Everyone needs a hero. I know what you’re thinking. Marvel bombarded us with blockbuster superhero films the past decade and you could easily mistake my hero worship for one of those spangly-outfitted heroes. But, the hero to which I refer is not the tall-building-leaping or high-tech-toy variety. My chosen hero may have great toys but the similarities end there because my hero is the chick with the bic, the man with the plan, it’s Citizen Architect [wild applause]!

Every good story casts the hero, the victim and the villain. If you’ve read this far then this qualifies as a good story; keep reading.

The Hero

The hero is called “architect”, “super-architect”or “archi-champion”, but may more formally be known as Citizen Architect! [if you forgot to say this with reverberation, then say it again with @ least three echos.] Every hero needs a catalyst. A hero’s impetus is The Victim.

The Victim

The victim is the client, “owner”, “damsel”, “dude” or whatever pet name you call your clients. I don’t use client pet names, but as you’ll learn in this article, my southern female clients often have pet names for me. Every victim falls prey to The Villain.

The Villain

The villains the Citizen Architect confronts are The Imposer, The Destroyer & The Restrictor! [insert you favorite boo-hiss sound bites here.]

The Imposer:

The Imposer is the ominous code official who confuses clients with complicated jargon and obscure requirements that affect building location, size, occupancy, materials and safety features. The Imposer renders a client helpless with paperwork, fees and requirements. Citizen Architect to the rescue! Citizen Architect translates the Imposer’s lingo into usable images and documents to gain project approval. Citizen Architect’s knowledge of  codes and jurisdiction requirements plus his aptitude with construction documents thwarts the Imposer’s ploy. Crisis 1 averted, but another villain lurks.

The Destroyer:

The Destroyer is a contractor, subcontractor or supplier who breaks things, improperly constructs details or provides inferior substitutions. Citizen Architect intervenes with trade tools such as documents, specifications, submittals and site visits to defend the client’s project, not the project the Destroyer wants him to have. Citizen Architect’s skill in trade interaction and knowledge of building science derail the Destroyer’s indifference to restore order where construction chaos looms. Hooray for Citizen Architect! [thunderous cheers]. Another villain defeated, but there’s a third oppressor.

The Restrictor:

The Restrictor is the project budget or the two-faced voice that encourages a client to overspend and also the oppressive force that supplants luxury for economy. The Restrictor renders a client’s dream helpless and hopeless with financial despair. Citizen Architect employs product knowledge and creative aptitude to create the beautiful, yet affordable, project clients aspire to have converting the Restrictor from foe to friend. Have no fear, Citizen Architect is here!

Citizen Architect (CA) doesn’t use x-ray vision [wishful thinking], bullet resistance [although it would be remarkably helpful] or a power ring [which would be a first-rate toy]. The CA uses skill, aptitude, knowledge and expertise to defend the architecture world against villains.

Is it a bird, is it a plane…sorry that’s the wrong kind of hero.

It’s the chick with the Bic. It’s the man with the plan. It’s Citizen Architect!