<<<<< Timothy Kane wrote:
>       To the many -- May I suggest that [you] get an idea of what
>architecture is and what architects do (beyond the one project you had
>a bad time with).  You'll be doing everyone a favor.

        Unfortunately, I think that you will find many people with examples
of buildings built that do not serve the intended purpose well, due entirely
to the architect and not the future tennents for whom it is designed. For
example,  the auditorium built at a well known engineering university
which has horrid acoustics. The architect refused to make changes after
some of the resident engineers pointed out that it would be bad because
it wouldn't look right (I have sat in the auditorium repeatedly and
sometimes I have been unable to hear a thing, whereas a few seats over
the sound is crystal clear). Then there is another university where the
library has the most unusable design I have ever seen and tried to use,
all because the architect wanted to make a statement. Both of these
were designed by extremely well known and respected architects.
***They could not have been fired for not doing a good job because the
donor or board choosing the architect and design wanted a building built
by architect X on their campus.*** (In the case of the library, I know that
the donor said that achitect X will build the building. Period.).
        I am positive that there are plenty of architects out there who can
and do design good museums, auditoriums, libraries, etc. and who work
well with the future residents to make sure everyone is happy. However,
I am sure there are plenty of cases (perhaps those which are presently
being discussed) where those who are trying to communicate with the
architects have no power to fire them. Thus the architects can ignore the
fact that the classrooms are in a dark basement and the different
departments are located far from one another, as long as they can
convince the purse holders that it is an excellent design. It is unfortunate
that this is occuring.

                                                Angela Putney, Ph.D.
                                                Physics Management Fellow
                                                American Institute of Physics
                                                One Physics Ellipse
                                                College Park, MD 20740

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