Why it is impossible to replicate Wolf Architecture.

What an Architect delivers is like a tailor-made Italian suit. There’s nothing better than a tailor-made suit but it’s hard to convince someone who’s never tried one on. Sadly, many people these days prefer to bypass the architect and pursue their dreams via a budget builder or draftsperson –seeking a cheaper option, only to be disappointed with the end result.
Looking at images from glossy magazines and getting a draftsperson to emulate it is like trying to dance professionally after watching it on TV. The result would almost always be a very superficial interpretation- a cheap copy- even comedic. Architects are the only qualified professionals who understand buildings and our environment in a deeper overall sense.
At WOLF Architects our work is always fresh and innovative because our design approaches demand that we begin with very few preconceived ideas. Like a blank canvas we allow ourselves to be present in the moment and inspired by the client and their dreams.
Some people believe that nothing is impossible, but when it comes to copying good architecture it is vastly more complex than copying a designer handbag or a piece of furniture. It cannot be made in China and imported. Furthermore, we find from our experience that no two projects are ever the same. Each, site, budget and client’s requirements are unique, making it difficult to have a one method fits all design philosophy. That is why WOLF Architects have adopted a style of having “No style”. While some view our work and presume that there is a style they are, in fact, identifying the consistency in quality and design presence, rather than an actual style.
A lack of quality architectural design is what results when people try to copy and imitate. As each of our designs are finely tailored to very specific needs, it only takes a very small adjustment to bring the whole product out of balance. Unless you have the exact same site type, size, shape, etc… you can’t just throw another Wolf house onto it. The imitator thus has to make adjustment by moving a window here, reducing a space there or lowering a ceiling level, and then before you know it, the product is vastly distorted. Try taking a photo of your own face and then moving one eye slightly higher while moving your mouth slightly lower. Even the slightest change will make you look different in a “Strange” way. That is exactly what happens when people copy the good work of architects. Our streets are littered with cheap imitations of contemporary and classical architecture by designers and non-designers who simply have no idea what they are doing.
The next time you go for a drive, pay attention to all of the houses in your area. When you see a building that makes you say “Wow” it was probably done by an architect. The rest that look mediocre or worse were probably designed by someone with their own ideas on how to copy other people’s good work.
The moral of this story is obvious. Use a good architect or accept that you will have a poor imitation because good architecture cannot be copied.

Three WOLF Architects designed homes in a row.

The result of trying to imitate architecturally designed homes.