Day 220 – Thomas stood behind me while I drafted on the computer. “Try it without the edge detail,” he said. I clicked a few commands into the computer. “Like this,” I said. Thomas squinted at the screen. “No, but keep at it.” He said and drifted off towards the coffee maker.
Day 221 – Thomas went to U Penn in the 70s, which he’ll tell you after only a few minutes of conversation. He studied under Louis Kahn. Louis Kahn once told him to discover what the building wants to be, a phrase he now uses frequently. Thomas told me this when I interviewed with him. He showed me images of an award-winning design for a cell tower he had done years ago. The metal grate roof over the office at the base of the tower was designed to break the ice as it fell from the tower. The design was industrial and geometric and cold. Thomas said it was pedantic. A commentary on the state of technology and society. I found myself staring at the ink stain on his right palm. I wasn’t really listening.
Day 222 – Thomas bought pizza today. We ate it at our desks while we worked.
Day 223 – Today Thomas had us all bring in our school projects and pin them up in the conference room to share. Thomas pinned up his own project as well. It was a rest station bathroom, designed as two interlocking cubes with pyramidal roof forms. The exterior walls were lifted off the floor so you could see the ankles of the patrons. Thomas said this was a commentary on privacy in society. Thomas uses the word “commentary” often. My project was discussed briefly. The word “derivative” was used.
Day 224 – Thomas called us all into the conference room today. Someone had used a non-standard layer and the resulting line weight on the plot was displeasing to Thomas. We all sat silently when asked who did this.
Day 225 – Thomas says the client will walk through the office this afternoon so we should clean our desks. Thomas doesn’t want to see anything that might offend the client. We should take our lunches in the Cafe area today.
Day 226 – Thomas took us all downstairs for a drink today. The client liked the latest office plans and Thomas wanted to celebrate. Mark and I ordered an IPA and sipped them cautiously. Thomas ordered a scotch, Glen Levitt, neat. He raised his glass and toasted a job well done. I don’t think Thomas ever worked on the office plans.
Day 227 -Today my former colleague sent me the images taken of my project for the awards submission from my previous firm. Thomas came over to my desk while I was looking at them. “Those trusses should be painted in a contrasting color,” he said. “I wanted them to be white to make the space cleaner, more open”. Thomas said that was one way to go. Mark shot me a knowing glance.
Day 228 – Mark and I presented the latest designs to the client today. We chose to keep the drawings simple, going with all black and white with strong shadows. We’re going for a modern aesthetic using warm materials like wood as accents. The client liked the design and said we were on the right track. A few changes were discussed, but the overall direction was approved. Later that afternoon, the client called Thomas and said they had reconsidered. They would like something more traditional. I was taken off the job before the end of the day.
Day 229 – Thomas wasn’t here today. He’s in Washington DC at a conference. We all worked quietly at our desks all day. It was glorious.
Day 230 – Mark spent all morning erasing the power lines in photoshop from the rendered views of the new bank branch design images. Thomas said they distract from the design idea.
Day 231 – I was working on the door schedules when Thomas asked me to help him draw up his kitchen. His wife has decided to renovate. So, I measured his house and drew up the plans. Thomas explained the design idea behind the kitchen layout. He wants to honor the original idea in the renovations. I suggested moving the refrigerator to be closer to the sink. Thomas said that would weaken the design intent. Then he asked me to go back to working on the door schedules.
Day 232 – Thomas studied under Louis Kahn. He once told me that Louis Kahn died in a bathroom stall at Penn Station.
Day 233 – Thomas doesn’t pay me to work here.