The International Association of Architects was halfway through its annual conference.
A documentary about the project was playing across the massive screen overhead.
The final shot settled on a group photo of the design team. I was standing in the center.
The room broke into applause.
"Ms. Wheeler, as one of the lead designers on the project, what would you say was the guiding idea behind it?" a reporter asked.
I leaned toward the microphone and answered, "Respect. Respect for the land, respect for the culture, and respect for the people who will actually live with what we build."
Another wave of applause followed.
Carl was seated in the front row, and he gave me a small nod.
At the private reception afterward, several principals from major architecture firms came over to exchange
