Preview - The Client Who Changed Their Mind Twice

The first brief was for a minimal apartment. The second brief, after six months of design work, was for a comfortable apartment. The third and final brief — arrived at after a long dinner at which both clients were honest with themselves for the first time — was for a warm, generous space that would also be beautiful.

The final version is the best of the three. I don't say this diplomatically: the first two briefs were the clients imagining who they wanted to be. The third brief was who they actually are. They have a large table, comfortable sofas, bookshelves that reach the ceiling, and a kitchen that smells of cooking most evenings. I visit every time I am in Berlin.

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