Anderson Todd's Most Valuable Lesson

Anderson Todd taught my freshman architecture class in the fall of 1986 at Rice University. It might have been his last freshman studio - he was, at that point, everything people mean when they say crotchety old codger: harsh, grouchy, sometimes profane, and very critical. And I was a naïve, teacher-pleasing girl from the top ten graduates of my suburban high school. I never thought he'd be the professor to whom I'm most grateful, for a fundamental life lesson.

Welcome.

Let me introduce myself. 

Vivian Volz, AIA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP

I'm an architect. Shortly after I became licensed in California, I was asked about my career goals. "I'm a project architect," I said. "I'd enjoy being a project architect for the rest of my life." I did enjoy it, for a very long time. I might easily still be a project architect, if I hadn't tried writing specifications.