Edda Pt. 01

Later I talked to one of the jurors who mentioned the work that had tipped the balance in the juries thinking. It was actually the house I designed for Edda. That, he said was a masterpiece. It was what he said next that changed my life yet again.

"Your ex-wife has maintained that house and landscaping exceptionally. You know she has created quite a little shrine to you in one of the bedrooms. One wonders why you two ever parted."

It sparked my memories of Edda and my family. There developed a period of melancholy that my colleagues began to notice. This was the precursor to my two years of hell. It is the old story when you wake up and discover you really are a fraud; I guess I lost confidence.

My father had come out of semi-retirement to support me in my endeavors. It had nearly broken him but my parents told me at the ceremony that they had no regrets. Within the following two years my father died and that was followed closely by my Mother.

To create the high rise, we had created an integrated entity, the developers, and the design and construction enterprise all in one package. All went well until the patron; the developer suddenly was killed in an aircraft accident. This changed the dynamics. The organization had to restructure. A new developer was brought in, but they came with a different philosophy; a hardnosed conservative group who were adversarial and litigious. They forced changes including the sacking of the construction team. The vision no longer mattered. The building was two thirds finished. My own father so late in his life was forced to pull his technology. I think the experience finally killed him.

I also discovered that I was not cut out to be a US style businessman. We lost the high rise. Yes it was built but the politics and the financial maneuvering was out of my league. We fundamentally were swindled out of patents and following argument after argument we were finally fired. Actually I walked off. When I walked off I was broken. I returned to my depression I suffered at the time of my divorce. I was lucky this time to have the support of my close colleagues.

I felt drawn to return to my homeland. There was the death of my Father and Mother which was especially devastating since I was the only child. There was the hatred and resentment built up over my treatment with the New York tower.

On a small positive side, there was the thought of what was said about Edda's house.

What would it be like using my reputation and having a small practice indulging myself turning out bespoke houses while doing a little lecturing? And then there was my family; but how could I approach them. I felt utter shame for my years of architectural mania where I might as well have been a monk in the wilderness as far as they were concerned.

When I decided to return to New Zealand Willem would be 34, Henneke 30, Lotte 28 and Edda 55.

Would I be recognizable to them?

Whatever, I determined to return.

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