By Rick Bennett
Director for Design and Construction
Epic Development, Atlanta, Georgia
I was reading Sam Grawe’s Editor’s Note in the November issue of Dwell. His tenure at the magazine is ending, and he reflected on its growth and the idea behind starting a print magazine in 2000-2001 at the end of the dot-com boom, when the world was centered on “iThis and eThat”.
Grawe noted that, “Design isn’t simply for those who can afford it or those who live in the world’s most fashionable places. Rather, is achievable just about anywhere, and everyone should have something to say about it.”
In a world that often seems to move too quickly, his thoughts resonate with me. As a company in the real estate business, the interest clock is always ticking on our projects, yet we can’t afford to move so quickly that we overlook or forget that the design of our homes is what makes us different. Even our most modest homes have endured many hours of thought: Does the floor plan work? What makes this home unique? Who is my buyer? How are they going to live and use the home each day? What finishes do they want? How do we create the most value and satisfaction for our customer?
Sam’s comments renew my commitment to be a company driven by design and high quality construction. Without an emphasis on design, we are just another builder providing shelter.