felt immediately comfortable as there was no communication barrier.... which there obviously was, with the caucasian builder (good ol texas boy) we met in dallas. anyways, the architect seemed...to me... ok... as he was pretty much a straight shooter. but he shot it in a way that made me feel like our project really wasn't all that important to him as he only does architecture...as in drawing stuff... on the side. he's more interested in building... being a builder... which is fine. but since you can't be my builder in dallas... you should present what you can offer in the best light... and i just didn't get that from him. but you know ultimately... its about comfortability working with someone... builder and architect... and language is a huge factor in that.
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throughout the whole week though, there has been countless hours spent with my parents going over our proposal for plan and elevation. overall it has been fun... been a little tense a times.. but honestly... it has been a cool family experience. and its kind of neat to really have such a say in things...since i am the one who best understands buildings in general. so far, i think the design is pretty much what they want. in truth its pretty conventional... but i think some of the spaces inside...and the flow of things could potentially be very nice...depending on the glazing, size, etc. down below are some images... yards and yards of tracing paper... and then a quick computer plan drawup trying to show the ideas we've been mulling over and over.
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it'll be a while. haha.
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in other matters...life has been pretty mundane. i have been trying to get some financial paperwork for days, stuff that my parents are showing onto me as i get ready to come into sovereignity of the empire they've built...heehee.... but through a mix of procrastination and doing their other shit...i haven't gotten to it. and also i haven't gotten to going running in the mornings...or hello..simply waking up... in the morning...as oppose to almost to noon. this is due to the fact that i am surfing to the wee hours online just wasting time. i'm starting to feel a little drifting.... since i have no work...no consistent schedule... and my ADHD is kicking in. i have started looking for friends... chatting with various people online and there are some good prospects i think... just as friends, nothing more. eventhough i can't say i'm NOT horny, hooking up isn't really on my mind.... i can just watch porn for that. haha. anyways... i think i just need to start work. before i came i was sure i had too much to do since the original plan was to move to an apartment and car and all that and to be busy decorating the new house... but since that is on a standstill.... well... now to figure out something....fun... to be replace it. financial paperwork... not fun. :)
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today is the pride parade in houston.. maybe i should stop by. i wish i had real homo friends here in houston.... i miss "being" gay. haha.
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posted by faux chink @ 3:47 PM
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