First Day of 5th Grade--racing to collect her Patrol Badge
Back in the Fall of 2011, I wrote on my blog about the commitment architects must make to being lifetime earners. Today marks the end of an era for the Clawson Clan. As I mused back then about it being my last First day of Elementary School, today marked the 21st and final First Day as a parent sending a child off to their first day of school here in Maplewood, NJ. Clearly this is not an ending ...its another "Fall" milestone. This also marks the 15th year since we "hung a shingle"/ took office space in Maplewood, NJ. and it marks the 5th year we have owned our other business Clawson Cabinets. We have found that each milestone leads to yet another learning opportunity.
First Day of Senior Year--
It amazes me how much we learn from others and how we don't even always know that we have taught someone something new. Marvin is teaching Design this semester at FIT in NYC again and loving every minute of it because of the inspiring creative minds he is surrounded by and the freshness of their perspectives. This past week he leaned in a very thoughtful email, that his students really take to heart what he says, with one checking in to tell him how his advice this summer, "Don't get caught up in formalism (making it beautiful) and come up with a solution. If you don't solve a problem, it's just beauty for beauty's sake." has impacted them. The student reports that this comment was so powerful that they wrote it down and that they have used this as a guiding principle in the rest of their daily life as well..." by focusing on solving a problem, it helps to give purpose and intention to the choices I make," the student reports.
Marvin teaching a workshop at the University of Colorado, sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the ICAA
Good Design always starts with identifying the problem. Sometimes, it is a challenge to identify the problem and that is where we come in. Many of the callers I get start by giving me the solution. "We need to add 250 square feet to the back of our house." And while I don't doubt that they have given it some thought, I am always curious to learn more about the problem. Otherwise, "we might just not solve the problem that ails them."
Many are uncertain about when to call on an Architect. They are not really sure what an Architect does. So, if you are not satisfied with your current home, consider calling on us. We would love to learn more about you and your needs and hope you will allow us to help identify the challenges and the opportunities with you. Then we hope you will engage us and harness our years of experience in Architectural Design, suburb living with children and problem solving coupled with our dedication to learning something new to enhance your home and life.