Building mock-ups is an important part of the design process - it's also a very exciting part.

Doesn’t everybody like getting presents" I know I do … especially when they come in giant, wooden, heavily screwed and impregnable crates.Just like this one:Measuring somewhere in the neighborhood of 14″ wide x 10″ tall x 22″ long, this was a gift from the contractors who are responsible for building my cabin project in the North Woods of Wisconsin. We had been patiently awaiting the arrival of this box, and its contents, since my last trip to Wisconsin, and by the time it finally arrived, we were particularly anxious to open it up. However, part of me thinks that the contractor decided to have a little fun with us when they crated everything together.See that screw up above" That’s called a “Robertson” head screw. Unlike most screws that either require a Phillips or flathead screwdriver, this one requires a square head. This crate is basically constructed using nothing but these Robertson head screws … Because of this, I can’t help but think that my contractor friends up North had a good laugh when they screwed this crate together knowing that when it arrived we wouldn’t be able to actually open the darn thing up.Do you disagree" Tell me … what architecture office would have a Robertson head screwdriver" What a terrific joke to play on the stupid architects.Except I’m not just som...