Like many software developers, I have more than a passing interest in architecture. Over the years I've taken lots of photos and been on a bunch of tours trying to understand that world of the built environment which had so long been invisible to me. I also developed a fascination with architectural form - mainly a Frank Gehry thing but extending beyond him to other architects who know how to push those dynamics and engage a person who finds themselves in front of their work.

I've recently caught myself wondering about that focus on physical form and realizing that much of the time it fits more into the category of decoration or sculptural expression. At its worst, it proclaims "look at me!"

For work I've been to a couple of stadiums in the last month (Target Field, KFC Yum! Center) and it has made me think that the kinds of problems an architect would run into with a facility like that tend to pose some interesting questions - a lot more interesting than a residence or small scale building. Questions like: how does one make it easy for 22,000 people to go to the bathroom? How is a building that large ventilated? How is each point in the building accessible given some maximum distance from an entrance? What kind of material is durable for that much use by that many people?

Although I will still enjoy looking at work that is sculptural and evocative, the more my eyes are opened the more I find the interesting questions asked and answered with work I previously overlooked.