Listening to the words that Helena Ochoa Foster said during the "Abitare" conference in Sala Buzzati in Milan, last December 3rd, it seems the last monograph on the British Archistar was a dramatically out of focus.

Norman Foster's wife explained that during the 3 months long period in which "Abitare" was shadowing the architect, she was "trying to convince Norman that he ought to share specific events of his private life to be an example for the future generations". And she mentioned explicitly "the way he faced severe diseases or the bankruptcy keep on going on, for instance".

If it had followed these intentions the second monographic issue of "Abitare. Being..." would have been very instructive and interesting. But it was not like that:  this "Being Norman Foster" seems to focus more on the "glamourous" aspect of the architect life, almost forgetting the "normal-Norman". In fact, aside the "usual" site inspections in NY or Beijing or the explanation on how Foster works or relates to technology, the monograph indulges too much on pics&fatcs very close to be pretentious and showy.

Nothing dissimilar from many other monographs about famous archistars, but we should expect something different from a magazine which is assumed to be paying attention to the actuality and to social changes. The example of Abitare, as the one of many other architectural magazines, is close to those TV programs - especially in Italy - which are promoting unsustainable cultural models to the young generations: they seem not able to catch the real role of the architect in the actual context, which is a profession completely different from the one of twenty/twentyfive years ago. 

It's not only true that very few architects in the world are like Foster, but the point is that no-one will be like him in the future!  This is because there are probably more architects than plumbers in Europe and the social, economical and cultural conditions of our profession are deeply changed.

That's why it would be interesting to read architectural and design magazines dealing with the everyday life of a "real architect", living the contradiction of being part of an "overcrowded elite" (those working to change the world... ) and re-inventing his profession day by day, in a period in which - we have to add - architecture seems also to be less inspiring and lively than design. From this point of view the example of Sir Norman Foster, who had undoubtedly an interesting and intense professional and personal life - would have been a guideline for many of us.

So, waiting for a new monograph on Sir "Normal" Foster, we enjoyed to imagine the cover of a new Abitare issue: the "Being a normal architect", where bikesharing replaces helicopters, unpaid projects substitute the international ones and bureaucracy and taxes frustrate the daily routine.

Unless until we'll became "Sir Normal"...