The Architect Page #2

Boy, are you screwed.

I'm just kidding.

You're totally covered.

- Tear it down.

It's a no-brainer.

It'd be cheaper to build new.

- Where do we begin?

- Oh, there's an architect

named Ray Jenkins,

does a lot of work in the area.

I built a house of his down

on Fulton Road.

- Ah.

- Is this a house?

- I'm Putnam Hatch,

and I find it ironic

that I'm known less

for the Hatch Foundation

than I am for the Hatch House...

My private residence

designed by the firm

of Sullivan and Moss.

Now, the Hatch Foundation

is actually a global

philanthropic organization...

- Hello?

- Yes.

- Hi, I'm... I'm looking

for the architect Leo Sullivan.

- Why?

- I saw a house that he designed

at 299 Fulton Road.

- I designed that house.

- Are you Leo Sullivan?

- Sullivan is dead.

- Oh, um...

Who am I speaking to?

- Miles Moss.

- It's so exciting to meet you.

- Really?

- I just love the house

on Fulton Road.

- Oh, thank you.

Here it is.

We call it the Hatch House.

- Oh.

- Please.

- You're here all alone here?

- The firm is transitioning.

I apologize if I sounded

cryptic on the phone.

Mr. Sullivan died

unexpectedly three months ago

and, uh, left

a lot of creditors.

- He was your partner?

- Leo's role was more

on the business side.

As it turns out, my confidence

in him was misplaced.

I am so glad that you like

the Hatch House.

I had a wonderful client,

Putnam Hatch.

- Mm.

- Anytime I've ever done

anything good,

it's because I've had

a wonderful client.

- What makes a wonderful client?

- Someone who inspires me.

Can I?

As an architect, I have the job

of transforming hopes and dreams

into wood, glass,

steel, and concrete.

But if the dreams aren't there,

there's very little I can do.

There will never be

a great architect

without a great client.

- I can tell by your style

you're a creative person.

You appreciate the process.

- Yeah, I do.

- It's very satisfying

when a client

gets as excited as I do.

- Do all architects

start by drawing?

- Many prefer the computer,

I'm old school.

With a pen and paper, I'm free.

I could redesign the entire city

of Paris in half an hour.

- You mentioned your father

was an architect.

- Called himself

an old-fashioned modernist.

The modernists

had this absurd idea

that you could heal the world

through architecture.

Of course, that's impossible.

Nobody expects architects

to have grand visions anymore.

What a shame.

- Hmm.

- Miles.

- I just love the way

you combine vintage

and contemporary.

- Oh, thanks.

Miles, I'd like you

to meet my husband, Colin Stone.

- Miles Moss.

- That's quite the house

at 299 Fulton.

- Thank you.

We call it the Hatch House.

- It's named after the client.

- That's traditionally

how it works.

Whatever you build here

will be called the Stone House.

- Huh.

Oh, Mr. Hatch must be

a wealthy man.

- People assume

that interesting architecture

is expensive,

but it's not necessarily so.

There are a lot of new and

innovative materials out there.

- So how would you

describe your style?

Who are your influences?

- Influence

is a difficult subject for me.

I, uh, try to avoid it.

It would be a nightmare

if I started to think about it

It would just tie my hands.

None of us invented the house.

That happened

thousands of years ago.

Remarkable property.

Yeah, I must admit, as much

as I loved the old house,

I feel we have

a tremendous opportunity.

- Oh, I agree...

A tremendous opportunity!

- Let's say we wanted

a 3,000-square-foot house,

four bedroom, three bath.

Ballpark, what's that

gonna set us back?

- That's a bit like saying you

want to marry a woman

who's 5'6" and 125 pounds.

Many women would fit

the criteria,

but you wouldn't love them.

What's more important

is designing a house

to suit your needs.

- And our budget.

- Well, yes,

that's one of your needs.

But beyond budget,

you have other needs...

Your hopes, your dreams.

I need to learn those things.

My process begins with a period

of intense communication.

I need to find out

who you are, deep down.

What are your eating habits,

your bathing habits,

your sleeping habits,

and privacy needs?

The more open you are,

the more input

I have to work with.

Important consideration...

Will the family grow

and change over time?

- On a practical side,

you know, we can't just think

about what appeals

to Colin and Drew.

We've got to think

about the resale value.

You know, most people

don't stay in a house

for more than 7 years.

- What?

That's crazy.

- It's true. Look it up.

- Really?

- Again, the assumption

is that innovative architecture

must not only be expensive

but impractical.

I find the opposite is true.

- He's odd.

- I like him.

I'm tired, honey.

I rode 34 miles today.

I just kind of want

to relax, you know?

- We have to have sex

to make a baby.

- Well, can you... can you add

a little more pressure

to the situation?

I got a full plate at work.

We just made a huge

investment in this house.

Now we have to build

a whole new one.

He makes me uncomfortable.

He's too much of an "artist."

What if we don't like

what he comes up with?

- He's an amazingly

creative person.

He has fresh ideas

that we would never think of.

Why can't you be more supportive

of his creativity?

- Because it's all ego

and vanity... that's why.

And I'm telling you...

That's going to show up

in added cost.

- He just...

He thinks differently.

I wish I could get

inside his head for just a day.

I like the chemistry between us.

- Oh, chemistry.

Drew, we have got

to think practically here.

What if we want to sell

in a few years?

You do not want to be

upside down on a mortgage.

- Why are you talking

about selling

when we haven't even

built it yet?

Why?

- You know, and I don't like

the idea of separate interviews.

What if we contradict

each other?

If I wanted to talk to somebody

about my feelings,

I'd hire a therapist,

not an architect.

- Maybe you should.

- Hey, you know whose

an architect?

Elizabeth's brother-in-law.

We should call him.

- No.

- This was a spec house

in Renton.

We were supposed to do

three others,

but the developer went broke,

and the bank foreclosed.

Here's a car wash in Everett.

That was a good project.

- What makes a good project?

- When you get paid on time.

Uh, this client wanted

a French chateau,

so we did

an authentic reproduction.

Elizabeth sends her regards.

- Well, I now have

both proposals.

Guess who's cheaper.

Miles Moss.

- Here's my studio.

- Aha.

- Oh, don't look too closely.

It's just a hobby I do for fun.

- What we do for fun

is what really matters.

Art only has meaning

if the process comes

from an inner compulsion.

- I wouldn't call it art.

- This is my process...

getting to know you and Colin.

You're a creative person.

You understand the dialogue

between client and architect

is an intimate one.

When you talk about building,

you're talking about...

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