24.June_A Pretty Different View

Wednesday started out like a normal class day, some sketching, class discussion on regionalism, lunch, the usual. After lunch however, we met with an Australian architect by the name of Paul Pholeros.  He spends about 70% of his time doing residential work to make some money and the other 30% doing social work and designing for people that need it.  He isn't too famous and you'd never know how much he's done, not asking for international recognition or a statue in the park, just an ordinary guy working hard to give people what they need and conserve the environment at the same time. For me, he's basically what every person should strive to be.

Following his philosophy of "building nothing is the best design", he really opened up a new view of things for most of us on the trip. We've all been taught about sustainability and green design, but this guy has taken it differently, as a social and environmental practice, both in the field of design and outside.  He really made me think pretty hard about where I'm headed and what I'd like to accomplish in my life.

Then, after our discussion at the university, we continued the chat at dinner at Thanh Binh, a vietnamese restaurant that Paul really liked. (We all really liked it, but he knew where to go.) We also had some other fantastic guests at dinner. First, both professors, Michael Zaretsky and Adrian Parr, and their son, Lucien.  Next we have Adrian's Aunt, Julie Rrap, a very famous contemporary artist. Brian Zulaihka of Tonkin Zulaihka Greer and his wife Jennie Lawrence, another well-known contemporary artist. 

So class, sketch, lunch, chat with an architect, contemplate life, dinner with some famous people, go to bed in awe of your own life thus far.  That's a pretty nice little Wednesday.