ONE :

I HAVE NEVER DESIGNED A HOUSE FOR MYSELF.

I HAVE FOR MY FATHER, BUT HE WAS ENTIRELY CONTENT FROM JUST LOOKING ON AS HIS SON PAID HIS RESPECTS TO HIS ANCESOTRIAL LAND. 

THERE WAS NOT MUCH STRUGGLE INVOLED. 

DESIGNING A HOUSE FOR MYSELF IS A DANGEROUS EXAMINATION OF MY ABILITY TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN MY DESIRES AND MY MEANS. 

TWO :

LOS ANGELES IS THE CITY OF “OPEN HOUSES,” WHERE HOMES ARE OPEN TO VISITS FROM PROSPECTIVE BUYERS. 

I WAS QUICKLY EXHAUSTED BY THE ENDLESS STYLES AND SCHEMES, BUT MOSTLY DISGUSTED THAT I HATE WHAT I CAN AFFORD AND CANNOT AFFORD WHAT I LOVE. 

THREE :

MY CAREER AS A DESIGNER FOLLOWS A PATTERN THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT OF A WESTERN ARCHITECT.

I BEGAN WITH ENORMOUS URBAN PROJECTS AND COMPLEX PUBLIC FACILITIES BEFORE SMALL BUILDING PROJECTS. 

THIS INVERSE GROWTH PATTERN HAS NOT FULLY RUN ITS COURSE.  IT HAS NOT YET REACHED ASPECTS OF MINUTE FINANCE, FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE EGO--THE REALM OF INDIVIDUAL HOMES.

FOUR :

LOS ANGELES IS THE CAPITOL OF URBAN SPRAWL. 

IT IS A MONOTONOUS FIELD OF HOUSES,

SPREAD IN A TWO-DIMENTIONAL MANNER, INVADING ANY ACCEPTING SURFACE IN A MORPHOLOGICALLY-RICH FIELD OF DESIRES AND DESPERATIONS. 

INSERTING YET ANOTHER INTO THIS TEXTURE WILL EITHER DISAPPEAR OR DISTURB--A DILEMMA OR DELIGHT. 

FIVE :

THE SURFACE IS NOT ENTIRELY COVERED.

WHAT IS LEFT OR FORGOTTEN CONSTITUTES THE WORLD OF THE ABNORMALS: SLOPED, HISTORICALLY SENSITIVE, ETHNICALLY VAGUE  AND DESIGNATED TRAFFIC AREAS. 

OCCUPYING THE ABNORMAL ZONE IS FUN AND

FUNDAMENTAL FOR ARCHITECTURAL INSTIGATION.

SIX :

THE LOS ANGELES FAMILY INHABITS GENERIC APARTMENT TYPES BUILT TO FIGURE OUT EACH MEMBER’S NEED.

DEVELOPING A PIECE OF LIFE EXPERIENCE THROUGH DOMESTIC SPACE IS AN ENTIRELY NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME. 

SEVEN :

THIS SMALL SCALE PROJECT IS A TEST OF CONTRCUCTION CAPABILITY IN LOS ANGELES.  THE LIMITATIONS OF PRCEISE CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS A WELL-KNOWN FACT.  BY TESTING TECHNIQUES AT THIS SMALL SCALE, MUCH CAN BE LEARNED AND APPLIED LATER FOR LARGER ENDEAVORS.

EIGHT :

I HAVE NEVER BUILT SOMETHING WITHOUT DRAWINGS, NOT EVEN SKETCHES. 

DEVELOPING A METHOD OF COMMUNICATION WITH NIGHLY EDUCATED YOUNG DESIGNERS AND CONTRACTORS IS OF GREAT CURIOSITY.   

NINE :

BUILDING MY OWN HOME IS AN ACT OF PROVING TO FRIENDS AND CLIENTS THAT MY POSITION AS DEAN DOES NOT HINDER MY CREATIVITY. 

TEN :

MY POSITION AS DEAN IS BASED ON MY PRACTICAL ABILITIES--BUILD BUILDINGS THAT ACCOMODATE LIFE AND SPIRIT.  THE POSITION DEPENDS ON MY PRODUCTIVITY. 

THE ACT OF BUILDING MY OWN HOME IS AS PEDAGOGICAL AS IT IS PATERNAL.