By Arrol Gellner
In the second century AD, that fun-loving Roman emperor Hadrian built a grandiose temple to Venus. When it was finished, he proudly sent the plans to the renowned architect Apollodoros, ostensibly to obtain a critique. Actually, Hadrian's motive was to show the architect (who had once insulted him) that great buildings could be designed without his help.
Apollodoros duly responded that the temple should have been built on higher ground, to make it more visible from the Sacred Way. He also deemed that the statues inside it were far too big, so that "if the goddesses wish to get up and go out, they will be unable to do so."
To Hadrian's chagrin, he realized Apollodoros was right and, worse yet, that it was too late to rectify the blunder. His solution? He had Apollodoros killed.
Talk about shooting the messenger.
It might have turned out better for everyone if Hadrian had consulted a good architect before his mistakes were, as it were, carved in stone. That lesson is just as valid today: Even if you don't want to hire an architect to draw your plans--and there's no law that says you must--at least consider hiring one for a few hours to critique your work. It may cost you a few hundred dollars, but you may well save thousands in return. Here are some of the ways:
- An architect may be able to cut costs using "design by subtraction". Surprisingly often, eliminating parts of a project will actually improve it. For example, I recently did some consulting for the rehab of a lovely but poorly-maintained home from the 20s. Among other things, the owner was planning to rip out an entire bathroom, complete with its original fixtures and tile work, because he felt its shabby appearance would be a hindrance to resale. In fact, the bathroom just needed some diligent stripping and cleaning to regain its appeal. Moreover, to a buyer interested in a home of that vintage, having the original fixtures in place would prove far more attractive than any modern replacements. Net savings: A cool ten thousand dollars.
- A good architect can guide you toward a truly timeless solution. Of-the-moment designs, such as those espoused by many designer magazines, quickly grow stale and result in a loss of resale value over time. Most architects can distinguish between the timeless and the trite, and can steer you away from gimmicks that'll be an embarrassment in a year or two. In particular, you might wish to seek advice before choosing paint colors. Color fads are notoriously short-lived--as the scads of moldering, teal-and-dusty-rose paint jobs from the 80s will demonstrate.
- An architect's experience can often turn design mountains into molehills. While you may already have already spent weeks wrestling with a design problem that seems insoluble--say, an awkward kitchen arrangement--chances are your architect has already dealt with that problem a hundred times over. He may well be able to suggest a solution right on the spot.
- Lastly, remember that what you build will be standing for a long, long time; in retrospect, springing for a few hours of advice will seem like a bargain compared to living with a spate of permanent errors.
Just ask Emperor Hadrian.
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