New life!
I returned to the office from Paternity leave with many reflections on life and work and thought it might be nice to share them this festive season! Not that I'm drawing any parallels to the baby Jesus but, you know, it is a time for reflection and joy!
The Barefoot family grows by one more; Joni joined the world in mid November, on the small side but otherwise perfectly formed, happy and healthy. Claire and I fell instantly in love with her and have spent this first month realising just how much you can never understand parenthood until you're in it! A friend sent me the Micheal McIntyre sketch ‘People Without Children Have NO IDEA What It's Like!’ and it's pretty apt! I have a new-found respect for my friends and colleagues (several of whom have had their first children this year too) - maintaining a professional work-self while there's a total shift in home life! We are excited to see the changes in her as she grows and look forward to all the challenges (and joyful moments) ahead.
On a more architectural note, some of the reflections that have come to me are directly related to what we do.
Heating and safety in the home - particularly an old listed dwelling with little insulation. We are reminded of the importance of thermal comfort and renewable energy, but also maybe societies' misplaced need for constant warmth. It has made me question our lifestyle 'needs' and rekindled a curiosity in the balance between technology, energy use/efficiency, and getting back to (natural) basics - furs, warm clothing and cuddles!
The wonder of life - appreciation of the world around us; the natural world and the ingenuity of mankind. I found many moments, particularly in those first few days after birth, when I was overwhelmed with joy and my desire to impart learning and intrigue to her future. To instill in her a wonder in the world - to appreciate, protect and improve it. I won't encourage her to be an architect, but it made me realise that is what drives me, and why I do what I do!
Then, maybe whilst in a slight delirium of sleep deprivation, I found this thought process extending parallels between the raising of a child and the journey of a design/building project. While it may be a step too far (and I don't know the half of parenting yet), our process of working with a client to bring a new building or eco-home into this world is full of complexity and decision making, worry, unknowns; it's a one-step-at-a-time journey that requires trust between parties. This co-creation process is not necessarily linear and is certainly unique to the person/couple/family, but it is similar each time and there are some common pitfalls that can be avoided with experience. They say it takes a village to raise a child; let us be your doula/elder/friend in architecture to guide you through it (and assist in choosing the right people to surround yourself with).