Back when I was in the states, I had an interview at Diller and Scofidio. I din't get to talk to them, but they where number one on my list (was back in 98 I think). I didn't get the job anyway, but even if their practice has changed, and maybe not for the best, I would try again today.

Richard Meier, OMD, Plexus r+d, HOK...just a few of my favorites

I would work for Jeanne Gang. I heard her speak and the way she talks about materials is beautiful, and her projects are awesome. She is starting to get more recognition. yay!

Richard Meier would be good. I'd like to learn about his business, most of all, since he's one of the most successful architects that still maintains a high level of quality while making money.
His office is quite sterile, though (from my tour in 97), but not bad.

Zapata+Wood and/or Peter Pran (I guess that would be NBBJ if he's still there).

But I am not planning on applying at any architecture firm.

Miller/Hull – for their expressive handling of structure, rational approach to form and overall ethical approach to architecture

Williams & Tsien – because of their skills in detailing and approach to materials

Morphosis (but 10-15 years ago) – for the rigorously intellectual and experimental nature of their work. And because I love their drawings and models.

Morphosis, Plexus r+d, Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis, Wes Jones Partners

and though it is just for architecture at this point, I would love to get the chance to work with KDlab, Blizzard, or the creative minds at the Skywalker Ranch and ILM.

forgot to mention Rick Joy

although rick joy's architecture is amazing, i question his ability to think about anyone but himself. from experience, he is quite selfish and egotistical. i'm sure most architects fit that bill, but he truly is an a**.

i'd work for satan. he's the man.

probably morphosis, coop himmelblau, maybe preston scott cohen.

KDLab and diller scofidio would be good too, but they seem less like architecture and more like hybrid design firms.

There are several firms I'd love to work with, at least for a short period.

Though these two aren't based in the US, but I would really like to have an opportunity to work with Bruce Mau and/or Richard Rogers. As an urban designer, I feel I could learn a lot from those them.

While I have mixed feelings about their work, I would like to work with Andres Duany and Liz Plater-Zyberk (DPZ). They branded themselves well and honestly believe in what they do, which is a pretty remarkable combination. Most firms that create brands do so on the basis of mere style but DPZ seem to have some convictions behind what they do. (Granted, my convictions and theirs do not entirely coincide.)

Finally, Field Operations seems to always get interesting projects so I would like to work with them.

reminder to self: proofread before submitting.

"those them" ain't good english.

Job stability = Gensler

A,

If all you want is job stability, Gensler is good. It has good benefits, etc. It is just that only about 5% of their architecture is interesting. The rest is done well, but boring AND it sucks to work on roll outs (at least most of them).

I would like to find a happy medium between Gensler, architecture as business, and a firm that only considers design.

hmm. Does it exist?

i'd work for mack scogin and merrill elam. their firm is consistently one of the most creative practices in the country. sure, they aren't hot on the theory lecture circuit, but they build really innovative buildings, and none of them look like the last one. i'm psyched to go see the new school of architecture at Ohio State... heard it is really good from the students there...

Sahar - I agree with your happy medium and I never said that I wanted to work for Gensler, per se.

My point is that architecture is somewhat a very cyclical business with very pronounced ups and downs. Gensler doesn't have that near as bad and that equals stability. Not sweating bullets in your 5 person firm that really really needs that new job is very ideal to many people.

Also, think about how many people put up with terrible compensation, benefits and poor working environments just to work for a firm that does "design." The question is deeper than - Meier does nice work...blah blah.

Gensler is not stable at all. While I was there, they went from about 225 to 125 in a few weeks, now they are up past 225 (numbers could be a little off). I was happy to leave, but I remember one guy was out the day they kicked the last wave out and showed up the following monday. They were like 'what are you doing here?' He had no idea and had been out building an addition to his house for his new family. He had been there 14 years.

trace,

I was going to mention the ultimate layoff. The San Francisco office lost a lot of people from what I heard, but even smaller offices dwindled down to only principles and free labor. I don't know who they fired, but I got the impression that they fired the people with less experience (aka the younger people) since a majority of the office is at least 10-15 years older than me.

One thing I do appreciate about Gensler is that it pays overtime. I find that so many architecture firms don't adding one more thing to the pile of things that make architects devalue their work.

I would go for pugh + scarpa... layed back looking office with genuinly cool cutting edge designs with un-believable performance. I don't know how well (or if ) they pay. But just being involved with those kinds of projects would be great.

i would work for noone and just be happy doing nothing.
this sucks
working

Hype-Arc Design Build... they're doing what I want to do.

are hype arc and wes jones partners the same thing? I looked at them both when I was right out of school and they had the same address?

They may work out of the same building, and if you check Hype Arc's website they have fabricated for JPA but I'm pretty sure they are different businesses.

they did some metal fabrication for at least one house of his in silverlake... that was several years ago, don't know about their collaboration since.

I'd love to go back with Jeanne Gang, I starved to work with her and it was worth it. I think this question is two-fold. Who would you work for strictly based on process and approach to design without bringing economics into the picture. Or overall, who would you work for considering the criteria that's important to you in your search. Further, which firms stand out per region?

Studio Gang would be my overall choice in a heart beat. Studio Gang is my Midwest choice, SHoP for East Coast, Morphosis back home in So Cal.

Hype-Arc and Wes Jones are not the same firm. They were just in the same building.

scogin elam? good work? look at this Beluga they ploped down at Berkeley (and this image is very very kind to the building)

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MUSI/images/kroeber7_2_04.jpg

MY OWN.

sammyboy, i've visited that very building in person and it IS good. for example, the skin detailing is inventive and accomplished - an overlapped / angled slate panel system - it's subtle and skilled. take no offense, i am going to guess that you are either a student or a young intern and don't quite have a grasp on what it takes to pull something like that off, especially on a conservative campus like UC Berkeley, where all the new buildings are forced to look like the old...

yeah i although i have never been there it looks interesting to me. at one moment it looks familiar, but when i look closer i can tell there is more to it...

Is this building documented somewhere? How does it relate to the campus? Being on a campus where all new construction is "Spanish Renaissance" (even the damn parking garage) I understand the downfalls of forcing new buildings to look like the old. However, we also have our share of buildings constructed in the late 70's and 80’s that bucked the system and tried to be unique or cutting edge. They are equally disgusting. Since when did the difficulty in "pulling something off" become a criteria for good design? Anyone have anything more on this building than this picture that "is very very kind.”

ashphault, Please enlighten a lowly student.

momentum....
i digs the choices

however, i would just up and move to europe and see if i could work there...
then travel around and be an architecture whore going around from firm to firm across the globe...
yea sumthing like that

job stability=not europe

worm..

i can definately see you in that kind of situation. it would be sweet. if i was going to go to europe though, i would definately love to work for renzo.

brian frels...

i work with a guy who just came from mack and merrill's, i can ask him for you if you want. drop me a line.

Momentum
That'd be sweet. Do I know you?

Worm
When you decide to bum around the world give me a call. No need to worry about job stability at our age.

I'm intrigued by all the stories of massive layoffs at Gensler. What offices and when? I've known someone working in the Boston office since around 1998/1999. He's been busy the entire time and never once mentioned to me that they had any staff reductions. He actually said they've been on a hiring binge since they got the AIA firm of the year award.

For big firms I've heard Gensler is much better, in terms of layoff, compared to SOM, HOK, etc.

Asphault,
That building is a pile of steaming crap. That skin is pretty interesting, but the rest of building pays a huge price for it . The structural logic, which it looks like they are trying to express, sucks. The stacks suck. The furniture sucks. As architects we have a responsiblity to weigh several things and make wise choices. The entire rest of the building paid the price for that skin. It is a poor, poor building. I find most of their work underwhelming, although that is the first one I have ever seen in person.

How has Vincent James not come up yet? Pimp.

Sorry for this attack of messages with some hate mixed in, but what do you guys like about Diller and Scofidio?

Hmmm
I would work for TWBT (todd williams/billie tsien) seem like my kind of people and i love their work and work relationship.

Also Lo/Tek - my heart lies with their attitude (although I haven't heard much from that camp recently, have you?)

Or some other small uncoming practice that coul make use of a Jamaican transplant who has worked and acquired exposure int'lly
Front Studio, Open Mesh Work, PLACE....

and if i had my perfect wish I'd work for Steven Holl back in the 80s/90s when his practice was limited to only 11 people (that you could do any project with only 11 people - yeah until you have 11 really large jobs)

Jam-arch,
I totally understand the desire to work for a place back when it was smaller and been discovered. The energy in there, knowing that you are doing something very new and important would be amazing.
Maybe you would get that at ARO or something, but they may have passed that time........

I agree with the TWBT sentiment. In a heartbeat.

LO/TEK is a one-liner at best. Maybe they can prove me wrong by doing something other than containers and I hope so! I do really like them personally.

No one's mentioned Steven Holl yet, perhaps for a reason?

I'd also mention that much lauded Iowa firm I can never remember the name of. There's something about doing good work amidst all the constraints of the midwest that's attractive.

Randy Brown comes to mind in this same regard.

Being in STL, HOK is nothing but the evil empire!

The biggest thing about Lo-Tek is that in their one liner they don't even seem to understand the structural beauty of a shipping container. They keep ripping holes in the thin continuous structure and then have to reinforce it. Makes no sense.......

I would choose first location then firm. Do you want to live in a city, at the beach, are you wealthy, cost of living in the place you like, are you married – need to meet opposites, etc.?

Place first in my opinion, then who. As to whom – of course the stars are where the money and people are. Why work for a star when you want to be one. Your ability is linked to only you and your work ethic. I say go find a small firm that does big work. And kick ass and take no prisoners. Takes some looking, but most medium sized cities have a connected firm that does very good work and runs a fine business. Find that.

There is a time to learn and a time to do. Are you ready to do on you own? Do you want to run your own firm someday? Play with the stars if you need, but better from my experience to make your own way and work somewhere great that suites you!