I lived in Asia in the 1990s and was close friends with several local and international architects working on residential buildings which often had commercial s

I lived in Asia in the 1990s and was close friends with several local and international architects working on residential buildings which often had commercial space on the ground floor. One common complaint was their models and drawings never ended up looking like the result because the developer would add features (one example: a parking garage which required a large ramp) and commercial tenants would add hanging signage. Residents typically used balconies for drying laundry, not the flower gardens shown in the drawings. Almost everyone used frosted windows, not clear windows, because outside views of other buildings or the surrounding landscape were not valued - it was all about the interior amenities.