This architect in a Chicago high-rise changed how I see the whole job

I was doing a full door adjustment on a 30-year-old Otis unit last spring, and the building's architect happened to be there. He watched me for a solid ten minutes, then said, 'You're not just fixing a door... you're preserving the rhythm of the building.' He explained how the original specs called for a specific, quiet opening speed to match the lobby's atmosphere. I'd never thought about it like that before. Anyone else had a client point out something about the design intent you'd totally missed?

3 comments

3 Comments

west.casey21d ago

Makes you wonder what other design details we're just fixing without seeing the bigger picture.

jana_black20d ago

Oh, that's a good point from @west.casey. It happens all the time. Like when my old car's check engine light came on. I kept replacing small parts, but the real issue was a bigger computer problem I never saw. We patch the symptom right in front of us. I bet it's the same with software updates or even city planning. Fix a pothole here, but the whole road base is failing.

barnes.stella21d ago

Sounds nice, but sometimes a door is just a door and we're just trying to get it to close.