Just after finishing our studies –I was still completing my military service in Lleida– we got the opportunity to work on a project for a half-block affordable housing in Hospitalet. The financial constraints were extreme, as they had to be low-income housings. Since it was under the Official Protected Housing scheme, we not only needed approval from the Hospitalet City Council, but also from the Ministry of Housing. The first approval came without any issues, but we got stuck with the second one. We went to see the bureaucrat who had denied us the permit –we didn’t think he was even an architect. As we argued with him, we realized that the denial wasn’t due to any breach of habitability codes, as the project complied with all of them, but because of its originality. Our attempt to group the courtyards and access into a dignified lobby, with a single staircase and elevator core, resulted in an unusual and very interesting floor plan. Faced with his stubbornness, we asked if there was a higher-ranking official. Reluctantly, he told us, “Well, if you want to consult the chief architect of the department...” We agreed, and off we went. We explained to the chief architect the reasons behind our unusual floor plan. He listened, understood us, and granted the permit. Even now, we wonder how two newly graduated youngsters dared to take on such a challenge. We had the boldness of youth.