It turns out it can be pretty difficult to get time with an architect. I had a phone interview lined up, but due to my own work schedule I did not make the call. After a couple of failed attempts to reschedule I've decided to look for a new recipient for my interview. It looks like I may be in luck, and Have a friend that could connect me with another Milwaukee architect. I will of course continue to look for more architects, just in case this one doesnt work out. Worst case scenario I have more than one person and I get more information. For now this is where I stand and I guess we'll see how this unfolds.

   ​I want to learn about the many elements that an architect must synthesize when designing a building. What are those things that must be considered in order to successfully splice their vision into the existing landscape? How has this changed over the years? Why has it changed? Are people changing the future of their habitat, or are the structures we building changing us? “We shape our building, and afterwards they shape us” (Winston Churchill). We’ve been submerged in these structures for so long now we don’t notice the details of there making. The details that influence our subconscious.

   Everyday people become more and more concerned with the well being of the environment, and architects have become specialists in this field. Since they have such a massive impact on the population it only seems appropriate. What techniques are being implemented to lower environmental impact? How do they plan to evolve them going into the future? Will these changes impact our lifestyle, or will they go completely unnoticed? How can I as a product designer play my part in helping to usher in these changes?

​   Milwaukee is an old city and has not seen much change in the past few decades. To many this is a large part of the charm. It displays its history proudly. Unfortunately, the city of neighborhoods to many has an uneven distribution of wealth. Few live with abundance while many go without. From the well to do neighborhoods like Third ward to the tent community below the overpass. Does past architecture in Milwaukee play a role in this imbalance? Do the architects of today see an opportunity to for a new future for Milwaukee? Who better to ask than a Zimmerman, architects that have been working in Milwaukee for several generations? I am in the process of setting up an interview with Kurt Zimmerman, who I believe is the perfect man to go to with such questions.