Mentors (like relationships) must serve both parties and breathe with resilience, for if each party gives less than their full effort, the creative process may not be served. Since Thom Mayne offered me work to build the “Flores” residence model (to be shipped out to the Tokyo GA gallery in two weeks for a Japanese exhibit 25 years ago in January 1985) I have witnessed growth, strength, frustration, pain, joy and elation, and internal struggle as well as personal and professional triumph. Some might say, “This is life, itself”. Yes- the grandeur of my profession is such that all of the above apply. When in question, just go down to your local building and safety or planning department. Life reveals itself to those who are open. The closed sealed boxes of our recent modern, mid (20th) century era reveal a trivial spacial exploration, yet freed us up to utilize novel materials such as aluminum, steel, and formica, sometimes all together!
The intensity of architectural language that Thom Mayne has consistently delivered with his now successive and regenerative teams of design architects is paralleled by few. The titan form creator says, “The form is not important”. And as Architects, we might well scratch our heads, but as Thom evolves he attunes his energy and focused outward to make urban connections with alignments, hardscape, landscape, program, texture, spacial relations, in short the panoply that urban life offers in a classical sense, or a modern sensibility at our individual core. In the Shanghai Pharmaceutical “Dragon” we see complexity on a transformed level, where the dexterity of a master’s experience is refined, celebrated, and inspiring to me, a beginning student of architecture after 28 years “practicing”.
I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season; just stay awake in your chosen profession. Too many fall asleep in these next 2 months until the new year!!
Sincerely,
Martin Roy Mervel
AIA
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