Joe shapes little minds and molds tiny souls.

Yesterday I visited Michael’s art class to talk about architecture and what architects do. I gave them coffee, made them stay up all night and write 20-page essays on the impact of Neoclassicism on international primitivism, just so they could get a sense of what architecture school is like. I talked about what I do and how I do it, and how I’m a genius and all, and showed them some drawings and models. I was actually surprised at how interested and excited they were about what we talked about, given that they’re third-graders. Obviously, the joy has not yet been sucked from their souls by public education. Give it time.

After I spoke, I helped them all start a design for their ‘dream school’. Some were creative – curved classrooms, zoos, rainforest rooms, tornado rooms – those kids will be architects, musicians, possibly heavy metal band groupies. And some designs were not so creative– boxes with classrooms, a gym, and an art class – these kids will grow up to be engineers (bada bing! Sorry Dad!). I had a great time, and, while not as important, I think the kids had fun too. Somewhere in Camden, there are 17 little fools who think it’s cool to be an architect.

There was a funny exchange I had with one kid named Jack when I showed him a drawing of a large house we had designed:

Jack: Wow. You must be rich. That house must cost a million dollars.

Joe: Pretty close. Many of the people we design houses for have a lot of money.

Jack: But you must be rich too.

Joe: Why?

Jack: Don’t you get paid to design these houses?

Joe: Yes. But not a million dollars.

Jack: ……How much do you get paid?

Joe: Not enough, Jack. Not enough.