I'm sitting in an airport about to board a flight to Atlanta. I am an architect and I am off to an anonymous mall in Georgia where I will spend the next today day measuring, documenting and memorializing a nondescript space made of gypsum wall board, concrete and acoustic ceiling tile. I will photograph every square inch of the unit as if it were the greatest archaeological find of the twenty-first century. I will describe the space in such detail that those without sight could imaging it as if it were their childhood home.
On my return to the office I will turn all this information into drawings that will be used to fit out the space for a retail chain, a roll out. After the store has been designed and built it will be indistinguishable from any other store in any other mall across the country. And then, in about two years time the space will be refurbished again with a new tenant. All remnants of my effort and care will be erased and forgotten.
There is a certain pleasure, for me , in the meticulous documenting of a space it is like putting together a giant mathematical jigsaw puzzle. There is a moment of satisfaction when the measurements take shape and a picture is formed on the paper.
But despite this after many years in this profession working for architects big and small I am consciously deciding to make a change. I have worked on too many projects where budget have been "value engineered" or erased, or designs have been crippled by building departments, onerous code or ill informed clients. So as a partial farewell I would like to go through an edited selection of my most memorable architectural jobs in an effort to enlighten some, empathize with others and deter many:
JOB #1 - The Classical Training
Liverpool some where in the mid '80's I was about 11 and with 'Howard Roakian' dreams I got an unpaid summer job with a family friend who was an architect. In my mind this architect had always been a larger then life character, with his mop of white hair, his upper-class accent (unusual in Liverpool at that time) and his capacity for drink. On nights that my parents had invited him over, I tucked-up in my bed upstairs, would hear his booming voice from below. Despite my parents efforts in hiding the whiskey bottle, he always managed be the loudest, drunkest and latests of their guests.
Liverpool was in a deep financial and mental depression at the time, there was no architecture work to speak of, so my primary role was to clean out all the Rotring Pens (look it up) and maintain and print plans on the dye-line machine. The first job required me to soak all the pens in hot water and then pin-dig out the dried ink from within their hair thin nibs. The dye-line machine was not much better as it involved vile and corrosive chemicals mainly ammonia, that took the skin off the tips of your fingers. Despite all of this I was not deterred, and was excited to be in a real architects office.
Sadly the architect passed away some year ago. He was moderately successful but a law suite from a job in the past haunted him and ultimately led to his demise.
JOB #2 - TheAsian sweatshop
After I graduated in the early 90's with my Architecture Diploma I entered (not for the last time) a landscape where jobs for architects were scarce. I took a hateful job in tele-sales for year which paid well and afforded me the ability to travel the world for 2 years. Most of my jobs during the period were in bars or restaurants, but I did manage to land an architectural job in Hong Kong working in the model making department of a large practice. I picked-up a few skills with cardboard and colored film, as I recreated glass and steel skyscrapers who's only nod to the Chinese vernacular were the oversized pagoda roofs atop their boxy bases. Whilst I aimed to leave the office at a reasonable hour I was aghast at my asian co-worker who would happily work thought the night and regularly sleep under his drawing board. This was not for me.
JOB #3 - TheHalf-Baked Idea
In the late 90's I graduated with my architecture diploma and I got a job working in the same small company as brother (also an architect) in London. We worked primary on high end residential projects. Working for picky ill-experienced clients invariably led to late nights and and many many changes to the project. This was a cash in had job, I think to avoid taxes, once a week we geared ourselves up to play the ‘lets-get-money-from-the-boss’ game. He never seemed to have enough on him to pay our wages and part of our job seemed to be the sport of hectoring him until he coughed up. This involved demanding that he go to the bank at lunch time or getting him to write I.O.U's. But he had a few tricks up his sleeves too, one of which was to produce a bag of weed at about 4 pm on a Friday and start to get us stoned in the hopes that we would forget about about our financial shortfall. We soon got wise to this and only smoked after our wallets had been satisfied.
JOB #4 - Bigger is not better
Needless to say I felt like I wanted bigger challenges with a bigger company so I got a job working for a bigger firm in London designing shopping malls. As the new guy I got tasked with creating and managing the door schedule, a big spreadsheet with a hundreds of different door sizes, hardware sets, fire ratings and so on. This was all very new and very exciting but I had some valid questions which I would pose to my boss.
I use the term boss lightly he was really the next guy who was slightly senior to me. Clearly he had mentally checked out of the job a long time ago. Every time I asked him a question such as, "Do we require a 2 hour hardware set on the egress corridor doors", he would mystically answer "who knows, who dares to dream". This was his answer to most of the questions I posed and I quickly grew tired of this job. It was around this time that I heard from a friend of mine who was working out in Miami. The prospect of sun, sand and an escape from the grey grind of London was too hard to pass up.
JOB #5 - Peculiar Pools
The story of how I landed this job and made it to Miami is an adventure in itself, but let's just say that it involved deep sea diving an ear infection and a frantic dash to the airport. But I did it, I had made the escape from the quotidian to the exotic. I had landed a job, all be it illegally, in South Beach Miami, home of Miami Vice, pastel buildings and hedonistic evenings.
The office was a small affair, three people still working in ink and mylar (look it up) involved in the design and construction of tacky resorts in the Caribbean. My boss had kindly put me and and another co-worker in up in his pool house. I say kindly as he garnered enough of our wages for rent that he essentially had almost free labour. Still I got immense joy from taking a cool morning swim, and picking up a sweet strong Cuban coffee was I walked in the moist heat to work. My most memorable set of construction documents was designing a pool for a resort in Jamaica called Hedonism II.
Note: It is a little known fact that there is not actually a Hedonism I, the thought being that naming the resort as an imaginary sequel would some how imbue the visitor with a sense of confidence. As in ‘They already built a Hedonism I, how bad can it be?”
Answer: Bad
Anyway back to the pool. As the name suggests the nature of this resort was to create a sense of sexual abandonment, reading between the lines this essentially meant a place for old swingers to hangout and be free. And nothing says sexy like a penis shaped swimming pool, replete with two round vegetative areas at its base and grotto for oral pleasure. That was one set of CD’s I just could not part with.
In conclusion:
So after many jobs good and bad and many years good and bad I have made the switch, and I am much happier for it. My advice to those considering a career in architecture? Go study architecture, if after your degree you still want want to be an architect then take a masters, hell even intern a bit. After graduation work a year or two in an architects office, and know that your job will never get any better or worse, you will not make much more money, you will not work fewer hours. If you can handle that and still love the profession good luck to you, if not get out and get out soon.
I am in my first year of employment in a small/middle size architecture firm, after just receiving an M.Arch after many years of schooling. I sense that feeling and agree with what you mention above about how it will/may never get any better/worst, with not much more money, and will not work fewer hours. My question is, do you have any tips or advices to new interns who still enjoy the profession, at least for now, but would like to change the outcome of these negative aspects of the profession/personal life?
please share w/ us more of your stories, they are very personal, eye opening, and entertaining.
will you be going into a field that is creative as well? after many years of dedication, cheers to your choice of leaving this dreadful profession. =/
it's like rosebud. don't you wish you could just go back to nice clean as-builts? sure the money sucked, but life was simpler back then. also, the money still sucks, all you add is stress, disappointment, and nice things like that.
I am still in construction but I moved over to work for the developer/client side.
Oh no! you cry not the evil creative sucking developer, whose only care is the budget and the schedule.
Not true.
As architects we are educated to believe that we are the only ones who are right when it comes to matters of design and aesthetics, all other opinions fall by the way side. As it turns out there are many other valid opinions to listen to including the developer. Most of the people I work with studied architecture and made the smart move to where the money is long ago. You might argue that they are failed architects, or you might say that architecture was not for them, either way they, like me, made a choice and have never looked back.
This is not for everyone, I wont lie it is not as creative as being in the thick of design, however I do get to influence the project in many different ways, maybe more than the architect.
Remember a building can not exist on great design alone, it needs money, it need a use and it needs a reason. Architecture, as someone once told me, is the profession of compromise. Sometimes you have to embrace that compromise and turn it to your advantage.
I enjoyed reading these stories, Matthew! I think I'll answer every question I get today with "Who knows, who dares to dream?". Oops, here comes the office cubicle installation crew no doubt wondering whether the end cubicle gets a desk- or wall-height end panel. Wait til they hear my answer...
matthew: great stories... Now with your transition into the developer/owner side, how did you pivot out of architecture and convince a developer to hire you? Please fill me in. I've begun networking with clients I've worked with who do the $30M 200+ unit urban projects; but hiring a 30 year old architect isn't on their radar. They say I'm either over qualified or...well there's just no room for a single architect when these are the types of companies that hire architecture firms to do drawings and CA anyways (2.75% fee typically lol on 30M construction budgets).... and when times are slow; what's the use of an architect in the office? .. they have people managing existing leased buildings and buying up / scoping properties when they're not developing ...
So I'd be grateful to hear of your transition and current role. I'm more convinced that with the end-goal of being my own boss running my own show; I just need to start with a small rehab or rental development. Thanks!
Jun 30, 14 12:28 pm ·
·
That Dye-line machine being referred to is actually a Blueline machine or Diazo machine. Diazo as in Diazonium Salt + Azo dye. It was a process that replaced the use of Cyanotype blueprint process unless someone wants to use that process which is still possible to be done.
The transition I made to working for developer did not happen over night. I applied to many many GC's to be become an Assistant PM, as a foot on the ladder. I had a couple of interviews but nothing panned out. GC's like to see what talent is around not necessarily for any specific job.
I did get an interview at my current job though a contact but I also have some unique PM skills I picked up when I was working as a business analyst for a company that implements construction management software. I also am a registered architect which I think didn't hurt me. I will clarify that I am working as a PM/APM not as an architect.
I agree LITS: unfortunately the arch education is so obsessed with ignoring the teaching of mgmt skills, business, how-buildings-get-built in general, time mgmt, construction process or anything other than mind-masturbating exercises in design bs.... it will be a while until architects come out of school with the ability to jump into other construction positions.
Take for instance this recent grad's work bio on his firm's web page:
"....while he is interested in all facets of architecture, 'John' is particularly intrigued by the intensified relationship between occupant and space found in residential design. "
Fascinating... I wonder what skills he has has with his 7 yr masters degree in artitecture.
I fell into a hybrid APM/Intern Architect role and the politics on both sides are astounding. The "designers" tend to resent you as if you've defected and sold out for the enemy. The PMs see you as their spy to insert construction knowledge and make what they refer to as "cartoon sketches," into buildable documents. It's an interesting position to experience both sides of the fence. In the end, he/she who controls the money, controls the direction. That's always going to be on the project management end.
Jun 30, 14 6:23 pm ·
·
I can do the diazo process manually without the machine. In which case, I prefer the cyanotype method and I can coat the paper I need by aquiring the compounds needed to make the binary solutions that when mixed and coated becomes photo reactive and then the wash with a little hydrogen peroxide bath cycle completes the development after UV exposure time.
At least I can source the components to make my photo emulsion coat when needed.
Ammonia Iron(III) citrate and Potassium Ferricyanide
You'll easily recognize a client's copy from the real thing. The cyanotype process, I can do in the same building that is my house. Diazo, I would have to use the shed. The Diazo requires Ammonia as the developer. As a building designer, I know the old school processes whether or not I hand draft or CAD plot the originals. CAD, I would likely use a mylar print. While the transbond paper I have for plots are not exactly as transparent as some of my vellum so it effects exposure timing which in turn would take longer to process.
I still will do some work paper & pen (often ruling pens).
In the end, he/she who controls the money, controls the direction. That's always going to be on the project management end.
you say that, but once the public understands the value we add, the money will be in architecture. you can't put a price on intensifying the relationship between occupant and space. that stuff is priceless.
The public is almost exclusively ignored in favor of money.
'Added value' is a marketing ploy and developer mentality.
Starchitects - the face of the profession - undermine any sense of value with dysfunctional, egotistical and inordinately expensive buildings. I
Jun 30, 14 8:25 pm ·
·
curt,
How are average citizens going to possibly understand this if they have no appreciation of art because culturally in the U.S. we are conditioned to not value art.
you say that, but once the public understands the value we add, the money will be in architecture. you can't put a price on intensifying the relationship between occupant and space. that stuff is priceless. ... LOL .. That's hilarious (I assume you're being facetious).
How are average citizens going to possibly understand this if they have no appreciation of art because culturally in the U.S. we are conditioned to not value art.
LOL..... Most urban cities have a huge appreciation of art. I'd argue...it's getting out of hand... as the quality is often very poor because the quantity has exploded (more artists per capita now.. 'everyone is an artist' uhhem )... We have art fairs that any other type of festival - even more than car shows!! i'm sure you love that!. I appreciate the art...however; we give away subsidized housing to you if you don't have a fcking job but atleast you do some art as a hobby. We have a few new $30M projects just for 'artist-housing'.... these are beautiful projects that at market-rate would cost $1800 for a one-bed...instead 'artists' only pay $1100 due to affordable credits and limiting your income. These are the best projects for architects too..... So; we subsidize (PUBLIC PAYS) those with the hobby of doing art .... so tell me...where are the affordable housing programs targeted toward say: landscape architects?... gas-station attendants?... full-time city gardners?... bicycle repairman?.... It is unfair that the public subsidizes a targeted 'do-gooder' like the hobbiest artist. We have architect interns making less than 'professional hobby artists' yet they do not get cheap housing. (This is off topic I realize).
<>
Why are architects so damn anti-business ?!, extreme liberals, anti-making money (or 'adding value' which ='s money in my opinion)... it has driven me to really dislike the architect community. I truly believe it is because (we) architects have become so distraught at our place in the world of business and really have internal (in our head) dilemmas with getting paid so poorly and appreciated so minimally... and have no control.... (because we are service-oriented with a skill set that is being slowly taken away from contractors)....; and we come out of school thinking we are so damn smart lol.. We are not as smart as we think we are; it's silly really to think so. We are fcking awful at running business... we have awfully low fees on projects.. and beg for money ..
Take for instance; our office is helping a major organization with free design and free construction documents ... we came up with the marketing idea for them for this learning center... we are even helping them raise the money to building the thing ... we've done marketing videos.... I'm getting asked to 'donate' my own money for the construction budget... LOL ... WE ARE DOING THIS ALL FOR FREE IN HOPES TO GET PAID SOME DAY IN A FUTURE PROJECT with them !!! LOL... this company we're working FOR has millions to spend on our services ... but we bend over and give it all away ... This is often the architecture profession in a nutshell. All these young interns are so excited to be working on this because they have freedom to design (well; of course,.... we're paying for everything lol).... ludicrous.... But what do they know; we were never taught that it takes clients and money to run a business. Money is evil.
Architects need to see the 'value' they add by actually 'realizing' that value. IN other words; become OWNERS of buildings as part of diversifying your business.... otherwise quit talking about your value if you can't take advantage of it yourself.
Pale Shelter - I participate in my local Architecture for Humanity chapter, and we get corporations, businesses, and individuals asking for free design services constantly. The worst part is that it is somewhat expected, and architects end up doing the work usually.
Interesting thread. We've noticed an uptick in PPP (public-private partnership) projects, where basically a public entity hires a developer to build a building for them, which they ultimately buy. I know very little about it, but it seems that the owner would get a lower quality building for the same price; I.e. a $20M building VE'd down to an $18M building, with the developer pocketing $2m.
Oct 18, 14 10:56 pm ·
·
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Changing Profession? - The highs and lows of architecture
I'm sitting in an airport about to board a flight to Atlanta. I am an architect and I am off to an anonymous mall in Georgia where I will spend the next today day measuring, documenting and memorializing a nondescript space made of gypsum wall board, concrete and acoustic ceiling tile. I will photograph every square inch of the unit as if it were the greatest archaeological find of the twenty-first century. I will describe the space in such detail that those without sight could imaging it as if it were their childhood home.
On my return to the office I will turn all this information into drawings that will be used to fit out the space for a retail chain, a roll out. After the store has been designed and built it will be indistinguishable from any other store in any other mall across the country. And then, in about two years time the space will be refurbished again with a new tenant. All remnants of my effort and care will be erased and forgotten.
There is a certain pleasure, for me , in the meticulous documenting of a space it is like putting together a giant mathematical jigsaw puzzle. There is a moment of satisfaction when the measurements take shape and a picture is formed on the paper.
But despite this after many years in this profession working for architects big and small I am consciously deciding to make a change. I have worked on too many projects where budget have been "value engineered" or erased, or designs have been crippled by building departments, onerous code or ill informed clients. So as a partial farewell I would like to go through an edited selection of my most memorable architectural jobs in an effort to enlighten some, empathize with others and deter many:
JOB #1 - The Classical Training
Liverpool some where in the mid '80's I was about 11 and with 'Howard Roakian' dreams I got an unpaid summer job with a family friend who was an architect. In my mind this architect had always been a larger then life character, with his mop of white hair, his upper-class accent (unusual in Liverpool at that time) and his capacity for drink. On nights that my parents had invited him over, I tucked-up in my bed upstairs, would hear his booming voice from below. Despite my parents efforts in hiding the whiskey bottle, he always managed be the loudest, drunkest and latests of their guests.
Liverpool was in a deep financial and mental depression at the time, there was no architecture work to speak of, so my primary role was to clean out all the Rotring Pens (look it up) and maintain and print plans on the dye-line machine. The first job required me to soak all the pens in hot water and then pin-dig out the dried ink from within their hair thin nibs. The dye-line machine was not much better as it involved vile and corrosive chemicals mainly ammonia, that took the skin off the tips of your fingers. Despite all of this I was not deterred, and was excited to be in a real architects office.
Sadly the architect passed away some year ago. He was moderately successful but a law suite from a job in the past haunted him and ultimately led to his demise.
JOB #2 - The Asian sweatshop
After I graduated in the early 90's with my Architecture Diploma I entered (not for the last time) a landscape where jobs for architects were scarce. I took a hateful job in tele-sales for year which paid well and afforded me the ability to travel the world for 2 years. Most of my jobs during the period were in bars or restaurants, but I did manage to land an architectural job in Hong Kong working in the model making department of a large practice. I picked-up a few skills with cardboard and colored film, as I recreated glass and steel skyscrapers who's only nod to the Chinese vernacular were the oversized pagoda roofs atop their boxy bases. Whilst I aimed to leave the office at a reasonable hour I was aghast at my asian co-worker who would happily work thought the night and regularly sleep under his drawing board. This was not for me.
JOB #3 - The Half-Baked Idea
In the late 90's I graduated with my architecture diploma and I got a job working in the same small company as brother (also an architect) in London. We worked primary on high end residential projects. Working for picky ill-experienced clients invariably led to late nights and and many many changes to the project. This was a cash in had job, I think to avoid taxes, once a week we geared ourselves up to play the ‘lets-get-money-from-the-boss’ game. He never seemed to have enough on him to pay our wages and part of our job seemed to be the sport of hectoring him until he coughed up. This involved demanding that he go to the bank at lunch time or getting him to write I.O.U's. But he had a few tricks up his sleeves too, one of which was to produce a bag of weed at about 4 pm on a Friday and start to get us stoned in the hopes that we would forget about about our financial shortfall. We soon got wise to this and only smoked after our wallets had been satisfied.
JOB #4 - Bigger is not better
Needless to say I felt like I wanted bigger challenges with a bigger company so I got a job working for a bigger firm in London designing shopping malls. As the new guy I got tasked with creating and managing the door schedule, a big spreadsheet with a hundreds of different door sizes, hardware sets, fire ratings and so on. This was all very new and very exciting but I had some valid questions which I would pose to my boss.
I use the term boss lightly he was really the next guy who was slightly senior to me. Clearly he had mentally checked out of the job a long time ago. Every time I asked him a question such as, "Do we require a 2 hour hardware set on the egress corridor doors", he would mystically answer "who knows, who dares to dream". This was his answer to most of the questions I posed and I quickly grew tired of this job. It was around this time that I heard from a friend of mine who was working out in Miami. The prospect of sun, sand and an escape from the grey grind of London was too hard to pass up.
JOB #5 - Peculiar Pools
The story of how I landed this job and made it to Miami is an adventure in itself, but let's just say that it involved deep sea diving an ear infection and a frantic dash to the airport. But I did it, I had made the escape from the quotidian to the exotic. I had landed a job, all be it illegally, in South Beach Miami, home of Miami Vice, pastel buildings and hedonistic evenings.
The office was a small affair, three people still working in ink and mylar (look it up) involved in the design and construction of tacky resorts in the Caribbean. My boss had kindly put me and and another co-worker in up in his pool house. I say kindly as he garnered enough of our wages for rent that he essentially had almost free labour. Still I got immense joy from taking a cool morning swim, and picking up a sweet strong Cuban coffee was I walked in the moist heat to work. My most memorable set of construction documents was designing a pool for a resort in Jamaica called Hedonism II.
Note: It is a little known fact that there is not actually a Hedonism I, the thought being that naming the resort as an imaginary sequel would some how imbue the visitor with a sense of confidence. As in ‘They already built a Hedonism I, how bad can it be?”
Answer: Bad
Anyway back to the pool. As the name suggests the nature of this resort was to create a sense of sexual abandonment, reading between the lines this essentially meant a place for old swingers to hangout and be free. And nothing says sexy like a penis shaped swimming pool, replete with two round vegetative areas at its base and grotto for oral pleasure. That was one set of CD’s I just could not part with.
In conclusion:
So after many jobs good and bad and many years good and bad I have made the switch, and I am much happier for it. My advice to those considering a career in architecture? Go study architecture, if after your degree you still want want to be an architect then take a masters, hell even intern a bit. After graduation work a year or two in an architects office, and know that your job will never get any better or worse, you will not make much more money, you will not work fewer hours. If you can handle that and still love the profession good luck to you, if not get out and get out soon.
M
such great tales, thanks for sharing.
I am in my first year of employment in a small/middle size architecture firm, after just receiving an M.Arch after many years of schooling. I sense that feeling and agree with what you mention above about how it will/may never get any better/worst, with not much more money, and will not work fewer hours. My question is, do you have any tips or advices to new interns who still enjoy the profession, at least for now, but would like to change the outcome of these negative aspects of the profession/personal life?
please share w/ us more of your stories, they are very personal, eye opening, and entertaining.
will you be going into a field that is creative as well? after many years of dedication, cheers to your choice of leaving this dreadful profession. =/
What are you doing now?
it's like rosebud. don't you wish you could just go back to nice clean as-builts? sure the money sucked, but life was simpler back then. also, the money still sucks, all you add is stress, disappointment, and nice things like that.
Thanks for all your comments.
I am still in construction but I moved over to work for the developer/client side.
Oh no! you cry not the evil creative sucking developer, whose only care is the budget and the schedule.
Not true.
As architects we are educated to believe that we are the only ones who are right when it comes to matters of design and aesthetics, all other opinions fall by the way side. As it turns out there are many other valid opinions to listen to including the developer. Most of the people I work with studied architecture and made the smart move to where the money is long ago. You might argue that they are failed architects, or you might say that architecture was not for them, either way they, like me, made a choice and have never looked back.
This is not for everyone, I wont lie it is not as creative as being in the thick of design, however I do get to influence the project in many different ways, maybe more than the architect.
Remember a building can not exist on great design alone, it needs money, it need a use and it needs a reason. Architecture, as someone once told me, is the profession of compromise. Sometimes you have to embrace that compromise and turn it to your advantage.
matthew: great stories... Now with your transition into the developer/owner side, how did you pivot out of architecture and convince a developer to hire you? Please fill me in. I've begun networking with clients I've worked with who do the $30M 200+ unit urban projects; but hiring a 30 year old architect isn't on their radar. They say I'm either over qualified or...well there's just no room for a single architect when these are the types of companies that hire architecture firms to do drawings and CA anyways (2.75% fee typically lol on 30M construction budgets).... and when times are slow; what's the use of an architect in the office? .. they have people managing existing leased buildings and buying up / scoping properties when they're not developing ...
So I'd be grateful to hear of your transition and current role. I'm more convinced that with the end-goal of being my own boss running my own show; I just need to start with a small rehab or rental development. Thanks!
That Dye-line machine being referred to is actually a Blueline machine or Diazo machine. Diazo as in Diazonium Salt + Azo dye. It was a process that replaced the use of Cyanotype blueprint process unless someone wants to use that process which is still possible to be done.
CD.Arch
You spotted the deliberate mistake, it was my Degree early 90's Diploma late 90's
The transition I made to working for developer did not happen over night. I applied to many many GC's to be become an Assistant PM, as a foot on the ladder. I had a couple of interviews but nothing panned out. GC's like to see what talent is around not necessarily for any specific job.
I did get an interview at my current job though a contact but I also have some unique PM skills I picked up when I was working as a business analyst for a company that implements construction management software. I also am a registered architect which I think didn't hurt me. I will clarify that I am working as a PM/APM not as an architect.
I guess it is time to move on to a new forum: "developerinect"
The construction industry as a whole would greatly benefit from architects moving into PM/APM roles with GCs, owners and developers.
I agree LITS: unfortunately the arch education is so obsessed with ignoring the teaching of mgmt skills, business, how-buildings-get-built in general, time mgmt, construction process or anything other than mind-masturbating exercises in design bs.... it will be a while until architects come out of school with the ability to jump into other construction positions.
Take for instance this recent grad's work bio on his firm's web page:
"....while he is interested in all facets of architecture, 'John' is particularly intrigued by the intensified relationship between occupant and space found in residential design. "
Fascinating... I wonder what skills he has has with his 7 yr masters degree in artitecture.
Diazo as in Diazonium Salt + Azo dye.
I love the smell of ammonia in the morning.
Pale Shelter, I couldn't agree more I only wish it hadn't taken me about 18 years to figure this out!
I fell into a hybrid APM/Intern Architect role and the politics on both sides are astounding. The "designers" tend to resent you as if you've defected and sold out for the enemy. The PMs see you as their spy to insert construction knowledge and make what they refer to as "cartoon sketches," into buildable documents. It's an interesting position to experience both sides of the fence. In the end, he/she who controls the money, controls the direction. That's always going to be on the project management end.
I can do the diazo process manually without the machine. In which case, I prefer the cyanotype method and I can coat the paper I need by aquiring the compounds needed to make the binary solutions that when mixed and coated becomes photo reactive and then the wash with a little hydrogen peroxide bath cycle completes the development after UV exposure time.
At least I can source the components to make my photo emulsion coat when needed.
Ammonia Iron(III) citrate and Potassium Ferricyanide
You'll easily recognize a client's copy from the real thing. The cyanotype process, I can do in the same building that is my house. Diazo, I would have to use the shed. The Diazo requires Ammonia as the developer. As a building designer, I know the old school processes whether or not I hand draft or CAD plot the originals. CAD, I would likely use a mylar print. While the transbond paper I have for plots are not exactly as transparent as some of my vellum so it effects exposure timing which in turn would take longer to process.
I still will do some work paper & pen (often ruling pens).
I like to get out my chisel and stone tablet on the weekends and mark some lines down, although papyrus and ox blood does have its advantages.
At least when using cyanotype... true blueprints, you won't have the B.O. breaking it over your skull for using stone tablet.
In the end, he/she who controls the money, controls the direction. That's always going to be on the project management end.
you say that, but once the public understands the value we add, the money will be in architecture. you can't put a price on intensifying the relationship between occupant and space. that stuff is priceless.
The public is almost exclusively ignored in favor of money.
'Added value' is a marketing ploy and developer mentality.
Starchitects - the face of the profession - undermine any sense of value with dysfunctional, egotistical and inordinately expensive buildings. I
curt,
How are average citizens going to possibly understand this if they have no appreciation of art because culturally in the U.S. we are conditioned to not value art.
you say that, but once the public understands the value we add, the money will be in architecture. you can't put a price on intensifying the relationship between occupant and space. that stuff is priceless. ... LOL .. That's hilarious (I assume you're being facetious).
How are average citizens going to possibly understand this if they have no appreciation of art because culturally in the U.S. we are conditioned to not value art.
LOL..... Most urban cities have a huge appreciation of art. I'd argue...it's getting out of hand... as the quality is often very poor because the quantity has exploded (more artists per capita now.. 'everyone is an artist' uhhem )... We have art fairs that any other type of festival - even more than car shows!! i'm sure you love that!. I appreciate the art...however; we give away subsidized housing to you if you don't have a fcking job but atleast you do some art as a hobby. We have a few new $30M projects just for 'artist-housing'.... these are beautiful projects that at market-rate would cost $1800 for a one-bed...instead 'artists' only pay $1100 due to affordable credits and limiting your income. These are the best projects for architects too..... So; we subsidize (PUBLIC PAYS) those with the hobby of doing art .... so tell me...where are the affordable housing programs targeted toward say: landscape architects?... gas-station attendants?... full-time city gardners?... bicycle repairman?.... It is unfair that the public subsidizes a targeted 'do-gooder' like the hobbiest artist. We have architect interns making less than 'professional hobby artists' yet they do not get cheap housing. (This is off topic I realize).
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Why are architects so damn anti-business ?!, extreme liberals, anti-making money (or 'adding value' which ='s money in my opinion)... it has driven me to really dislike the architect community. I truly believe it is because (we) architects have become so distraught at our place in the world of business and really have internal (in our head) dilemmas with getting paid so poorly and appreciated so minimally... and have no control.... (because we are service-oriented with a skill set that is being slowly taken away from contractors)....; and we come out of school thinking we are so damn smart lol.. We are not as smart as we think we are; it's silly really to think so. We are fcking awful at running business... we have awfully low fees on projects.. and beg for money ..
Take for instance; our office is helping a major organization with free design and free construction documents ... we came up with the marketing idea for them for this learning center... we are even helping them raise the money to building the thing ... we've done marketing videos.... I'm getting asked to 'donate' my own money for the construction budget... LOL ... WE ARE DOING THIS ALL FOR FREE IN HOPES TO GET PAID SOME DAY IN A FUTURE PROJECT with them !!! LOL... this company we're working FOR has millions to spend on our services ... but we bend over and give it all away ... This is often the architecture profession in a nutshell. All these young interns are so excited to be working on this because they have freedom to design (well; of course,.... we're paying for everything lol).... ludicrous.... But what do they know; we were never taught that it takes clients and money to run a business. Money is evil.
Architects need to see the 'value' they add by actually 'realizing' that value. IN other words; become OWNERS of buildings as part of diversifying your business.... otherwise quit talking about your value if you can't take advantage of it yourself.
Pale Shelter - I participate in my local Architecture for Humanity chapter, and we get corporations, businesses, and individuals asking for free design services constantly. The worst part is that it is somewhat expected, and architects end up doing the work usually.
huh.. the task you don't like should be left and go for another what you prefer to do.... it is clear.
i like music very much
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