Star Struck These clients were convinced that a large, award-winning architectural firm was the way to go. Never mind that those professionals had little to no experience in building, designing, and administrating a project in northern Arizona. Lehman had subtly mentioned that consideration to the owners, but it fell on deaf ears. They were dazzled by prestige and status instead of local experience and the advice of a trusted professional.
Work soon began on the design, and the owners had numerous meetings with the firm’s design associates. They visited the site. The owners filled out forms and questionnaires. They were shown award-winning houses. They toured projects under construction. The owners were quizzed about their goals, desires, needs, and vision for their “dream home” by the “dream team.” Notes and documentation were taken every step of the way. “When can we review a preliminary design and floor plan?” asked the Bossuns. “We’ll have something for you to look at in 10 to 12 weeks,” responded the design leader.
The time passed quickly and the owners were excited to review the plans. They asked Lehman to attend the design meeting to offer advice, answer budget questions, and provide support for the owners.
At last, the preliminary design was unveiled. The clients were aghast. The home was a sprawling, single-story ranch when they had specifically designated that a multi-story design would fit the site topography and their family’s lifestyle. The location of the home on the site, along with room configurations and window layouts, did not incorporate the views of the San Francisco Peaks. The garage entrance was on the north side of the house, which would result in winter shading and ice that would remain in front of the garage entries from November through April. All plumbing was located in the outside walls.
As the design details emerged, the owners slumped in their chairs in a state of disbelief. Nothing resembled what the owners had communicated during the extensive interview and information-gathering process. The family room was not adjacent to a wide, open kitchen. The master and children’s bedrooms were clustered together instead of being separated for adult privacy. Very little conformed to the owners’ wants, directives, and anticipated design.
As you may have guessed, the meeting did not go well. Even though he was brought along to offer advice, the builder sat mostly silent during the entire interaction. But he was listening.
The owners were frustrated to say the least. They inquired about the time needed by the design team to recompute the client’s input and come up with a revised site plan, floor plan, and architectural design. The dream team sat silently and deferred to their lead architect for reaction and direction. “Our design was not arrived at lightly. It fits the site, complements the topography, and undoubtedly will be an award-winning project when completed. Your wants and needs, although practical and self-serving, must take a rear seat to the clean lines and architectural elements of this profound design.” The tension in the room could have snapped steel. The Bossuns were dumbfounded. “We appreciate the professionalism, vision, and profound theories you have incorporated into our project, but we really need you to mesh those elements with our practical directives, our desires for the location of the house on the site, as well as our day-to-day lifestyle needs and the climatic conditions of the northern Arizona mountains. Can you do that?” The answer was a resounding “No!”
That meeting ended along with the professional relationship between architect and client.
On the way home, Bud Lehman suggested they meet with his architect and come up with a different perspective on the project. “It can’t hurt anything at this point,” responded the owners. He introduced the Bossuns to Karyn. The clients talked and talked while she doodled … circles, arrows, vectors, notes, view lines, etc., on a roll of buff paper. There was lots of give and take. The owners showed Karyn pictures that they had been collecting of things they liked, along with some things they didn’t like. Trial-and-error drawings on buff paper scraps littered the floor. Simple communication. Simple interaction.
Within their two-hour meeting, Karyn came up with a preliminary design—site location, floor plans, and elevations—that responded to the clients’ wishes. Another project was taking shape. “You know Bud, we really should have trusted your judgment from the beginning,” grinned Dr. Bossun.
Dennis A. Dixon is an author, contractor, and speaker with 23 years experience in the building industry. You can e-mail him at dixven@aol.com.
