What do you do for a living?

I’m an architect

Oh, interesting. Do you design houses?

No

Because my wife and I have always thought of designing our own house. We’d like a French Mediterranean villa. Do you design French Mediterranean?

No, I live in North Carolina

We just think French Mediterranean is so elegant. Don’t you?

I guess if you live in Monaco.

We’d probably not be able to afford all the marble though. Do they make a faux marble that’s more affordable?

Of course, they do. I think it’s called ”veiled disappointment”

You know with the technology they have today, they can make anything look like something else. It must make your job much easier. I bet most clients choose the less expensive material and with modern technology, I bet it’s just as good. Right?

Um, well, kind of. But we always recommend the original material. It’s more traditional.

Oh, so you design traditional buildings? That’s great I really don’t care for modernism. It’s so cold and distant. I’d rather have something traditional like French Mediterranean.

Um, I do design modern buildings, or more specifically, I design contemporary buildings that reflect the time and place we live in today.

You mean like that shiny museum in Europe somewhere.

Well, not exactly. I live in North Carolina. So I try to reflect the traditional forms of the southern tradition of building and put a contemporary spin on them to bring them into the current timeframe.

I don’t understand, you mean like a log cabin with modern appliances?

No like, we would reinterpret the heavy timber framing of a hay barn using steel beams and columns and clad it with a perforated corrugated metal screen to subtly suggest the rusted metal cladding of a barn.

So it’s just a more expensive version of a barn?

We, yes, I mean no the concept of the barn has been elevated to address modern concerns.

I don’t understand couldn’t you do the same thing with French Mediterranean?

Well, I guess, but that wouldn’t be of the tradition of the region I live in.

But I see different styles of homes everywhere around the suburbs I live in. Which style is more traditional than the others? How do you tell?

Well, I guess we do have a history of being influenced by other cultures and traditions and assimilating them for our own use. For example, Thomas Jefferson brought European influences to his designs. In particular, he was inspired by Palladio, from 16^th century Italy. So I guess in a way you’re right. We do have a very eclectic history in this country.

So you could design a French Mediterranean home for my wife and me?

Sure.