Today I found myself in an odd position while chatting away with a few architects that I hardly know at the radisson Hotel in Delhi. As always, I like to listen and exchange ideas and thoughts. This well known architect who has designed Hongkong Airport was asking me what I thought the architecture actually means for people staying in hotels and using airports etc... I heard myself proudly tell him about our strict design
manager at Stockholm Arlanda, and how she demanded a proper brief before actually designing anything at all. I use to think that was really a pain when I was working at Arlanda, and that it stole alot of time and - how complicated can it be (?!) What I also realised was that the people that really give you some resistance and do not think like yourself are the ones whose advice you will seek later in life - is that not ironic? Another complaint I had in my previous job was a collegue that always made things so complicated, and it felt like she was always against what I tried to suggest or accomplish. I also hated my boss for sending me home for more than a week to rest, when he believed I was a bit overworked, because I felt humiliated. He answer to this was that he hoped that I was one day going to thank him. So the day I was leaving I actually did thank him, and realised soon that I had alot to be thankful for. Seven years later, I am sitting here in Delhi with a new job, and right now I wish that nobody designed anything without a proper brief - especially not in airports. Most of all I miss my collegue's demanding questions, and I start to realize how much they really taught me! This starts to feel like a guilt trip, but as long as you learn something its quite alright - and I will apologize when the time is right. But what if the myth about the seventh wave is true, and it will take me the coming seven years to learn how to complement my new "opposites" here in Delhi!
manager at Stockholm Arlanda, and how she demanded a proper brief before actually designing anything at all. I use to think that was really a pain when I was working at Arlanda, and that it stole alot of time and - how complicated can it be (?!) What I also realised was that the people that really give you some resistance and do not think like yourself are the ones whose advice you will seek later in life - is that not ironic? Another complaint I had in my previous job was a collegue that always made things so complicated, and it felt like she was always against what I tried to suggest or accomplish. I also hated my boss for sending me home for more than a week to rest, when he believed I was a bit overworked, because I felt humiliated. He answer to this was that he hoped that I was one day going to thank him. So the day I was leaving I actually did thank him, and realised soon that I had alot to be thankful for. Seven years later, I am sitting here in Delhi with a new job, and right now I wish that nobody designed anything without a proper brief - especially not in airports. Most of all I miss my collegue's demanding questions, and I start to realize how much they really taught me! This starts to feel like a guilt trip, but as long as you learn something its quite alright - and I will apologize when the time is right. But what if the myth about the seventh wave is true, and it will take me the coming seven years to learn how to complement my new "opposites" here in Delhi!
