The architect

Currently reading about the social and psychological variables of luxury.  And this is the first time I am finally reading a book about the business of luxury and how different it is from all other business...

the following is a quote from The Luxury Strategy by Kapferer and Bastien.:

"Historically, luxury was the creation of a talented craftsmen, using the very rarest materials, who accepted commissions from a client or patron.  These craftsmen were known in their day, but their fame did not endure.  That is how castles and private mansions were built and furnished.  

In France, everything changed when at the end of the 18th century craftsmen stopped accepting private commissions after someone came up with the ideas of making models, before they too were sold.  What we were witnessing at that time was a radical reversal of the relationship between omnipotent client and craftsman. 

 No longer was the craftsman prepared to go cap-in-hand to visit the client; instead, people went to them to see their latest collection, their new creations.  The age of the nameless craftsman was now long gone - enter now on stage the creative designer and their retinue, their followers.  Not to mention the reputation of their name."

This is an interesting statement considering that we architects behave primarily like craftsmen because our clientèle(Patrons) who commission one-of-a kind works.  We are truly an ancient profession.  

This architect however chooses to behave more like the modern day designer.  I will take on commissions, but my primary work will be to provide designs each year based on the individual stories of people that I can recreate into modern myth and legend.