Agreed. The big picture is bleak for a lot of reasons. The only thing that sustains me sometimes is my girlfriend and our newborn daughter. They are the benidiction of my life. I push things aside and carry on for them.

We share that silver lining.

If you’re interested in going down the rabbit hole I posted a link on the politics thread (yeah, I know) that relates to the historical processes responsible for this immensely sad state of affairs.

I've been finding the entire practice and process of architecture increasingly disdainful.

Meh. It has it's moments. Then again I never thought that architecture would be curing cancer or solving social issues.

The one thing that really bothers me is the lack of sustainable design practices in our profession.  People in our profession talk a big game about sustainable design however we don't do much that makes an actual difference. 

An architect did not discover penicillin. However, I do think that architecture can have a positive impact on social issues.

Of course it can. Architecture can have a positive and negative impact on a variety of social issues. That impact isn't going to be very large though. Architecture on it's own will never solve any social issue.

I think most new buildings are superfluous, and the ones that most need to be designed by architects are not.

I simply cannot find pleasure in looking at new buildings. I see waste, greed, celebrations of all the wrong ideas in our culture, and can't even find pleasure in a well apportioned, well crafted building.

Let's start a demolition company?

Demo looks fun, but the danger wouldn't be worth it, in my view.

Part of the reason I left archinect for a while was the plethora of (it least in my view) terrible buildings being built.

I think it is more accurate to say that it may be the case that socially responsible architecture is not very impactful because there isn't that much of it and of that that there is isn't that good.

I don't think that's the case z1111. Social issues will never be heavily impacted by architecture. Architecture can have a small influence on social issues but it's not going to make any real impact. 

 The simple reason is that real social change takes time, money, and the desire for change. Architecture has no control over any of these items.

I can be wrong but I don't think I am. I have a theory that one if not the worst buildings is a certain type of production house simply because there are so many of them.

SP, bad case of the Mondays?

Humanity just has me down recently. Didn't help that I started the week reading about environmental catastrophes while laying next to my kid.

At this point social issues are adversly affected by architecture that glorifies wealth, puts affordable housing out of reach, and ignores environmental imperatives. The only way to change this is to change the value system that rewards all the wrong things.

I agree. I also see a lot of behavioral engineering in the media more than in architecture.

Pete, this is a huge part of why I left architecture practice and I’m now working with a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits. I feel exactly the same, every “newsworthy” building that I see in the architecture press just depresses me. I can’t care about it anymore. I just want people to have safe houses and schools.

chad, i agree with you that architecture itself might not have a huge impact on social issues (in the current economic/neoliberal framework...), but the results of architecture does- housing, for example, has HUGE connections to overall mental, physical, and financial well being. the problem is architecture finds itself on the wrong side of where and how it can be impactful when it potentially could do much more good than it currently is.i think in a lot of ways the "architects aren't doctors" line allows us to look past where we are failing to engage and participate in "social issues." it's certainly good to know our limitations, but also where we are under performing.

i totally agree that 90% of what comes out of architecture is totally superfluous, depressing, and completely wasteful. i see towers rising in ny that are 10x the height of anything i work on yet provide a third of the housing, not to mention anything of who the housing is being built for. yet, these projects continue to be lauded. it's incredibly frustrating..

I agree square. My view that while we can design buildings - in this case housing - that have positive mental, physical, and financial well being for people. The issue is that unless larger changes are made to keep members in society from being marginalized and wages stagnate, it won't matter. Also, someone has to pay for those beneficial houses to be built.

Finally.  Look at what architects have created in response to a housing need in marginalized communities.  They don't tend to work.  Just look at the Katrina Housing as example of failed projects that attempted to fix social issues.  Now look the at current work done by the Mockbee Studio as an example of somewhat successful response to a lack of housing and community spaces for the poor.  The Mockbee projects aren't solving poverty or homelessness - they are just providing low cost structures. The people are still poor and marginalized.     

z1111 wrote :

"I can be wrong but I don't think I am. I have a theory that one if not the worst buildings is a certain type of production house simply because there are so many of them."

I respectfully disagree and think you're incorrect. 

Sure speculative housing isn't the best.  It's not the reason for socioeconomic issues that produce poverty, homelessness, and marginalized populations.  As I've stated above, architecture can provide low cost housing but it's not going to solve the issues of low wages, homelessness, or marginalized people. 

Chad, actually I agree with what you have written. It is my fault for being overly cryptic in my response. I didn't mean it was the reason directly. What I meant was that there is a certain mind set that is reinforced by a certain type of space which becomes a predicate for behavior. It is simply put mental engineering. It is pervasive and pernicious. It happens more in the media though.

I understand that. 

What I'm saying is that architecture alone will not solve social issues.  While architecture can impact social behaviors and issues it is not the basis for their creation or their resolution. 

nothing alone solves social issues- they are a complex web of many of the things we have been talking about. and yes, architecture has little to do with it now, but i can imagine a world where it has much more relevance and impact, which is why i feel in strong agreement with this original comment.

You can imagine a world where architecture has much more relevance and impact on social issues. That's because architecture to date has little impact on social issues.

That's because architecture to date has little impact on social issues.

this statement is way too broad (to date? as in all of history? how is this impact measured? what exactly do you mean be social issues besides the one i provided?) and over generalized to really be able to dig into it. to your one point about new orleans, that was a group of celebrity architects.. there have been many architects who have done great work as part of the recovery, which is another measure i would have of "impacting social issues."

and yes, i like to imagine that we can make things better... suppose that is part of the job of an architect.

Crime, Homelessness, Racism, Poverty, Hunger, Wage Inequality, all social issues architecture has had an impact on.  

My statement holds true though. If architecture to date could solve social problems then we wouldn't have them.

Again, I'm not saying that architecture doesn't have an impact on various social issues - it does.  I'm not saying that we can't work to make things better - we can.  It's just that the impact architecture has had to date on these issues is small and isn't solving any of them.  In fact, the positive impact architecture has had on various social issues has been very little.  As a profession, architecture has had a more of negative impact on these social issues.  Inner city housing, master planning that creates ghettos, ect.  

As a profession we're working hard to attempt to improve things though. We're just not going to solve anything though. At best we'll part of the solution.

Chad, about 15 years ago, when Architecture for Humanity was really on the upswing, I asked Cameron Sinclair “But at what point does architecture realize it *can’t* be the solution and policy has to be?” He basically said his job is to make sure architecture was doing the best it can, but as you all know Cameron Sinclair is no longer in the architecture world.

Exactly. Architecture isn't the solution.  However we can do the best we can to assist.  

Apparently, if you solve the housing issue, a lot of the other issues tend to improve. Land planners, Elected officials, bureaucrats, developers, land owners, architects, contractors, utilities, etc. all of us need to get together to have a shot at solving something - the idea of the white horse architect hero needs to go away. 

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/research-shows-housing-first-in-denver-works

architecture is often the solution in as much as any engineering or process/product, etc. If the problem is not enough homes, building some is the solution. All the problems listed above (including homelessness) are ill-defined as "we need a building". I assume I'm just agreeing with Chad about the positive impact of architecture, but the counter-response is that architecture has also had little negative impact either. The pruitt-igoes of the world were not a result of bad architecture. The city planners and architects involved provided exactly what was desired at the time.

never said it was the solution, of course that is absurd- you're arguing with different points, oscillating between architecture having an impact and solving problems alone.. my point was how architecture can impact housing, which impacts many other things, a chain of events so to speak. i think generally binaries like "architecture can or can't fix social problems" is overly generic and generally useless, and i don't think anyone has yet claimed that architecture is solving anything alone.

i think we can agree to disagree on this- but one thing that is very real is the number of people, like the post below, and donna's comments above, that are incredibly frustrated with the state of things in what i think is a pretty stagnant profession.

Square - I'm not arguing different points or oscillating between opinions. My point has always been that architecture alone will not solve social issues, however it can impact social issues. That impact is minor and can be positive or negative.

joseffischer - in regards to Pruitt-Igoes, despite the city planners and architected providing what was desired at the time it wasn't what was needed. As such it made things worse. Architects are just a tool of the polices that are in place. Regardless of how good the architecture is, we're really not much help when we're designing to meet the current policies, and the polices are not helping.

Because the polices are economic and used to reward the wrong things. von Clausewitz said 'war is the continuation of politics by other means'. What he didn't say was that politics is the continuation of economics by other means. The article I posted on the politics thread puts this in global perspective. The current state of affairs is the real trickle-down.

chad, i guess my question is who said architecture alone can solve social problems? i think we all agree? seems to be a bit of a straw-man in all of this..

I think it was a combination of z1111's comments and my misinterpreting your comments: 

'but the results of architecture does- housing, for example, has HUGE connections to overall mental, physical, and financial well being. the problem is architecture finds itself on the wrong side of where and how it can be impactful when it potentially could do much more good than it currently is'

'generally binaries like architecture can or can't fix social problems is overly generic and generally useless' 

made me think you where implying that architecture can solve social issues.

Chad, I didn't mean or imply that architecture was a sole solution. No one thing is the only solution to anything. I didn't have anything to add to squares' comments.

I understand that now. I think I simply misinterpreted what each of you said. We wound up agreeing yet still debating the same point. I blame being on here when at work. Clearly my priorities need to be adjusted . . .

thanks, internet.

So common. So sad.

Literally one of the most infuriating things to me as a (still somewhat sortof) junior staff.

Infuriating to me "junior staff X needs a lot of handholding, put them on Josef's project" combined with "thanks for getting them up to speed, now they'll be on these other projects" combined with "can you QC these projects PM so-and-so doesn't have the time redlining" and finally "yeah take the reigns, run ARE study groups with the junior staff, mentor them, you're doing a great job"

...but come my own twice-annual check-in with principals to discuss career and salary... "no, we don't really see forming a new position as chief of operations, BIM lead, or any other long-term or short-term position that you could be promoted to or reach for... we're happy with how it's working now with the current principals overseeing management of those aspects of the firm"

this is what happens when you promote designers to management positions with no experience or training in management. both positions need support, and with this arrangement neither get it.

Wow, you get to check-in twice a year?

self-imposed after the 3rd time an annual check-in lead to "well we already had salary discussions with the other owners a month before our scheduled staff meetings."

Postscript: 5 years later - junior staff has been doing mostly front end of projects because that’s all they know.

Postscript: 5 years later - junior staff has been doing mostly front end of projects because that’s all they know.

This is basically my career. 

Figure this shit out on your own. Oh, you managed to do it? 

Ok, figure this other shit out on your own. 

Now figure out how to manage these other people figuring shit out you don't even know about. 

No resources. No support. No mentorship.

It's heartbreaking to hear the same story from so many of our talented, hardworking comrades in this industry. You must demand better of your organization. There are, in fact, firms that prioritize employee growth and satisfaction. Force the issue or leave. If necessary, play to their ego and tell them it's about carrying on their legacy. Either way, it's imperative that future leadership of A/E firms are not built of untrained, unqualified actors that always wanted to learn how but never given the resources to do so.

I'm not trying to demand better from an arch firm, I'm trying to get the hell out of architecture.

imo, it's up to management to address these issues if they want to retain talent... you can't expect individuals to fight the organization and make substantial changes. not that i'm discouraging it, in fact i think it can be useful, but realistically it's much harder for one person to attempt to change their bosses from below (i.e. uneven power structures).

Men who figured out how to make it work for them start firms and expect everyone else to do the same yet somehow decide to stick around instead of leaving to start their own shop like they did.

Well at least you all were just employees free to find somewhere else. I had a different learning curve which was both a blessing and curse. I worked for my Father. So there’s that usual “I expect more from my only son” thing going on plus the expectation learning through osmosis is a thing. I never saw the kiddy pool: just the deep end.

That's why I'd never go into business with family.

my dad hired me at a low wage same as you, aa. closed the business before I got back from school.

mightyaa: not a curse. Not easy, but nothing really good ever is. We had the beneift of real apprenticeships that are all but absent today, as evidenced by the comments here (among other things).

I worked at a firm for 9 months that had the view that if your drawings needed to be QC'd and redlined you were not doing a good job. The term 'requires a lot of hand holding' was thrown around. I knew this to be BS and realized the firm just had bad management. I left as soon as I found another position.

I believe the '92-'93 recession, combined with the widespread adoption of CAD at about the same time, really hurt the profession. When I entered in the mid-90s, I immediately noticed that there were a lot of us juniors and a lot of PMs, but almost none of the 5-10 year job captains that should have been doing the hands-on mentoring of the new kids (who would have been either entering the profession or still fairly junior when the recession hit and so left the profession). Combine that with the fact that most of the senior folks didn't really understand CAD and you had a situation where an awful lot of us, maybe most of us, were forced to essentially become self-educated.

Now, 20-odd years later, you have "senior" people who never really learned the craft of architecture, along with subsequent recessions that have caused additional voids at certain experience level tiers.

Miles.. yep, but for me nastier; they got redlines, I got lectures and shaming. The 'good news' is those lectures did actually allow me to know why it was a error and forced me to think because his method was more like a Father: "Do you know what you did wrong here!? Why don't you tell me why that was a dumb idea." So... I got to take home 'homework' to go back through sets of drawings to find the other mistakes I (or my team) made and talk to him in the morning. Not much different than getting in trouble, getting sent to your room to "think about what you did", then later having a lecture where you are expected to tell them "what you learned from this". No other employee got this. They got some mentoring or training. I was held to a higher standard where I had to self-evaluate and learn to approach things differently to spot/solve problems instead of just making corrections he redlined. Good in the long run... but a painful way to learn.

Your capitalisation speaks volumes...

atelier - Funny that the 08 recession also coincided with a massive industry shift in technology, and now we have the same problem but with old CAD folks who don't understand BIM.

Was thinking the same thing tduds. Entering the work force as the '08 recession was finally on the upswing was all about whether or not you knew BIM because it was supposed to be the next best thing. A lot of firms weren't looking for talented future architects, they were looking for people that pick up Revit and run with it for production without needing any training ... or ideally, someone who could teach everyone in their office Revit.

From early 2013: Want to be an Architect?; Don't Learn Revit

interesting connections, hadn't thought of cad+recession issue (before my time). in my mind this adds to the argument that the ever increasing demands of technology have an adverse impact on things like leadership, mentorship, etc.

I think that poor leaders and mentors use increasing demands of technology as an excuse.

well which is why what i said was an argument/theory, not absolute truth or 100% applicable in all scenarios..

Poor leadership decided that instead of banking the benefits of technology they would donate those benefits to the client and instead accelerate the brutal pace of design.

^ this. it's the age old keynesian paradox of why we are still working 40+ hour weeks with unprecedentedly productive technology..

^ it's showing now, every design is at least 10-12 weeks ahead of any material supply, residential appliances are almost 6 months out.

Wow! Very cool. Any idea what species it is?

Careful, it's wearing camo.

Garden Tiger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_tiger_moth

it says it lives throughout the US and Canada, but it's the first time I've seen one here in 20 years.

Wearing camo and going commando!

That's not camo, it's stay away or I'm going to drool some poison on you.

i do not understand any of this

dank.lloyd.wright

I think blank_ghery is the best IG meme account.

anybody wants to start taking bets?

https://archinect.com/news/article/150276918/all-along-the-marsk-watchtower-big-unveils-images-of-its-new-tourist-attraction-by-the-north-sea

I think that one's pretty good, though.

Yeah, at least that one appears to have taller guard rails that aren't as easily climbed. Also I love corten almost as much as I love Brutalism.

wait, are you saying people jump only from ugly structures? I like this stair, I almost did a similar one in a house

Really like the gradient of rustiness in that one by Bjarne...

Is there a controversy here?

I agree with her statement but it seems like there's a lot more context to this that I'm entirely unaware of.

I'm guessing the comments being misinterpreted were in response to a DLW meme on OMA ... but I didn't see anything controversial in her comments. She did mention getting a job for $15/hr early in her career ... but I didn't see any blow back from that. That's about the only thing I can think of from what I've seen.

b3ta, can you elaborate?

It all started when DLW poked fun at OMA's job listing that included "no 9-5 mentality", which then started a rightful pointing out that some starchitects use their names as excuses to treat staff unfairly and not pay a correct market wage. Christine then said something to the effect that for some that is a compromise that a person would make to help their career, which then led to DLW piling on more. Definitely a both sides are correct thing in my opinion.

Thanks for the context. I think what's lost in the back & forth here is that no one option is right for everyone, but a lack of options is bad for everyone.

This here.

What a persuasive response.

I think generally speaking, she is correct, but this was after probably some backlash. I have one quibble with her response; pro-bono does not mean free. Also, she seemed to miss the mark with her first response, which was going after OMA about work life balance.

For reference, see my comment above. I'm not so much conflicted, as I am wanting to broaden this issue up a bit. Many who go to work for OMA are from prestigious schools, have connections, and have gone to those programs specifically to leverage those relationships. The entirety of the system is corrupt. I can't defend the Rem's of the world, and won't, but at the same time, I can't help but think that those who decide to be part of that system, do so happily, benefit from the relationship, go on to create their own sweatshop environments, and pass it along as part of the culture.

Well said, beta. I agree. 

I think what irks me about DLW's emoji response is... well, that it's an emoji response. It's representative of a larger gripe I have with social media where nuance is deliberately flattened and good faith debate is steamrolled by dunks and ad hominems. I do get that sometimes sheer exasperation justifies a glib response (see my entire history with jla) but that it's becoming the default method of discourse is, I think, counterproductive. Especially since I think the people involved are usually smart enough to have interesting & insightful retorts.

DLW, goes on to thoroughly dismiss the response. All of those things that she cites should not be traded in lieu of pay, they are expected, or at least should be expected, from all employers. Except the part about where you live...

Found an intelligent response: https://twitter.com/mwmoedinger/status/1425407806140829699

Oh, I wanted to say this as well, the people that attend the ivies, are also willing to work for BIG, excetera, and have degrees from problematic institutions; slave owning, racists, misogynists, anti-bds, and they still go, even now, and have zero problem sublimating themselves into that culture. This, is one of my problems with The Architecture Lobby, we have been talking about "architectural workers" and how that definition has been opened up, yet it's still just the architectural aristocratic elites running the show, and showing up for events? Where are the support staff? Where are the other design professions? Most of the work, and conversation occurs within a very small group...

At least OMA is saying "no 9-5 mentality" so people can make a judgement call before applying and accepting an offer. It's not for me, but if someone else wants to work long hours, who am I to judge? The bait and switch firm's pull is what deserves criticism. I don't really think it affects me if OMA has employees working 60+ hour weeks.

It does insofar as it puts downward pressure on fees. It's expensive to pay people a living wage and overtime, and if a firm can undercut yours by taking advantage of workers who are 1) too naive to know the overwork isn't normal or 2) privileged enough to not need the money, then that hurts the entire industry.

I think the broader point Christine is missing, is that of all the things that we do, that aren't paid, we do as conscious decision, to expand our knowledge, network, and our connection to the world. When we do things for people, for money, we have, and should have, a different expectation of how we are to be treated...

Thanks for the context and discussion. I probably have more to add, and will when I get a chance, but for now I'll self-plug an old blog post I wrote that relates to the mentality that choosing to be exploited only affects the person being exploited: Can we talk?

I’m really enjoying all of yall’s thoughtful commentary on this! I saw Marilyn’s thread but didn’t know exactly what it was referring to.

To tduds comment about "emoji response": that's pretty much they way media is structured. People think the headline is the article, 280 characters on Twitter, all designed to create an emotive response. An in-depth discussion is a rarity, as are the people willing to engage in such in an increasingly bipolar country. "You're either with us or against us."

That sounds like something someone who is against us would say, Miles.

Tbh, I clipped the response to show what precipitated BSFC last response. DLW goes on to dissect her last response pretty thoroughly.

'Pete, discussion here is the rarity.

Just curious, anyone here actually working/worked at OMA/OMA NY?

tduds: That's a fair rebuttal, especially #2 about and how it contributes to privilege instead of helping combat it. 

I think otherwise then it's easy for me to defend, because I know that I've made the decision to put in time on evenings and weekends to improve the outcome of a project or proposal. So in some sense, I'm defensive because I am part of the problem even if I don't encourage others to work OT, I'm setting a negative example every time I do it. 

Otherwise, I work with public entities on public projects. If I can deliver a better outcome for a library project, I can feel good about that. I'd be far less willing (and I have been in this position) to work unpaid OT for a private/corporate client or developer-type. In terms of what it means for the broader profession, I not convinced OMA is the firm it is because they work 2x as many hours per employee.

Actually...it's part of their DNA.

They also just work late so they can get that free meal at the end of the day...not saying it’s good to demand such hours and things beforehand but most interns and juniors there also just love to work, at least they used to, it’s not only their job, but their lab, their studio and their project just like in uni and also their hobby, their friends and partners...when you’re in your early twenties with nothing else to do in a new city and a new environment and you love architecture and to better yourself, why not go for it? It’s like working during the day and going to evening school all at the same place. Can think of worse things to do with my time at that age. It’s a very inspiring bubble to be in, being surrounded by the best and the brightest in the field, working on interesting commissions.

Like I said above I don't necessarily think it's wrong that people make that choice, but I think it's important to foster an industry culture where people can still succeed by making other choices. There's nothing wrong with living, breathing, and sleeping design, but there's also nothing wrong with getting your shit done, punching out at 5, and going camping for the weekend. There's nothing wrong with living off your trust fund while you pursue paper architecture, theory, or low-reward competitions. But most people don't have trust funds and that shouldn't be a barrier to entry for those sorts of pursuits. It's not about the right way vs the wrong way to be an architect, it's about fewer vs more possibilities. 

Perhaps a strained metaphor but I see a parallel here with popular (but wrong) depictions of early feminism, in which a major criticism was that feminists hated housewives. But the point was never that housewives are bad, it's that a culture that forces every woman into domestic work is bad. Women can still be housewives, but they should be able to be something else if they want. (and men can be workers, but they should be able to be househusbands if they want!)

^ absolutely, and just speaking from personal experience, I'm glad I don't fit in that "work-is-your-only-life" culture, I was fired from a firm for refusing to go to the office on a sunday and instead worked from home. It's never about the work, really.

Rugged Individualism can be toxic, and creates toxic cultures. If the "architectural workers" thought beyond their own personal gain, and thought more broadly about the future of the profession, this would stop.

I have probably assumed a more reactionary response to workers choosing to be exploited. I do see your point and agree with it tduds. I think there is actually a lot of depth to the metaphor you bring up.

One thing I'll point out that I think should be part of the conversation; it should be fine for someone to live, breathe, and sleep design, but you shouldn't have to do that in favor of your employer. There are lots of worthy causes and people out there that could benefit from your design efforts and I'd fully support anyone wanting to get involved with them. Fundamentally though, I think that your employer should be offering you just compensation for your efforts that they profit from.

Perhaps to strain the metaphor further, it's fine if you want to be a housewife (or househusband), but I don't think you should do that for an abusive partner who doesn't appreciate and reward your efforts. You should find a new partner instead.

More-or-less agreeing with EA - I wish people wouldn't knowingly agree to being unreasonably exploited by their employers, but I won't go as far as condemning those who do. All of my condemnation is reserved for the employers who put people in the position of having to make this choice.

I'll agree with not blaming the victims.

If this were an "AITA" thread, I'd give a qualified "NAH" to both Christine and DKW, since OMA weren't really a party to the discussion despite being the subject. OMA would definitely get a "YAH" if they were to ask.

Some people want to punch out at 5, some don’t...and that’s okay with me. It just reads here on the forum that in general there is a lot of envy towards people willing to put in extra time or pay some extra money to improve themselves, get a better education and get ahead, just because you couldn’t afford it, perhaps wasn’t smart enough for a scholarship or wasn’t willing to put in the hours means others shouldn’t try. I wish I could’ve gotten in at an Ivy or starchitect, but I didn’t...ah well that’s life.

Your reading comprehension is way off then.

Don’t think so but maybe...

Honestly, this is one of the very few firms that I would graciously give my time to, especially if I could work with Alan.

I read this woke language the opposite way. A woman is a person and in fact can't be anything else. But any person - not gender specific - can be pregnant? The ambiguous language of 'a pregnant person' (i.e. including males) seems to expand the idea of "personhood' that you object to and enable those who would prosribe choice, as if any 'person' regardless of gender has the same interest in and power over what is a woman's choice.

Men can be pregnant.

"But any person - not gender specific - can be pregnant?"

Any person with a uterus can be pregnant - not all people with uteruses are women.

As an example, I have a family member who is a trans man. You would have no idea that he doesn't have all of the typical male parts. In theory he could still get pregnant.

Reference Ectopic implantation

Human males do not possess a uterus to gestate offspring.[1] The theoretical issue of male ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterine cavity) by surgical implantation has been addressed by experts in the field of fertility medicine, who stress that the concept of ectopic implantation, while theoretically plausible, has never been attempted and would be difficult to justify – even for a woman lacking a uterus – owing to the extreme health risks to both the parent and child. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_pregnancy

Are you missing the point on purpose?

I don't understand why some white CIS males are so threatened by trans men. What are they afraid of? It's not contagious...

TIL the author of Harry Potter has an archinect account...

@tduds You've completely ignored the point. Are you so consumed by the woke mantra that you can't understand the fundamental contradiciton between cellbrating the 'personhood' of a pregnant woman while simultaneously lamenting that term when applied to a fetus? Aside from biological facts about the human species that you seem to have confued with identity issues.

I'm willing to give Miles some benefit of the doubt here because he hasn't said anything explicitly transphobic... but he sure is circling the drain rather closely.

The point is rather simple: Some men are trans, some transmen have uteruses, trans men are men, therefore some men can be pregnant.

@woodguy I don't know or care what a "CIS male" is any more than I care about how anyone chooses to identify themsleves. Whatever assumptions you wish to make about me remain just that - your assumptions.

Miles. Your unwillingness to want to know what the very common term CIS means says it all.

God forbid you learn something.

Much like "I don't see race", there's a fine line between saying "I don't care how you identify" and "I refuse to acknowledge the ways that identity shapes your experience in the world." Acceptance is not merely the absence of bigotry.

Yes Donna, it does. I don’t find that the categorization of every possible idea about human sexuality (or race) supports the idea that all people should be treated equally without regard for such distinctions. That’s what ‘woke’ is, not castigating anyone who you imagine does not conform to your definitions and belief system. Which illustrates my point about division by categorization.

Describing reality in the most accurate terms isn't automatically an endorsement of that reality.

Miles, I'm not making any assumptions. What you call "woke mantra" for many of us is simply asking our friends and family, who may not fit society's strict labels, how they would like to be treated.

I don’t fit society’s strict labels either and really appreciate people asking me how I’d like to be treated instead of simply assuming because of whatever reason...it’s like with certain sexual things, just because one assumes a finger up the butt is nice and pleasurable, can’t just do that sort of thing without a clear okay one way or the other.

@tduds, your derogatory insinuations demonstrate an unwillingness (inability?) to engage in a constructive dialogue with respect to a POV that you imagine differs from your own. Example: "a fine line" between something I said in response to an accusation and something you made up that ends with bigotry. Another: 'describing reality isn't endorsing it'  (whose reality?), as if I don't stand by what I think and say.

Insinuating that I am a bigot is apparently your idea of being woke. GFY, goodbye.

I'm trying as hard as I can to be instructive and illustrative, not judgmental. I apologize if any of that was interpreted otherwise. I didn't mean to be accusatory, simply to try to show how your statements might be misconstrued in case you wanted to elaborate. I never called you a bigot. In fact I explicitly said otherwise. I also explicitly said I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. It seems you'd rather squander it. 

It's a simple concept: Trans men are men. If you disagree then at least have the courage to go and say it. If you don't, then there's no issue here & I'm not sure what you're upset about.

Throwing another log on this fire ...

I have a nibling that has a uterus. They don't really identify as female, nor male. They prefer non-gender specific pronouns, but are also ok with female pronouns as that's how they currently present themselves. They would probably be more comfortable with the phrasing that Donna was calling attention to in news report rather than just saying pregnant women. That's were my mind went when Donna said, "it just feels so inclusive." My nibling probably wouldn't feel excluded by a report talking about pregnant women, but would probably feel more included by a report talking about pregnant people.

Hurray, learned a new word today!

I'm going to a memorial for a kid who only made it as far as junior year before committing suicide over gender dysphoria. I do not understand it myself, but I do respect that people have experiences I cannot possibly comprehend. I am learning to accept these things exist despite my inability to empathize appropriately. I do mourn the loss of life, love & family. Ultimately, this was a real person who was cut down too early, frustrated with how much friction they encountered just trying to be.

My limitation is purely from an education that didn't encompass the breadth of what people experience out there. Breaking out of that bubble is not easy. Awareness of the bubble takes some time too.

Sorry to hear that proto. My condolences on your loss.

The son of a very good friend of mine is a transman. It was definitely a major adjustment to accept him as a man when I had known him as a little girl, but it was an adjustment I and others had to make - people who refuse to make this adjustment are just being tools.

I'm waiting for when Miles learns that pansexual does in fact not mean sexual attraction to pans.

Atelier, that was my experience as well. I'm grateful that my trans man family member was patient while most of the family adjusted to new names and pronouns; it was new for all of us.

In my younger, thinner days when I had long hair in a ponytail I was once mistaken for a woman, and too shy to correct the person. 25+ years later I still remember how awkward I felt. Nobody would make that mistake now, but it gave me a tiny inkling of what it would be like to feel that every time somebody talked to you or about you.

Based on what I've heard from other trans people (including a trans man who recently gave birth), nobody would go through that for the attention; most don't want any attention at all, they just want to live a life where they feel like themselves. Isn't that what most of us want?

Pansexual is when you're attracted to bread, and goats.

Just to address some of your points though, Miles: I don’t have a problem with assigning personhood to a baby in the womb *when* it’s viable. But anti-abortionists assign personhood to microscopically small cell clumps (that do, yes, have the possibility of becoming persons) while rejecting the personhood of the person who is pregnant - someone who has been living the life of a person in the world, with all of the emotional encumbrances and social dependencies of a person for generally at least 10 years if not longer. The effects of a pregnancy on *that* person are what needs to be considered and receive primary consideration - even after fetal viability - in the abortion conversation.

Donna, exactly.

Ironic how their concern for life ends at birth.

^Miles, the anti-abortion crowd is not concerned with life at all. They are only concerned about appeasing their fear of the non existent wrath of their abusive invisible sky step daddy.

that or fragile men who have to control women (and any other minority) to feel adequate.

Agree, doesn’t have much to do with pleasing their god, but with exerting power and control over “easy targets” to feel superior, or something...

Im not there anymore but worked for a major firm in UK for two years. Planning approval most definitely was required for just about anything you touched. One of my seniors was remodeling his home interior and had to go through the borough approval for that as well. Could it be artistic license cutting out the boring planning part of the project?

Location, anyway, but no other info...

Galveston, Texas from American Life, 1952-64 by Marguerite Baker Johnson.

Hmmmm... not sure that I buy this kid's "not homework" line.

=O]

There's plenty of material to write thesis on the subject, I was just curious if it belonged to a known architect - this documentary is good, https://www.archdaily.com/263769/modern-tide-midcentury-architecture-on-long-island

Maybe try Googling along the lines of "Galveston (or Houston) architects (or architecture) in the 1950s". You might get lucky and hit on that particular house, or maybe just find info on what the Midcentury zeitgeist was like in the area.

Btw, I love that house... at least this view of it.

I was interested in the structural layout as I've been using that inverted triangle on some decks. looks prefab.

The tip of the iceberg. The same shit has been going on forever. In many places (prewar Germany, the Soviet Union, China, the US post 9/11) the public was mobilized via propaganda and fear to monitor. The only difference now is the digital revolution and the internet. Goebbels would be proud. Read George Seldes, I.F. Stone, Noam Chomsky.

Yes, yes, yes- agreed. But if you're going to punch down, let's also mention Birth of a Nation, Dutch landscape paintings, the "standardization" of Cathedrals during the Renaissance, and WJT Mitchel on Landscape and Architects where images (and form) were used to control and emote. I'd argue that the digital revolution is not important so much as re cognizing the medium (McLuhan) that is most prevalent in disseminating propaganda. We (you) have the privilege of perspective because of birth dates. Optimistically keep in mind that someone will be using the same condescending tone you are using now in two centuries.

It disturbs me a lot that an AE firm would mine data like that in order to provide services for the industries that make fine examples of American shame.

Sorry, didn’t mean to come off as condescending or punching down, just calling it as I see it. As you point out, history is chock full of examples.

What do we do about it?

Marc, that article and the actions by HDR Architects appalls me. It’s disgusting and I do not think an architect’s scope should include spying on any potential project remonstrators. That said: how far would you (meaning any of us here on TC, not you personally) go to find support for or smooth over objections against a project you were working on? We need to constantly ask ourselves whether what we’re doing is ethical.

Calling fokes out is a start. Perhaps there's a forensic process looking at how prominent design offices are publishing themselves and towards what agenda. And asking why they're doing what is also important. I'm thinking of the reports that Knoll produces regarding ergonomics as an example. Are those bad, or what would the tipping point be for them to be bad. Again, I'm not against people following others on "the social medias." It's the weaponizing and media machines that are designed to create counter agendas that are the issue.

The irony of passive social media was not missed...

Donna, just seeing this. Tough call. This is the whole problem of seeing a student/employee drunk on someone's feed after they called in sick. It's their business- but when that shit gets out don't expect things to be "normal." But I would love to see them release a publically accessible white paper that justifies their actions in equitable, just, and moral language.

"We need to actively spy on others so we can..." 

Imo unless there are some kind of consequences I don't think anything will change. Has the AIA ever given an ethical reprimand?

Reprimands will have no effect. In addition, this behavior is bigger than the AIA. It requires sniffing out who's and why's. To the point Miles made, it's deeper -and wider- than this. So tracking and assessing the pr "content" is an important activity.

I agree with everything you wrote. It was a half joke about the AIA. It is such a systematicly feckless organization it wouldn't matter. Tracking and assessing is important. The problem is as I see it these companies are so shameless I am not sure it will change their behavior. Still it needs to be done.

z1111 I know of one AIA member who was barred from AIA membership after being caught embezzling from the firm. The other partners reported it. But this person can still *be* an architect, they just can’t be an AIA member.

Any other photos for that place?

The loft / sauna. South facing with a sloped clearstory fabricated from stock sliding glass door panels. circa 1969.

IT'S A FUCKING TIME SHARE YOU TECHBRO WANKERS

In a big NPR listener, they've started airing ads pretty frequently about this now. And t hey always have the disclaimer sound bite of "Not a time share".

Hey. If you feel the need to specifically tell me its not a time share .... it's probably a time share.

What, no crypto?

Difficult choice on which side of that debate is more insufferable: Timeshare techbros, or rich Napa NIMBYs.

I don't know who to root for; the corporation trying to cash in on overpriced real estate, the people who can shell out $600k+ for a share of overpriced real estate in Sonoma, or the local homeowners who own overpriced real estate worth millions of dollars already complaining about other people trying to get rich in their backyards.

Do I have to root for any of them, or can I just grab the popcorn and enjoy the show?

I'd have greater distaste for NIMBY's if the alternatives were not bundled with a required acquiescence to corporate interests in the form of luxury condos so we can get THREE NEW UNITS for everyone else and NEW TIMESHARES but DON'T CALL THEM TIMESHARES and buildings that look like a dying cat wiped its ass across a hot griddle.

How is it not a timeshare?! This is the Wikipedia definition: A timeshare (sometimes called vacation ownership) is a property with a divided form of ownership or use rights.

Investopedia's definition: A timeshare is a shared ownership model of vacation real estate in which multiple purchasers own allotments of usage, typically in one-week increments, in the same property.

I believe the distinction, which is splitting hairs, is that time shares sell you portions of time at the place whereas these fuckwits sell you shares of the LLC which owns the place and you get the benefit of staying there a certain # of nights.

How is this not against the zoning code? In most jurisdictions no more than 4 unrelated people can live in a house.

It's not just there--here in Maine, which everyone thinks is either snowy or cold all year, it's 86°F with a 72° dewpoint. Two weeks ago we had 90+° with a 78° dewpoint. For those not familiar with dewpoints, anything over about 60° feels humid, and over 70° is downright damp.

It's been 90f to 92f for the last 4 or 5 days here... so hot that I had to bring in my snowball collection.

Meanwhile PDX set a record low this morning at 48 degrees. Even when it's not hot, the volatility is concerning.

We’re at 94 in Chicago right now. I may have lost 110 lbs, but it is still hot as hell outside. Office AC barely keeping up.

“The [temperature] is too damn high!”

I woke up to frost this morning. Was a cool 3C on my way to work. Turned the furnace on 2 days ago, and used my seat warmer in my car.

I'm on that yellowish orange island between the plains and utah

Here in Southwest Florida, our summer temperatures are about where they normally - 91° with 85% humidity in the morning and 70% by mid-afternoon. But I do worry that the rest of the country will end up seeing summers that are like Florida's averages. Designing efficient homes here is almost pointless...

don't get down guys. this is one of the coolest summers we'll have in the next 100 years!

Sort of, yeah.

My job is to gather plans the developer drew and just send them to the Building Department. So much easier than that design bullshit they told me I was supposed to be doing.

Remember when Ted Koppel ratted out the military for controlling his reporting while embedded in Iraq? After that NPR went from "In Iraq today ..." to "U.S Central Command says that ...". If you're just parroting somebody's press releases the least you can do is be honest about it and not pretend that it's 'news'.

I used to write for Archinect and several other well known publications that we probably all receive. About 5 years ago my articles started getting rejected or heavily edited when I would be critical of the project or firm I was writing about.

Expanding on my reply above: 

 Not to be overly persnickety, but I think it's worth drawing distinctions between Journalism, News, Criticism and Opinion. I try to be very deliberate about using those words, and also referring to something as an "article" vs. a "story" or an "essay." 

Just to say, "News" - imo - is a straightforward retelling of events, which often is just a press release, or a series of quotes. "Journalism" takes a more skeptical eye, and more time & money, to dig and construct a narrative. Most media outlets have always had a blend of the three. My pet peeve is that the line between them has become more and more blurred. If I were more conspiratorial, I'd say it's intentional. But I think it's just plain old laziness and incentive. When the people your reporting on are also the people funding your reporting, your skepticism tends to take a backseat to their publicity.

archanonymous - that's not true. Why would you say that? You've contributed a few pieces to Archinect in the past as a freelance writer, with the last pitch rejected by us because you were wanting to write a fluff piece about the firm you were working for at the time. We would never reject a well-written/researched piece that is critical of any person or group, and I don't appreciate your attempt to make it seem like that's part of our vetting process. Can you provide a single example of when we rejected a piece of yours for being critical, or "heavily edited" a part of your work for any reason other than factual clarification or improvements?

Apologies Paul, I should have been more thorough in my explanation. Archinect never rejected or heavily edited any of my pieces, and I did not intend to suggest they had. And you guys also pay well! "The other" guys were the primary problem (as I did more of my writing and received more freelance income from them) and I stopped writing altogether in disgust from the sheer number of rejections/ heavy editing that was going on. 

 I had intended to write a more thorough response to Tduds comment elucidating the issues I see from the side of a contributor (again, not directed at Archinect, but the larger writing/ publication system in architecture) but I will do so here: 

• Editors are often underpaid and overworked. 
• Writers are almost never salaried and paid freelance per word. It varies greatly (back in the day, as much as $1+ from Archinect, as little as $0.15/ word from others). 
• Often when a new project is completed and the press release goes out, it is a race to "pitch" the story to your editors, so those that do the least original writing can turn them around the fastest to get into publication.
• Editors only want "exclusive" content. If a project has been covered before, even if only in a news piece, it is hard to sell them a journalistic or critical piece on the same project.
• I've lost count of the number of interesting paper publications that have gone under recently. From A/D scaling back print (and raising prices) to Uncube going completely under, there's probably a dozen more in there I am missing. 
• Her worship. At least in the town I write in, there are people you simply cannot criticize. I've gotten back numerous responses to the effect of: "Love what you are saying, but there's no way I can publish this."

I've been critical of Archinect's "news" before, but for putting sponsored content in as news, not for including press releases. There is a difference, and while I do appreciate Archinect identifying the sponsored content as such when they publish it, I'd rather it be published as a "feature" (or something else entirely) rather than "news."

I think we should be careful with the terminology as tduds explains and I do think that press releases are "news" in that sense. It would be great if they had some more journalism added to them rather than simply dressing them up, but that doesn't mean they aren't newsworthy if there isn't.

Thanks for the clarification archononymous. As a publisher that has worked with staff writers and freelance writers for 24 years, I can 100% empathize with your frustrations, and I can also empathize with publishers and editors that frustrate writers. Journalism has probably never had a more difficult time maintaining quality and sustainability than it faces now, and I don't suspect the situation will improve any time soon.

Good discussion up in here.

We started a similar policy 2 weeks ago. If you’re not double stabbed, then you can’t come into the office, meet clients, or go to site. You’re forced to stay at home and be a perpetual grunt until further notice. Not sure how many are impacted, but I know at least one is (and is our most recent hire too).

Hey Donna - are you requiring proof from showing CDC card, not just honor sysem for that ?

It is insanity. 1500 for a fake card when the shots are free, people are taking the livestock dose of horse dewormer. We could end this nightmare if only they would take the vaccine. This is the covid wave of stupidity.

One could make the argument every wave after the first one is a wave of stupidity.

Imagine being vaccinated in an office / culture where no one believes in the vaccine...at least I'm protected.

We're planning a family vacation for later this fall, and a memorial service for my FIL in a few weeks. The anti-vaxxers (including some in my family, fortunately not my household) and anti-maskers are not making it easy.

My family has not met my kid because I am not going to put her on a plane again during a pandemic. Did it once and I still feel guilty.

@SneakyPete. It is a tough and easy decision.

Only went to the in-laws last month, by international train 1200km or so, my youngest son is nearly 2 now but first everyone had to get their double dosis. Was really great holiday and no one got sick!

My partner and I were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID. Thanks to our mask wearing and being vaccinated neither of us got it.

Bench, it's my husband's business so I'm not sure how he's verifying but I'll ask.

stay safe, all! & best wishes that your families are able to do the same!

Bench, husband's business requires employees to bring a covid card as proof. I'll point out he also got a response to a recent employment ad that was just a guy bitching "I'd never come work for you if you buy all that BS about COIVD and the experimental vaccine anyway!" and it was like: why are you spending your time getting angry at someone you don't know about a job post*? If you don't want the job, you don't want it, fine. Why harass me about it?

* Harassing firms that post unpaid "jobs" for interns excepted, of course.

I believe the psychological term is displaced aggression. They are angry, cruel, stupid, and live in an alternate reality.

elonorchoa wrote: 

"I heard of firm be sued for violation of ada because they ban people with MS, he can’t get vac. Other firm ban overweight because they have high virus load and vac works less good"

Do you have any proof of this?  I ask because your second sentence about overweight people is not true.  

I take it that you don't have any proof to substantiate your statements elonorchoa. If that is the case please don't post anecdotal stories about this.  All you're doing is spreading misinformation.

How's the baby? I forget, you had knee surgery?

Congrats! Are you feeling strong and recovered? 

Our back-in-office date was moved back 1 month. I can't imagine that we'll all go back just in time for winter, but what do I know.

@beta yep, ACL and meniscus! All told about 10 months of rehab but that was to get to level of "back to sports" which thankfully my insurance kept being willing to cover vs just "back to daily activities". @arch thanks and yes, it is crazy to think 6-8 months ago I wasn't even walking (w/o crutches)!

did it get nuked? I was really hoping for a few good goat stories from WG.

I think x-jla got pissed and nuked it himself.

I don't know how, after all this time, he'd expect anything other than the response he got.

I was actually looking forward to putting forth a response to that. I was planning on making comparisons between the medical and architectural professions; I normally hate comparing us to doctors but I think I had a good case to be made here. Oh well. This will teach me to try to get work done before play.

I flagged it. I assume other people flagged it too.

I flagged it as well. It's one thing to have a meaningful discussion, but you can't have that when one side is laying out only half-truths and misinformation. But also, seriously just get the vaccine and not play around with horse paste, that venomous snake in Brazil, or whatever the far-right media's cure du jour may be.

I just responded with links that disproved everything jla said. Took all of three minutes of searching.

i actually was enjoying watching xlax get dunked on.. they were extraordinarily swift and much better than the usual trying to engage him on an equal level.

It's rather easy with all the reputable data and scientific studies that disprove everything that nitwit posted.

As entertaining as the dunking might be, it's a distraction to effort that might be put into other discussions or topics. And I say that knowing full well I'm one of the people that likes to do the dunking. That's where moderation comes in, in my opinion. The site owner/moderators get to determine what they let stay or what they take down and they can in that way steer the direction of their website and those who engage with it.

Non, I could start a Goats Central thread but it would probably turn into something contentious.

One quick story: we have three goats, inherited from a friend's mom who passed away. When we moved to the countryside we had talked about getting goats for milk and cheese. These are two wethers (castrated males) who are the size of a medium-sized dog, and Bella (aka Big Bella), a black-and-white mutt with huge ears that stick straight out to the side. She's huge--well over 200 lbs, taller than me when she stands up on her hind legs. She's too ornery to milk so now we just have these three weird pets we didn't really want, but we'll let them live out their lives here.

One time our friends were visiting from Washington DC and the middle school kid goes, "look mom, a cow!" (That might not be funny to city people, but our rural friends always laugh. Maybe they're just being nice?...)

^very nice. I have a friend with a bit of a hobby farm. He wants goats, and I want him to have goats.

He can have mine! I'll deliver!

I heard that it prevents a person unable to reply to a comment properly.  ;)

Looks like quite a few missing posts in there now as well. The mods are getting impatient, and I'm on their side.

I appreciate what Archinect is trying to do with as little moderation intervention as possible (and a similar approach to working with writers - see above) but it is out of control at this point. The two biggest disruptions here are not even architects! One is just a dude with a computer, the other is a landscape architect. 

What the fuck!!!!

I think it's foolish to exclude a user because they aren't an architect. We have several users here that aren't architects yet they do bring a great deal of knowledge and experience.

I wasn't suggesting we should exclude people based on that solely, but it's certainly a strike against these fools.

I don't think a person's education or profession should be a strike against them regardless of how foolish they are. It might make them more foolish if they get into things they know nothing about, but that's on them ... not their education or profession.

I'm with EA on this one. I'm not going to use someone's education or job title as a detriment against them. I'll reserve that for their opinions, ethics, and overall intelligence.

This is a forum... for architects. 

Giving more weight to someone's opinions due to education or training (or demonstrated competence in practice like your previous "non-architect" examples) is kind of the whole point.

I'm going to just leave this here (emphasis mine):

"Mission: The goal of Archinect is to make architecture more connected and open-minded, and bring together designers from around the world to introduce new ideas from all disciplines." https://archinect.com/about

if anything, maybe the best way of saying it is it's ironic that the two squeakiest wheels aren't architects..

I think there might be a simpler explanation: Online Trolls Actually Just Assholes All the Time, Study Finds

Well if we're going achanonymous's view then only users who can show that they are good architects can comment. Post up your work people.

I don't know man, I just design quality affordable housing for people. Definitely not capital A architecture. Wouldn't have it any other way.

There are several post your work threads. Now that I think of it, wasn't that supposed to be a weekly theme? What's up next?

I don't have much to contribute as of late, unless the topic is "Nitpicky Code Loopholes"

Can we have one about misaligned expectations?

I'm still waiting for one on sealants and flashing . . .

.

Re: sealants, we already have Show us your caulk! ... what more do you want?

Sneaky were you listening in on my yearly review?

You guys are making this so absolutists. 

That said, I definitely pay more attention to people's comments once they've posted their work or otherwise demonstrated they are real, caring, good-faith humans who participate in architecture (Miles and Donna, etc) and not just internet trolls.

Wait a minute, you've never posted your work . . . and I'm not sure you're a good-faith human. 

 TROLL!

;)

I'd rather be accused of absolutism than elitism.

What about an elitist troll?

Absolitist?

Assolitist

Arborist?

What's this quote from?

People care.

They are maybe not interested but for sure affected by architecture, positively and negatively...

so all the nimby's are just paid actors?

I'd revise that a bit--the public does care about the results of our work, whether they understand it or not. They do not care how the sausage gets made--or how we do what we do.

b3ta, how it started: https://twitter.com/danirosepoet/status/1433816027947839494

how it's going: https://twitter.com/BarrenMagazine/status/1434248666970300422

Lots of good takes in the replies and quote tweets from the magazine's post. Here's one of the better ones

My point here was to see if it prompted any discussion re: architecture. Nothing really more than that. Sometimes I think we tend to take ourselves too seriously.

I think the complexity is all over a statement like this, regardless of where it first originated. Context matters. I gather most suburbanites care about some things, that city-folk, or rural-folk don't, but by a large degree they care about the same things; having a voice in what happens in their respective communities. The sausage being made, if you will. Contract Documents, are not sausage making. It barely even rises to the level of pig slaughter.

Being a board member of a neighborhood organization gives me insight into the sausage making process, that's something most of us hate, I hate it. Having to listen to my neighbors go on and on about the building that is proposed, doesn't fit into the context of the neighborhood, gives me fits. It almost always comes from a supposed white liberal framework, centered on white settler sentiment, and a history that borders on absurd nostalgia for the early part of the 20th century. I always want to jiu-jitsu them with one question; why does your historical frame of reference stop at the 1920's, what happened to the 150 years before that, does that history not matter?

See, that's the stuff none of us want any part of, if anyone's afraid of the slaughterhouse, it's architects. Not the public, to a large degree, for better, and for many times not, they're the ones doing the killing, butchering, and stuffing the casings. Many times, if not most of the time, it's the architects getting the blade.

The public doesn't care as long as we give them good buildings, and may or may not be able to tell the difference between a good enough building and a great building, but they definitely care a lot if we give them bad buildings. (Of course, this raises the age-old question of what exactly "good" and "bad" mean when discussing buildings, but that's another whole conversation.)

there is certainly a potent sense of malaise and nihilism floating around creative professions/industries these days..

I think it always has been floating around our profession . . . . I blame design build.

Design build is such a good idea until you try it.

I don't buy the idea that public has any idea what "good" is, if they had an idea of good, they'd care more, but caring about good, means paying more for a building that actually does "good".

The way I see it, what people value is comfort and familiarity. Unfortunately, because of the way vast majority of the built environment was created over the past 50-70 years, what's familiar is often not very good, and any proposal to overhaul the failures of the past is seen as unfamiliar, and therefore confusing and bad.

tduds, the essence of nostalgia.

architect: [presents design]

people: "how much is it?"

^ Yup.

yes, sometimes

BGH? Big Green Head?

What did they do now?

"They" in this case is a certain dilettante who can't seem to quit the forum no matter the slings and arrows.

dilettante is too flattering.

That could be a lot of people on this site. You'll have to be a bit more specific.

If you say his name, you summon him, this much I'm sure.

Before Anyone Lists Knowledge In Narrative, Stop.

Ah! How the hell did the thing get BGH acronym?

Giant horseflies.

BGH = Archinect Ownership / Admins

Yeah, the Big Green Head. At least that's what I thought until you all said it was the thing.

^great movie

Damn right.

Zed: I want the truth. 

May: You must give the truth, if you wish to receive it. 

Zed: I'm ready. 

May: It'll burn you! 

Zed: Then burn me.

Jesus on a half shell. We be doing the lords work with that guy.

Nuked from the thread, lol

Hosers.

floor beam?

JLC, it's a small 1-storey 1960's house and about 90% of the beams & lintels required, even if they were to do a big open concept thing, can be done with standard lumber. I estimate it to be at least a W8x31 which at 12' long would weight 375lbs.

then it's a mine shaft, the w is for the pulley

They'll probably prop it up with some studs.

Can't argue with that logic. Perhaps I should build one myself. Who knows what sort of treasures I can dig up. In a totally un-related topic, I suddenly need 3 people to help me lift something long and heavy at my house.

They misunderstood how to mine crypto.

sorry, I jumped to conclusions, it could also be the book shelves

https://www.homethreads.com/pr...

I like that you can purchase a 5y warranty on that beam.

or just decorative, but they were struggling with the weight? I actually received a mail about this product

https://www.walltheory.com/col...

JLC it was most definatively structural steel I witnessed. The 5y warranty comments refers to the bookshelf you linked to. That decorative piece is a thin bent plate and with only 2 wall anchors and 6' lenght... I doubt even it would hold a copy of SMLXL.

Liked for the SMLXL reference

So much facepalm on the fake beam...

One reason I avoid steel on residential projects is that many builders don't know how to work with it. Many contractors don't even know that Genie mini-forklifts exist and can be rented for just this sort of thing.

A carpenter and I just installed some ±175-lb hemlock beams 9' above the floor using muscle power so apparently I haven't learned either.

I didn't really get it. Are they hinting at alternate versions of the movie playing in different theaters? I watched the trailer on Youtube a few different times but felt like I didn't learn anything about the plot of the movie.

Ignore all of the non-Warner Bros "Trailers" out there, they're just cash-in bullshit artists who collected clips from a website. The real trailer, while not giving a good sense of the plot, definitely slaps.

I'll have to take a minute on my next break to find the official trailer then. I know I'm super excited that the original cast is coming back (except Fishburne apparently)

imo a good trailer should convey the mood of a film while giving away as little of the plot as possible. The new Matrix trailer is good.

Yeah, I saw the trailer and my reaction was “ok, I’ll see this”. It worked.

Didn't Neo become some computer tech deity?

I would make a crossover with john wick

YES. Do this now.

Is that all they were missing at the Fyre festival?

Then it would've been lit!

congrats, thats nice news! i just had the talk with my boss where we agreed i am unhappy and he thinks i will be happier to just leave. and i feel great! i didn't realize how much i hated my job until i started thinking about not having it. one of those "you don't know what's holding you down until the weight's off your shoulders" moments. plus i have a nice deal that gives me 90 days fully paid to find my way out. it pays to be honest and kind, even in an unpleasant situation.

Oh my god

I've been getting these a lot with "I see you have experience in healthcare/education/etc..." - What part of my decade of experience in multifamily housing gives you that idea?

Enjoy. I'm 4 days back from taking nearly 3 weeks. Last time I took anything more than a few days/long weekend was 5y ago when the kiddo was born so it took me at least 3days to turn off the "work" brain. Side note, only 2 weeks off to recover? gosh.

I'll be going a week long hunting trip in the 'Great White Almost North" aka Minnesota. It will be nice to be in the woods trying to poke white tail deer with a sharpened stick and a bunch of string.

I'm doing Boston for a couple days and then tons of hiking in Acadia NP. You rediscover your love of nature when you lose 110 lbs I guess.

Enjoy the vacation! You deserve it. Also enjoy my old stomping grounds. Maine is incredible and Boston is a fun town to be a tourist.

Josh, your tiny thumbnail is making me curious about whether you have ever considered a beard.

Wait, didn't you have one for a while? I'm strugling to remember last week much less years ago.

Josh, that's great all around! You helped inspire me to lose some weight and I'm feeling better already. Hiking used to be one of my favorite activities and I want to get back into it. Acadia National Park is only a couple of hours from me and I have a new home going up across the bay but I haven't been to the park in years; have fun!

Someone said I should do a beard, and the weird thing about the whole testosterone flood post weight loss means I can actually grow one now, but no I haven’t really considered it.

Consider this me considering telling you to consider considering it.

Not a full beard, do what I do; 1/8" max, one of those hair trimmer things, without the attachment. It gives you a polished, rugged look.

I personally am a huge fan of the 8th inch rugged look.I much prefer Brad when he has some scruff.

I keep dating women that prefer clean shaven - hence I usually have a smooth face. Smooth pickup lines on the other hand...

I hope it all went well Donna. Good thing is that you don't have to do it again for ten years. The best part of a colonoscopy.

probably a lot of pr coming directly from OMA - there's a constant stream on other architectural websites as well.

Office of trying to Maintain Applicable relevancy?

765 recently reminded everyone on Twitter that a decade ago Rem wrote a bizarre justification for his work in China based on a fortune cookie he received that said “omniscient masters make mincemeat of history” or something like that. My God how the world has changed in 10 years.

look, another OMA press release https://archinect.com/news/article/150282522/oma-s-new-pedestrian-bridge-aims-to-lead-the-mexican-city-of-jojutla-on-a-path-to-the-future

OK wait what? b3ta, call me.

Yeah, I think more information would be welcome.

Archinect sells popsicles now? Why have I not been notified?

Oh, Donna... I wondered if you'd fallen off the wagon.

We're here for you, Girl    =O]

Fantastic, and hilarious. Which one is the tiny PI attorney? She's gonna be busy!

Wow I hate that library so much, but the deteriorating model is excellent.

Oh the humanity! Look at that little child just staring at the death and destruction!

yes! I often wonder if it's just an escapist fantasy or a real interest. But I frequently wonder if I'd be happier running a small shop in new england designing nice clean georgian style houses.

Could be both. It started as an escapist fantasy for me, but now I'm just wondering "why not?" 

If I could make a few residential or small commercial projects in the vein of Greene & Greene or Victor Horta, I'd be damn happy.

definitely have become more a traditionalist since being in nyc, which i never would have predicted.. there's just far too much shit in terms of new buildings that outweighs any of the good, whereas i find the opposite for historic buildings. scale also feels much more human, which is something i couldn't appreciate as a student.

How about the client aspect? Is/won't that be a potential barrier? We know lots of regular folks like traditional, and for good reason. But what about the owners and developers so intent on mimicking all the usual junk going up?

Move to Vegas and make it all out of fiberglass and EFIS?

Quiet modernism is where it's at. Like two turntables and a microphone. I'm not a trad by any means, but definitely appreciate the craftmanship and would love to detail the hell out of some things like we got to do back in the day.

@citizen - I think it might make things easier depending on the client? Residential definitely. 

For developers, if they are cost-focused probably not, but some institutional and even municipal clients have deep pockets and are willing to spend on architecture that "fits their community." As much as I hate where that often leads.

I just wonder if they will only spend on copies of old stuff, or if they are willing to go to some crazy place with me. Neo Art Nouveau? Fourth Wave Greek Revival with digital fabrication and rainscreens? Raumplan taking a bong rip of Gaudi? Let's get weird.

Style is (or at least should be) relative to project and context.

I agree in principal Miles, just not sure that always works out over the trajectory of an architect's career. 

That said, taking a more traditionalist approach would open one up to the possibilities of working places with strong aesthetic regulations (whether codified or de-facto). 

I can imagine it being really interesting to take on something like Cape Cod or Arts and Crafts in a new way. If that is even possible.

"I can imagine it being really interesting to take on something like Cape Cod or Arts and Crafts in a new way." 

This is a dream of mine. One of my little obsessions (that I'd love to be able to implement professionally more often) is modern interpretations of pre-modern (or even pre-industrial) inspiration. On a practical level, I'm in love with re-interpreting indigenous / passive solutions for environmental comfort into 21st century materials and program. On a more visual level, I love referencing very old (like, pre-colonial old) regional structures for inspiration. The people of a land had thousands of years to figure out what worked for their land, seems silly to ignore it just because we like Mies. Not sure if I had a point here, just got excited and wanted to ramble a bit.

I don’t think I would be able to work successfully within the rigid limitations of a specific style for a totally new built structure, could be fun to try though and working on such drawings might be fun.

I believe some survivor's bias should be taken to account here. "Look at the old buildings, they're built better, they have a sense of scale"... yeah, the ones built at the time in those styles that were crappy got replaced. Same for the new ones now, most won't be here in 50 years.

"Move to Vegas and make it all out of fiberglass and EFIS?"

If I didn't know you well enough to know you're kidding, I'd hate you a little right now, Chad. Every time I'm in Vegas, all I can think is, "Gods, what I wouldn't give for a client with this much money and even a little taste..."

Qualifications for Archinect include inexhaustible reserves of snark. :)

You take screenshots of all your comments, just in case they get deleted?

Maybe he's working on a new installation.

It's almost like you know when your comment will likely be taken down...;-) Good dig, though.

At this point I'm surprised when my comments in news aren't deleted.

Miles are you confusing Robert Stern with Richard Meier? I thought Meier was the groper, Although I don’t even recall if the accusations included groping; I do recall there was an accusation of letting his robe hang open quite a bit too far LOL

Who the f#*k wears a robe around associates and clients? This is architecture, not Ibiza.

Capes, not robes.

That's even more creepy . . .

HH Richardson would like a word about robes.

Pour out a pint of maple syrup in his honour.

I didn't like his politics but he was one funny bastard. Saturday nights in college were all about watching Weekend Update, at least for me and my nerdy friends.

You knew his politics?

Lots of stuff out there about his political views.

Care to cite this claim?

lol

I didn't mean to start anything with my politics comment. His views are pretty well known and easy to find. The important part is that he was a funny bastard.

b3t - "do your own research"  Sorry, I had to type that at least once in my life. 

On a related note, I thought the Norm didn't do much political stuff in his act.  It seemed to be all about laughs, not politics.  I found him really funny and will miss the guy.  

That's funny! Seriously though, he was funny as fuck, and one time he was on Howard Stern, and did an 8 minute joke, one of the most unreal things I've heard. Perhaps that's why I ask, can anyone really "know" his politics. He was such an iconoclast, I doubt anyone really knew his bent, because he was intensely private, except for what we knew about him in his humor. I like to think we're living in 33 1/3rd world, and he was somewhere in a 8 track universe.

With social media Norm did post a lot of stuff about his political views online. He just never seemed to bring it into his comedy. Really funny guy.

One of the very funniest, and pretty fearless, too.

I loved how no matter what he remained so clam. Maybe letting a little smile break through but that's it. Even when being interviewed and asked 'gotcha' style questions. Of course those questions never actually worked - he was too witty for that.

Norm once said as a joke that he'd only read 2-3 books in his life.  An interviewer asked him how he could ever expect a woman to want to date him with being so poorly read.  Norm's response:  "Well I'm wealthy so . . ."

“OJ Simpson was in a different kind of courtroom this week attempting to regain custody of his two children. In order to prove to the court how much he loves his kids, OJ pointed out, ‘Hey, they’re still alive, aren’t they?’”

I can hear that in Norm's voice.

Huh??? Have you been sniffing your markers again? If so which brand cuz I want some!

I was feeling generous.

??????

rcz1001 started a thread. NS responded.

Eeep.

But without it we would not have learned the history of Scottish sheep or national donut day.

.

Scottish sheep donuts?

I think he just got nuked from his own thread

Whaaaaat?! BRB.

Wow. That has to worthy of some type of award. At this point he's basically accomplished being his own grandpa. :s

And the blank thread was killed in the name of...

Love

oh, now I'm jealous

Wow and
they pay you too?

I love the name of your dog. I wonder if people even know who she was or what she did.

Hot dog!

Damn you and your swiftness, Miles!

z1111, she basically made Bluetooth possible!

And cell phones. The most beautiful woman in the world with the brain of Einstein.

hot puppers coming through!

Hedley Lamarr created Bluetooth?

Hedy Lamarr did a lot more than that.You can Google her.

Careful with all that Googling.

Celsius!