. >> my name is alan fokugawa, i'm the building code analyst with the department of building inspection and one of my duties is to answer phones. over the course of a week i'll get many questions -- well, not many, many -- but many dwes regarding when do i need an architect? i'm doing the drawing. i'm doing a kitchen remodel; can i do that or do i need an architect? or i'm doing the interior remodel for a high rise office; can i do that or do i need an architect? to answer those questions, the topic of this talk is going to be the why and how to hire an architect. >> i've put up on the screen which duplicates the andout a table of contents of what i hope we'll have time to talk about. five main subjects, why employ an architect, what the types of clients are who would engage an architect, because each of those types has different questions; how to choose an architect and as a detail of that, what to ask the architect's former clients when you interview them. and, finally, a little personal advertisement for architecture as a desired course for your children to study. i want to start out