more pay.

love: good design. good clients. good colleagues. i don't need a lot of money just enough to exist on. i am fulfilled. best thing: started my own gig and was not afraid to leave architecture. it's the journey not the path that is important in life - studs terkel. worst thing: worked for an architect who was a self-centered, arrogant, sexist prick.

I wish I worked for somebody I want to be.

loved to do what e has done. you've got cojones. it's tough and i wish you the best.

I hate my job, love the people I work with and the pay is good. I am a crossroads because I don't want it to be a long term gig, but it has.
And I am afraid I just pigeonholed myself to a style of architecture. I mostly likely will have to get a pay cut in order to do what I love.....

e, what did you leave architecture for? and why?

I love: being away from the construction aspects of architecture, only working on desing/competition phases.
I miss: the construction aspects of architecture.

ARCH TO BE -- looks like e left architecture to graphics and all things design...

http://www.somelabdesign.com/fly.html

sweet stuff, e!!!
excellent work...

thx ppl. much love back.

why did i leave architecture? not an easy one to answer. it was a long, strange journey. spiderdad kinda hit it on the head. the studs quote offers much insight. as you might expect, there were many reasons, ppl, and the not to be missed opportunities that brought me to this place in time. some pleasant. some not so pleasant. one thing i have come to learn is that i am more interested in working with good ppl and clients than specifically what i do. yes design is always part of the equation, but to have a great client and dedicated colleagues is a must. to me, that is the foundation of any great work. seek them out, treat them well, respect them, and the rest will fall into place.

i would like to admire those in higher positions than i am and look up to them (i currently don't, they are so digruntled and arrogant and just looking to retire etc)

i wish i worked with people and materials and paper rather than with a computer.

i wish i got the full story on the projects i work on instead of a need to know basis.

i've worked in places like that too strawbeary. they suck. don't give up though because there are place out there that are just what you looking for. you just have to keep searching or just go out and do it yourself.

one of the worst places that i worked at was where the lead design partner did not sketch and was a horrible verbal communicator. did not sketch? this is how we communicate ppl. how can you no sketch and get into a position like this. the best, or should i say worst, result of his inability to communicate was when we spent a month and half considering whether the new stairs we were inserting in to an exisitng building were going to be steel or concrete. talk about a waste of money and lack of direction.

i left that job after a few months without having a new one lined up. i told his boss and everyone else i had to meet with before i left about him and why i was leaving.

after a month, i got a new job. i wasn't making as much, but i was much happier. it was for a woman in san fran who ran a small office. there were only three of us working for her. she had an open book policy on running the office. she shared everything about the business with us. it was a wonderful experience. i owe so much to her.

strawbeary: you need to get out of there, it sounds like they've got you where they want you