A slightly crooked view of the oval dome inside San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by good ol' (very much dead) friend Francesco Borromini taken in a rush... anyways... enjoy this Baroque bonbon!

The two super sexy baroque almost-twins churches, Santa Maria in Montesanto (the "church of artists," oval dome, therefore slightly larger) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (octagonal dome, smaller, under reno), framing the grand entrance to Piazza del Popolo… + in the bottom left corner, 2 Italian men absolutely losing it laughing

I skipped uni today and decided to rewatch 10x20 to study the layout of Hotch’s season 10 apartment... and, uh... there have been some complications...

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architecture.

I need to focus on the architec-

I need to focus on the-

I need to focus-

I need to-

Obviously, his and Haley's marital house was out after everything but the same apartment he got stabbed in is wild to me and to then to Jack who was held hostage by the guy who stabbed Hotch by the dining table? I get if it was for security with less points of direct entry but Foyet got in??? Is there a garden or green space for Jack to play in? Does Hotch do a background check on all new tenants?

Anyway, this is not anti-apartment slander because I happily live in one myself but I'm so interested in why Hotch would since he clearly has the means (Rolex watches are not cheap lmao) and this feels like the right platform to discuss it haha what do you think?

Breaking down Hotch's apartment layout until someone from Criminal Minds slides into my DMs with the damn floorplans: (The Empire Strikes Back)

I’ve thought about this a lot (maybe too much) and I honestly believe Hotch stayed in that apartment building for a mix of reasons. It’s not just one thing. Maybe one factor weighed heavier than the others, but ultimately, I picture him doing one of those classic pros and cons lists, like the fussy man he is, and letting the whole picture guide the decision... does it make sense??

Now, if we look at the architectural typology of his building, we know it follows a comb-plan layout - meaning it features two semi-enclosed, semi-public green spaces that are open toward the street. (I even made a little sketch to visualize it because I’m a visual learner... Like, I don’t know what “Hotch’s hands” means until I see them. Someone please send references...pls???)

That said, the green spaces aren’t the reason he stayed. Sure, the building has them, but they’re likely shared among all tenants, mostly decorative, and maybe even off-limits in terms of actual use (some buildings do that.. yikes). Plus, they’re super open to the street, which means they’re not really safe or private enough for Jack to play in.

So I don’t think the green spaces themselves were the selling point.

I think he stayed because of the overall architectural quality of the building. It's a historic structure (from mid 1920s-1930s??) that’s been carefully restored, updated with 21st-century systems and amenities, and built with high-quality materials and finishes. Maybe there’s a park nearby where Jack can actually play safely. Maybe it’s closer to his school. It also doesn’t strike me as a suburban area, which could be another plus - city life offers access to public transportation, shops, cultural spaces, sports activities… all of which might've played into the decision.

Now, to make this more accurate, just mentally replace every picture with either a painting of a boat (the man loves his boats, boats are his autistic obsession... no shame, Aaron, they’re very cool) or his family photos.

Unfortunately, the kitchen and bathrooms here either looked like they came straight out of a cheap Home Depot catalog or were stolen from Rossi’s mansion, I did my best. That said, I know for a fact the man has a sink with a ton of storage underneath, packed with all his hair products lmaooo

Anyway, the defining features here are dark wood, high contrast in the living spaces (please ignore the offensively cheap ceiling lamps in the sixth pic), and most likely a more muted, moody atmosphere in the private areas. Traditional decor mixed with modern accent touches (my personal rule is that if he chooses to go modern, it has to be designer).

(I know he has the comfiest couch in the world because he’s a serial couch napper.)

I just stumbled across this axonometric drawing I made of a school I designed for a uni course… and now I desperately have the itch to make one for the BAU offices... like, imagine seeing the bullpen, Hotch’s office, Rossi’s, the conference room, all laid out AAAAAA

(but I can’t find the floorplans AAAAAA)

(I could always just eyeball them…)

Clearly, I’m a masochist because this took me 70 hours of work, and I have no time to waste… but how cute would it beeeeeeee?!

(CM hire me for set architecture, please, can I be the one who makes the little stupid floorplans they flash on screen?)

(Also, I desperately want to draw the floor plan of Aaron’s Bachelor Pad™ so bad…)

(and a little axonometric view AAAAAA with a tiny depressed Hotch roaming around)

(CM higher-ups, hear me out: I’ll produce these drawings, but only if you bring TG back… deal? How does that sound?)