A design critic once commented on the "number of decisions per inch" in an architectural image, implying that better architecture may arise from a greater volume of design decisions within a project. (The image to which he referred was an urban landscape in Europe that had detailed paving, landscape, and urban furniture elements.)
Last night I had the opportunity to view a show of Studio 27's work at Design Within Reach and spoke with one of the firm's employees about his current projects. I realized the remarkable contrast between his work (a handful of single family homes) and my work (over a million square feet at once). Perhaps we both make the same number of design decisions every day, but I am somewhat wistful that I will never be able to think about each and every square foot of my projects.
I am not sure if I'm having a "grass is always greener" moment or if smaller projects really ARE better for making a greater volume of design decisions. On the other hand, it seems like many architects (not all) are always seeking a larger project, a larger development, or a client with greater potential for more business.
Having recently stepped over to the greener grass, I'm having the same feeling. I decided that residential was the direction I wanted to go long time ago, but took an opportunity to see if the bigger is better/more challenging ideal was true. I miss the more decisions per inch and will definitely go back "smaller scale work" in my next transition. Well-rounded training.
Hmm. I've spent a portion of today examing things down to the 32", but usually we go more by the 1/16". Most of my week was spent negotiating by the 1/4". I have a hell of a lot of fun, but I don't have many coworkers, and paychecks are sometimes late. I love my job, though. Love it.
and I'd rather be playing around at the scale of watersheds down to a few blocks... Spent way too much time obsessing about the 1/32nd of an inch earlier in my career- now infrastructure and public spaces are my game plan.
you can always get frankengrass that doesn't mowing. better yet, how about restoring a tall grass prairie?
Yeah, it's definitely a bit myopic at times. But when it comes out looking beautiful, or working *just* right, you feel really good.
For my next job I will be trying to either move up in scale a little bit, while maintaining detailled work, or switch from residential to commercial perhaps.
Yeah. Good questions. Our fee is higher than most, but we are in Boston, so I imagine it's more sustainable. Our hourly rates are still much cheaper than most in this city.
By the way, I think "number of design decisions per inch" is a great way to rate design thoughtfulness. (Doesn't say anything about the quality of the desicions made, but it definitely says something about thoughtfulness, which is typically pretty closely related to quality.) Interesting idea.
Exactly...we've all seen hideous buildings that are over-designed, poorly designed, or just "architectural pizzas" (to quote another architect). It takes a lot of talent and restraint to make the RIGHT decisions.
And how do we translate the value of the decisions to potential clients? That's probably a topic for another discussion.
DCA, you're in a good position though. If you learn how to manage large projects efficiently, moving to small projects is like a breath of fresh air. Details at 3"=1'-0"... now that's green grass.
Very true, santa monica. Someday, I want to have just one FULL SCALE detail... perhaps it would be a mullion detail or involve something from my new favorite catalogue www.nanz.com
myriam, while that sounds tempting, I'm on the hook to see these bad-boy projects through CA :) There is still a lot to be learned on this side of the fence, I suppose.
i was off by 6" a few days ago based on somebody else's as builts on a remodeling project. you should see the contractor ready to slander me by emphasizing the 6" like a sports broadcaster in front of people. i listened until he finished then took out my pen and crossed out the said dimension and printed the on site dimension, and said "anything else?". there was nothing else after that. be authorative and decisive,
experience pays. always have a back up plan and don't hinge your design on couple of dimensions, specially on remodeling projects.
*ludwig could. because he was a math major ;), and his sister had a lot of money.
well, i knew the space would still work 6" less wide, because when i was making design decisions on paper, i knew i could be hit with this kind of discrapencies. it always comes up on remodeling projects. you can't be 100% right on @ as builts.
bigger picture is still 'precisely' in tact.
* ludwig wittgenstein, who designed his one hit wonder for his sister and re did the concrete slab on the portion of second floor because the ceiling on the first floor was .5" too low on 10'-12' height.
i admire people who are 1/64 tolarance when it comes to design but their projects always run into problems/delays for some reason...
Number of Decisions Per Inch
A design critic once commented on the "number of decisions per inch" in an architectural image, implying that better architecture may arise from a greater volume of design decisions within a project. (The image to which he referred was an urban landscape in Europe that had detailed paving, landscape, and urban furniture elements.)
Last night I had the opportunity to view a show of Studio 27's work at Design Within Reach and spoke with one of the firm's employees about his current projects. I realized the remarkable contrast between his work (a handful of single family homes) and my work (over a million square feet at once). Perhaps we both make the same number of design decisions every day, but I am somewhat wistful that I will never be able to think about each and every square foot of my projects.
I am not sure if I'm having a "grass is always greener" moment or if smaller projects really ARE better for making a greater volume of design decisions. On the other hand, it seems like many architects (not all) are always seeking a larger project, a larger development, or a client with greater potential for more business.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
...but you have to mow it more often.
Having recently stepped over to the greener grass, I'm having the same feeling. I decided that residential was the direction I wanted to go long time ago, but took an opportunity to see if the bigger is better/more challenging ideal was true. I miss the more decisions per inch and will definitely go back "smaller scale work" in my next transition. Well-rounded training.
Hmm. I've spent a portion of today examing things down to the 32", but usually we go more by the 1/16". Most of my week was spent negotiating by the 1/4". I have a hell of a lot of fun, but I don't have many coworkers, and paychecks are sometimes late. I love my job, though. Love it.
and I'd rather be playing around at the scale of watersheds down to a few blocks... Spent way too much time obsessing about the 1/32nd of an inch earlier in my career- now infrastructure and public spaces are my game plan.
you can always get frankengrass that doesn't mowing. better yet, how about restoring a tall grass prairie?
Yeah, it's definitely a bit myopic at times. But when it comes out looking beautiful, or working *just* right, you feel really good.
For my next job I will be trying to either move up in scale a little bit, while maintaining detailled work, or switch from residential to commercial perhaps.
There must be some economic model or formula that describes a ratio of fee-to-design decisions...
I wonder where the breakpoint is if you were to "move up in scale a little bit" but still make the same amount of decisions per inch...
Yeah. Good questions. Our fee is higher than most, but we are in Boston, so I imagine it's more sustainable. Our hourly rates are still much cheaper than most in this city.
By the way, I think "number of design decisions per inch" is a great way to rate design thoughtfulness. (Doesn't say anything about the quality of the desicions made, but it definitely says something about thoughtfulness, which is typically pretty closely related to quality.) Interesting idea.
Exactly...we've all seen hideous buildings that are over-designed, poorly designed, or just "architectural pizzas" (to quote another architect). It takes a lot of talent and restraint to make the RIGHT decisions.
And how do we translate the value of the decisions to potential clients? That's probably a topic for another discussion.
DCA, you're in a good position though. If you learn how to manage large projects efficiently, moving to small projects is like a breath of fresh air. Details at 3"=1'-0"... now that's green grass.
Very true, santa monica. Someday, I want to have just one FULL SCALE detail... perhaps it would be a mullion detail or involve something from my new favorite catalogue www.nanz.com
Pshaw, 3"=1'-0" details are for wimps! It's all about the 1:1 details, for real!
And yeah, it's really hard to learn project management from something where half your time is spent working out details at 1:1.
DCA, sounds like you need to move to Boston and work for my firm. We have an opening... it pays well....
myriam, while that sounds tempting, I'm on the hook to see these bad-boy projects through CA :) There is still a lot to be learned on this side of the fence, I suppose.
i was off by 6" a few days ago based on somebody else's as builts on a remodeling project. you should see the contractor ready to slander me by emphasizing the 6" like a sports broadcaster in front of people. i listened until he finished then took out my pen and crossed out the said dimension and printed the on site dimension, and said "anything else?". there was nothing else after that. be authorative and decisive,
experience pays. always have a back up plan and don't hinge your design on couple of dimensions, specially on remodeling projects.
*ludwig could. because he was a math major ;), and his sister had a lot of money.
well, i knew the space would still work 6" less wide, because when i was making design decisions on paper, i knew i could be hit with this kind of discrapencies. it always comes up on remodeling projects. you can't be 100% right on @ as builts.
bigger picture is still 'precisely' in tact.
* ludwig wittgenstein, who designed his one hit wonder for his sister and re did the concrete slab on the portion of second floor because the ceiling on the first floor was .5" too low on 10'-12' height.
i admire people who are 1/64 tolarance when it comes to design but their projects always run into problems/delays for some reason...
was that architect bill galloway?
holz: I heard it from Jaan Holt (also of Virginia Tech), who either could have been quoting Bill Galloway or could have given Mr. Galloway the idea.
Either way, that's a remarkably good guess. How did you figure it out?
i know both those guys
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