Architects Never Give Up

Hi. Im Doug Patt and this is how to architect. Today Id like to talk about never giving up. Winston Churchill once said never give in, never, never, never, never in nothing, great or small, large or petty never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Now thats a lot of nevers but theyre also words we can all learn from. Churchill was talking about the Nazis; were simply talking about persistence and tenacity. When I graduated from college I went to Europe. During the first couple months I traveled. There was an architect in Vienna called coop himmelblau. They were on the cutting edge deconstructivism. I figured out where there office was and I went there. The secretary met me at the door and promptly started speaking German. Well, my German was a little rusty so I begged her to speak English which she did better than me. So I told her I was there to interview for a job. She smiled and told me they werent looking. I said listen Ive got my portfolio, cant we just set up an interview with wolf prix. (hes one of the principals of the firm) She said, well, Wolf Prix isnt here. I said, well where is he. She smiled and said, Im not telling you. I said PLEASE! She said Ok. But if I tell you where he is you cant tell him I told you or hell get really mad at me. So she explained that he worked a couple blocks from the office and that I would find him at his teaching office there. So I went down to the school and sat in front of a his office door. About a half hour went by when someone came through and asked me what I was doing there. When I told this person who I was and what I was doing there he got this look. Uh Oh. He said in broken English, you dont want to do this. Mr. Prix does not like when strangers meet him here at the school. I said, thanks man, but Im sitting here until he shows up. So about a half hour passed and eventually this guy comes walking through and right into the office a couple doors down. Its the guy Im looking for. I follow him in and thats when the shit hit the fan. This guy essentially goes bananas on me in like four languages. Hes upset Im there. Hes upset I didnt make an appointment. Hes wondering how I found him. OOPS. Anyway this guys got a really good point. I mean what am I doing there. Ive essentially stalked this guy. So in the verbal multi lingual barrage of anger he lets me know that hes not hiring and even if he was anyone that sees him has got to have an appointment, Well needless to say I leave completely dejected and roam the streets of Vienna for about an hour. Im ready to shoot myself. I eventually call my dad and in the middle of our conversation he says something really smart. He says Why dont you just make an appointment with the guy and you can meet him. Brilliant. So I go back to his office. The secretarys sitting there. She says all smarmy, well how did it go?. I say he wants to make an appointment to see me. She says really. I said really. So I make an appointment and come back 2 weeks later to see him. I walk in the door and their both standing there with smiles on their face. He looks at me and says. Thanks so much for leaving your portfolio, I like the work, but were not hiring. And that was it. So at the end of the day I didnt get the job, but thats not the point. The point is you never give up!