Life — April 12, 1923 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Architect's Revenge: A Blood-Curdling Tale of a Turning Worm" This is a humorous short story by George S. Chappell about an architect named William Barrows who becomes frustrated with a client couple (the Wyckoffs) who repeatedly reject his building designs as impractical. The narrative mocks architectural pretension—the Wyckoffs keep requesting impossible features like high ceilings in low spaces and elaborate cottage aesthetics. The accompanying floor plans illustrate the house design discussed in the story. The "revenge" appears to involve the architect eventually proving his design's merit, though the text cuts off before the resolution. The satire targets both difficult clients and architects' egos during this period.