Independent Design

05/14/2026

Credit to John Prokop, Assoc. AIA:

I've been in the business of preserving historic properties, neighborhoods and landmarks for 45 years now. Half that time was spent in the DC area enjoying these exact monuments and history. I've served on numerous historic and design review boards.

So I'm going to be direct, and I'm going to be as honest as possible.

I DO hate.

I hate that a major piece of the White House was destroyed, with no notice, no approvals, and no permits even applied for. What, exactly, should we include as the "merits" worth discussing in that?

I hate that the design of a massive federal ballroom project was contracted with zero bids, zero accountability, and zero compliance with the law. Do tell, what "merits" should we be discussing?

I hate that the asbestos, lead paint, and other contaminent-laden debris from that unauthorized destruction was not abated. At all. By anyone. I hate that this hazardous debris was illegally dumped onto the grounds of a local public golf course. Again, no permits. No authorization. And no environmental protections.

Can someone explain to us all the "merits" of creating an actual Federal Hazardous Waste cleanup site in the heart of downtown DC?

I hate that this golf course has had this poison-laden soil leak into the ground for months now, likely rendering the golf course unplayable for the near future. This was a golf course that my grandfather played in the 1920, my father in the 1950's, me in the 1980's, and my daughter in the 2010's. The last round may have already been played there. Again, this issue has what "merits" to discuss?

I hate that the Reflecting pool was painted blue, using a no-bid contract to a pool contractor who had never qualified to perform federal work of any kind, but was "friends" with a guy, and again without any permits. I hate that the blue color will render the "reflecting" component of the pool null. What are the "merits" of eliminating the reflectivity of a "Reflecting Pool"? I don't know. Maybe someone who recently commented here can tell us?

I hate that there was a recent parade of vehicles driving down the middle of this pool, in armored government vehicle weighing between 10 and 20 tons, so that one person could get out and have a photo opportunity. "merits" of this, please?

I hate that experts have now determined that by driving these massives vehicles on a surface not meant to be driven upon, about $10,000,000 of taxpayer money has to be added to the project to repair the damage caused by that 20 minute vehicular parade.

Because .... "merits"?

I hate that new massive bronze letters were ordered for a new name for the Kennedy Center well before the renaming was "approved" by a board recently totally newly appointed voted to rename it. I hate that the letters were erected literally the next day after the "vote", despite being custom made and needing at a minimum 2 weeks of lead time. The merits of renaming a building that was declared a national monument to a former president? Unknown. Perhaps someone in this thread can explain those merits?

I hate that there were numerous very qualified and highly talented people (several of whom I am friends with) who had been serving on several different design review boards, for DC, and for any federal project being planned and proposed, who were fired from those boards, prior to their terms being served and without any cause, just so someone could appoint their totally unqualified former lawyers and current personal assistants to those boards, intentionally to avoid the review, permitting, scrutiny, budget reviews, and federal purchasing guidleine oversight that all these projects require but are not getting.

I'm waiting for anyone, "Bueller"? to explain how there are merits in this?

And finally, I hate that there are numerous intelligent and otherwise knowedgeable people out there who try to excuse and explain away all these things described above as normal and commonplace. Which. They. Are. Not. I hate those people most of all. Because they enable the crushing of norms and standards and laws and rules that I have spent my life helping to enforce. hopefully this comment helps explain the majority of the feelings being posted here.
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John Prokop Assoc. AIA
Rowe Architects
Tampa FL

04/07/2026

Post your Before-and-After images ...

Nothing screams "Value of the Architect" better than a good before‑and‑after image — it tells the whole story in a single glance.

A “before” shows the uncertainty:
a blank site, an outdated layout, a space that isn’t living up to its potential.

An “after” shows what happens when design, code fluency, problem‑solving, and client goals finally align.
It’s not just a prettier picture — it’s clarity, function, safety, and long‑term value made visible.

For homeowners, developers, and business owners, that transformation is more than cosmetic. It’s the moment you can see the return on thoughtful planning, zoning strategy, structural logic, and a hundred decisions that never make it into the photo.

A strong before‑and‑after doesn’t say “look what we built.”

It says “look at what the ARCHITECT saw was possible”

That’s the real power of design.

06/03/2025

Hat tip to R John Anderson. 2br 2ba with locking door and a hell of a wet bar. We need missing middle housing!

When I propose one bedroom cottages in cottage courts or as ADUs my recommendations are met with a lot of skepticism. Just because other people are not building something, does not mean there is no market for something different.

From the census data in every market I have looked at there are lots of one person households.

So my latest advice to a couple of emerging developers building cottage courts for rent is to build some 2 bedroom/2bath units, each with a lockout guest suite with its own exterior door.

One unit gets a full kitchen the the second gets a heck of a wet bar. There is only one Dwelling Unit, but two rentable spaces. This approach addresses the concern that maybe nobody wanting to lease a one bedroom unit since nobody is building free standing one bedroom cottages.

In 2020, 27.6% of occupied U.S. households had one person living alone, about 20 percentage points higher than in 1940.

02/06/2025

We are pleased to announce our submission to the Monadnock Region ADU Design Challenge for a Garage and Workshop ADU in Keene, NH. Our hope is that this design can be locally approved in advance by municipalities as a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit to streamline permitting and build much needed housing faster.

01/25/2025

Evergreen post on Julia Morgan - a trailblazing architect and personal hero.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/186LMNjs1i/

"Architect Julia Morgan, who was born [this week] in 1872, is often remembered as one of the first great American female architects. She was the first woman to be licensed as an architect in California and designed over 700 buildings in 50 years. She was also one of the first women to study civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1897, Morgan became the first woman admitted to Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, a prestigious architecture school. Some of her most notable works are the Hearst Castle, Asilomar YWCA, and the St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley. In 2014, Morgan became the first woman to receive The American Institute of Architects' Gold Medal." -- via the National Women's History Museum

For adult readers interested in learning about her life and legacy, we recommend "Julia Morgan: Architect of Beauty" (https://amzn.to/3KuzBGb) and "Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect" (https://amzn.to/3KsgD2F)

She is also one of 22 trailblazing female architects and builders featured in the excellent “Women of Steel and Stone,” recommended for teens and adults alike, ages 12 and up, at https://www.amightygirl.com/women-of-steel-and-stone

Julia Morgan is also featured in the fascinating book for adults: "The Women Who Changed Architecture" at https://www.amightygirl.com/women-who-changed-architecture

For fun ways to inspire the builders of tomorrow, visit our blog post: “Building Her Dreams: 60 Building and Engineering Toys for Mighty Girls," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10430

And for several inspiring picture books starring real-life women who love to design and build, we recommend "Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer" (https://www.amightygirl.com/classified-mary-golda-ross), "The Girl Who Could Fix Anything" (https://www.amightygirl.com/girl-fix-anything-beatrice-shilling), and "Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge" (https://www.amightygirl.com/secret-engineer), all for ages 5 to 9

05/23/2024

We believe that there must be a balance between tax rates and restricting property rights. If I need to rent a room in my home to pay the bills, that shouldn't be prohibited.

05/14/2024

Career meld, obviously.

04/21/2024

03/17/2024

I've always wanted a simple How To guide. Equal opportunities for all buildings, and I'm always in the market for a quality building date.

11/03/2023

Grooving has disappeared from our design vernacular. And we are worse off without it.