A young graduate parts from his class. In passing he remembers the stories of those before him, unique tales of sacrifice and accomplishments. This graduate will find his story beginning at a time in revolution of technology. He will step into a current of change and be carried away. Continuously mindful of tomorrow, he may quickly forget his past. A past and a story unique in time to create his individuality as an architect.

In 1849 London, a treaty by John Ruskins on the responsibilities of being an architect is published. Ruskins divided and reason these responsibilities into principles titled The Seven Lamps of Architecture. The seventh 'lamp' being Obedience, defined as the bridging of architecture to a community and its culture. This bridge or building is created in a language of the culture. A language read by the community for meaning. Although, before an architect may create with meaning, he must understand the language his is speaking. Therefore one must know the traditions of his culture, and then will find inspiration to build on.

In 1887, a native of the Middle West in America, Frank Lloyd Wright is beginning to practice architecture. An individual beginning to build in two traditions found in his time. These traditions are the Beaux Arts, based on formal planning for pictorial unity, and the Shingle Style, allowing for composing in a fluid plan with sculptural expression. Wright understood both languages when creating his own home in Oak Park. A Palladian form of a window overseeing a geometric proportional plan and following the lessons of the Beaux Arts. Then the influences of the Shingle Style provided an open interior, to be enclosed by a prominent gable. Forms of both movements are then tied together in horizontal shapes throughout the home. This is the beginning of Wright finding his individuality.

Twenty-eight years later, Wright began building with a second language. The Imperial Hotel in Tokyo is proof of his understanding of the Japanese tradition. An architect is not limited to a single culture, but able to learn from another after understanding his own. Then he may even progress this second tradition in time. The Imperial Hotel found progress for Japanese culture by providing a solution against the region's tremors and fires. First, the building rested on an innovated foundation of floating concrete to avoid tremors. Second, the Japanese move from a wood construction to masonry forms to prevent the spread of fires within the urban environments. This foreign tradition and Wright's native language blended together into a new 'organic' tradition.

For a community to remain true to its culture, it must honor its traditions. The technology revolution of today is creating a current of change. The architects of tomorrow must not forget the previous builders of time. A tailored exam of the vernacular architecture, which the graduate to practice, must be placed in the registration process.