O O Ø O O O O
Name Change
The events of several weeks ago, where Calgary intern architect Joshua Lall perpetrated the most gruesome act of mortal violence against his beautiful family, his young tenant and himself, have lead me to consider the appropriateness of the label I have chosen for my work.
Intern Architects in Hell, and its predecessor, Architecture Students in Hell, are meant to be lighthearted satire, occasionally poignant. Pointing an observant finger at the guilty and mocking those things that stand out as ridiculous is the bailiwick of the cartoonist. It is a necessary function. It is not acceptable, however, if the In Hell suffix lends a degree of self-pity or woe to the work.
Unlike medicine, architecture is not a profession in which lives are at stake. Unlike dentistry, architecture cannot even realize a toothache for a client. Big dollars are at stake—which is a serious responsibility—but ultimately an engineer’s stamp ensures the drawings are safe. An architect’s concern is practicality, accessibility, and beauty.
Getting paid to draw, that’s a pretty good job.
Turning those drawings into buildings takes determination (stubbornness), finesse (deceit), courage (grandstanding) and a rock solid faith that what we are doing is right. Demonstrably, the process practically satirizes itself.
Effective immediately I am changing the name of the series to Archimatects. Any branding or name recognition attributable to Intern Architects in Hell and Architecture Students in Hell is simply not worth the constant reminder.
One doesn’t have to be religious to think about hell. If we define hell as the absence of love, then in a very real sense Mr. Lall—or that lone, isolated, psychotic part of him—is in hell right now and forevermore.
Il Pelicano
June 17, 2008
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