The architecture association

I still can't sleep. I'm just not tired anymore.
I've been looking through the list of associations for a while now, but nothing really seems interesting.

Just going to different associations is getting annoying. Maybe I'll just join the tinker association with Gera. Even if it's complicated, I'll get into it after a while.

Since Gera and Nea are still sleeping, and I don't want to bother them, I decide to go outside for a while.
I would really like to go to the fighting association again, but everything hurts, so I really don't want to go there now.
So I'll think about it more later, and if I don't have a better idea about the association I want to choose, I'll just go to the tinker association. It starts pretty late after all.

But nothing is decided yet. For now I just go to the market square.
I also take the list of associations with me, so I can have a look.

I decide to go to that market square again, where I saw that statue.
When I reach it, I sit down and watch it for a while.

It's a nice place. There are exactly four streets at each side of the square.
And the one behind the statue of the princess directly leads towards the castle.
Someone must have put thought into that.

When thinking about that, there must be an association for such things. Didn't I want to look that up yesterday?
I take out the list and look it through.
Oh, there's an architecture association. That one might be interesting.
And it starts-
Oh, I really have to hurry now. It will start in a few minutes.

I get up and start running towards the castle.
On my way, I look at the list again to know, where to find the building of the association.

I already know more about the locations.
An association with this number should be left of the castle.
So as I'm getting close to the castle, I head left.

It will be difficult to get there in time.
I still have to look through every building in multiple streets.

But then I notice one building, which looks especially beautiful.
And it obviously belongs to an association.
So I immediately run towards it and look at the number.
Yeah, this is it.

I finally enter, and now have to catch my breath.
Everyone inside seems busy already. They are sitting at tables and are drawing something.

Hey, I'm new here.

Nobody seems to react. After a while, some guy gets up and walks towards me.

So you want to join the architecture association?

I'm thinking about it. When I was sitting on the beautiful market square, I suddenly knew this association would be the right place for me. The streets, and the statue, and...

Hey, Gregor, did you hear that?
This guy likes your market place.

Some other guy, obviously Gregor, gets up and walks towards me. Then we shake hands.

Hey.

So you designed that market square? Isn't it already very old?

It is, but it looked way different around a decade ago. Something had to be done, and I was in charge for that.

Cool, so you plan the stuff and then it gets built?

Yeah. I've only been here for a few years, and they already chose my design.
If you're talented, you'll also get some responsibility early.

I doubt that I'm talented. I only know some basic reading, and can do some simple calculations. That's it.

We already had an artist from the big forest.
The only thing he could do is draw.
And now he's pretty good.
You just talked to him. Right, Birch?

Yeah, it's me. Drawing was the easy part. But understanding the physics was the complicated part.
I'm sure you'll get into it, too, if you put some effort into it.

Being able to draw is actually also very important here.
Any experience?

Not really. When younger I sometimes drew in the sand with my friends.

That's already a good start.
Maybe sit down at some empty seat, and just start drawing.
The paper and the tools are already there.
Just try to draw simple shapes like circles and rectangles.
Take your time, and if you need help, just ask any one of us.

Okay, and don't I have to ask the leader of this team first?

We don't really have one. We managed to work very well on our own. We're all pretty smart. At least most of us.

Okay, then I'll just sit down and start drawing.

I sit down at some empty seat next to Birch and see a lot of tools I've never seen before.
The only thing I know is the pencil. And I also recognize a ruler. I think Lena had one for drawing straight lines below some important text when writing letters to her parents.

I use it to draw a straight line.
And then I also try to draw a rectangle, but I have some issues.
Then I notice some triangular ruler and use it to get cleaner corners.

I look over to Birch.
What he's drawing there seems pretty complicated.
But I notice that he uses some other tool a lot for drawing circles.
It's like a pencil connected to another stick.

I look for it and try to copy what he's doing.
I put some half circles on top of rectangles, and really start to get creative.
I try to make something that looks like a building.

After a while, Birch looks over.

Not bad for a village boy.
But this can get cleaner. Your rounded roofs are not centered.
Let me show you a trick.

He moves away the paper at his place. Below an empty one is already there. And then he draws a line using a ruler.
And then he uses that circle tool to make two circle segments from both edges of the line.
Next he draws a line through the intersections.
And in the end he uses the new intersection as center to draw a half circle.

See? I use the compass to mark the center of the line.
And this way I can center the roof properly.

After seeing it, I wonder why I didn't get this idea myself.
It seems so simple when seeing it.

I immediately try it myself.
And Birch soon shows me other tricks.
He uses the so called compass to measure distances, which helps him to create perfect squares and specific triangles.

After a while, he removes the paper.

You learn fast.
Now try to redraw your building in a cleaner way using your new knowledge.

I immediately start drawing it again.
It's really fun. I get used to it very quickly.

After a while, I finished the redraw.
It looks a little different. I tried to use all of the techniques Birch taught me.
I added some triangle roofs, and round windows perfectly centered in the top of some towers.
It looks like a huge castle.

Hey, Birch, how do you like it?

Oh, hey everybody, have a look. We have a natural talent here!
You were really fast.

Everybody gets up and looks at my castle and they like it.

Yeah, looks pretty good.
If you managed to learn this so quickly, I'm pretty confident you will quickly learn everything else, too.

what else is there to learn?

Mostly physics. You need to know what kinds of buildings are stable.
You will also need to make sketches from different perspectives and for each floor.
And you will need to know about the different materials.
But don't worry. You have enough time for this.
Most people need multiple weeks to understand the drawing techniques. Even Birch, despite being an artist.

I focused more on the look and minor details. I had difficulties to get it clean at first.

And you'll also have to supervise the construction workers.
If you decide to stay here, I can take you to some construction site tomorrow.

Sounds good. This really sounds interesting.
And it's also the most useful.
Everything else seemed like weird useless hobbies, but whatever I do here might actually be built in this town, right?

Exactly. That's why everybody is so motivated here.
We really want to make this town a better place.

This really sounds great.

If you want, you can also leave for today.
The next weeks will be difficult enough.

Oh, thanks. Yeah, I think I really need to relax a little after the recent days. Then see you tomorrow I guess.

I leave them again.
As I'm walking home, this really starts to feel weird.
I just agreed to stay there. I guess it's decided then. No need to go back to the fighting association or try something else.
And I'm happy with my decision.
I'm already looking forward to telling Gera and Nea about it when I come home.