Looking for offices that do more than just Architecture. Preferably ones that have a focus on media (motion graphics, interactive design) and not just in the form of marketing videos or the "we do graphic design" because we designed our office logo. Basically an office that has a lot of different stuff going on and doesn't define themselves as one thing or another.
__
Long Story:
I liked school. I liked the frantic deadlines, the collective spirit of unfettered creativity and the freedom to embrace many different disciplines in the production of a project, sometimes totally disregarding architecture all-together. I liked that architecture could be defined in shades of gray and was somewhat boundary-less in scope. I find equal interest in designing and detailing a building as I do making and editing an animation or video or building an installation or putting together a publication.
I worked for a while between degrees and saw the other side of the profession. For a while it was equally rewarding. When it started to get tedious I decided that was the time to get my Grad. Degree. In retrospect that should have signaled more than one thing, like getting a degree in something else, but without a time machine situations are what they are. Honestly I thought that judgements shouldn't be made from first jobs. I did work somewhere else during Grad. School and it was a better experience, albeit some of which was do to better coworkers.
I'm at a crossroads again where I am feeling pretty disenchanted about the architectural profession, however I don't want to just leave it like a relationship gone south. I would like to find offices that are a bit more multi-faceted in their design approach, potentially ones that either do more than just Architecture and are seriously invested in that, i.e. making an animation for a presentation doesn't make you a motion graphics studio. I've never really been the kind of person to shy away from an opportunity or afraid to try to new things and I would like to work somewhere that has a similar attitude. I'm at a point in my life where I want to be challenged, not complacent.
__
Any suggestions of offices would be greatly appreciated.
yes that's more or less what I had in mind. I am hoping there are others.
Rios Clementi Hale came to mind as an example of an office that puts equal emphasis on the design of a building as a piece of furniture or a print graphic.
I guess I am also thinking of early Diller and Scofidio work that wasn't so "architectural" in it's approach but neverless engaged some kind of discourse in understanding our relationship with the built environment as both space and object.
Like I mentioned above, I am especially interested in offices that incorporate digital media in their practice. I still want to be doing something that deals with the construction and experiential aspects of space but at the same time not having to listen to people talk about LEED and ADA codes. But not so far removed that I am photoshopping produce for grocery store ads (although I hear that pays well).
You may want to consider working for a studio like Baron & Baron, if your portfolio can get you in the door.
They don't specifically do 'architecture,' but the range of work is stunning, they are internationally known as for producing consistently excellent work, and Fabien Baron is a terrific person.
well, sadly there aren't that many that have a truly multi-disciplinary approach. and many of them only are able to be fully multi-disciplinary on some of their projects...also if you look there are a variety out there that meld landscape architecture/architecture/urban design...but might not incorporate furniture design/architecture/industrial design.
if you're interested in the smaller, detail oriented approaches. check out a number of the design/build offices out there....LTL, freecell, Marmol Radziner, Peter Gluck - a lot of smaller offices get started by building their own stuff..and a few embrace it as a business model.
if you're more interested in the graphic design/branding strategy/design strategy....you see my point. it's actually a huge pool, but it depends on what you're looking for.
one in nyc that i think doesn't get talked enough about is Ralph Appelbaum's office, for instance....they do exhibit design which entails interface design/industrial design/furniture/and architecture.
What if you did some freelance exhibit/graphic/multimedia/etc design on the side? That might make it easier for you to mentally deal with having a straight-up architecture job.
Then, if you're working in a small enough office or an office with really cool/receptive management, you could even start affiliating your freelance work with your firm/getting co-workers involved - effectively helping the existing firm to become the diverse work experience that you [and lots of people] are looking for. Obviously it'd be a long shot, but I'd guess that for every few frightened and risk-averse firm principals, you might find one that sees diversification of services as a great opportunity, and would love to have you on board with that kind of vision.
^ thanks for the suggestion. Sadly I am in a pretty rigidly corporate office right now that rarely veers from a building typology they have never worked on, let alone a completely different design discipline. The intended objective of the original post was to seek out some various exit strategies. Granted this isn't exactly the economy to be playing that game, but I am tired of letting that control my decisions, which in part has put me in the position I am in currently of being another number in the corporate machine.
I've been doing some of my own stuff in the evenings, mostly revisiting some past projects to build portfolio strength but it hasn't yet proved to balance out the 8 hours I contemplate jumping out the window.
At any rate, thanks for the suggestion so far. Hopefully more will trickle in.
Jun 8, 09 1:14 am ·
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schizophrenic offices OR architecture plus one
Short Story:
Looking for offices that do more than just Architecture. Preferably ones that have a focus on media (motion graphics, interactive design) and not just in the form of marketing videos or the "we do graphic design" because we designed our office logo. Basically an office that has a lot of different stuff going on and doesn't define themselves as one thing or another.
__
Long Story:
I liked school. I liked the frantic deadlines, the collective spirit of unfettered creativity and the freedom to embrace many different disciplines in the production of a project, sometimes totally disregarding architecture all-together. I liked that architecture could be defined in shades of gray and was somewhat boundary-less in scope. I find equal interest in designing and detailing a building as I do making and editing an animation or video or building an installation or putting together a publication.
I worked for a while between degrees and saw the other side of the profession. For a while it was equally rewarding. When it started to get tedious I decided that was the time to get my Grad. Degree. In retrospect that should have signaled more than one thing, like getting a degree in something else, but without a time machine situations are what they are. Honestly I thought that judgements shouldn't be made from first jobs. I did work somewhere else during Grad. School and it was a better experience, albeit some of which was do to better coworkers.
I'm at a crossroads again where I am feeling pretty disenchanted about the architectural profession, however I don't want to just leave it like a relationship gone south. I would like to find offices that are a bit more multi-faceted in their design approach, potentially ones that either do more than just Architecture and are seriously invested in that, i.e. making an animation for a presentation doesn't make you a motion graphics studio. I've never really been the kind of person to shy away from an opportunity or afraid to try to new things and I would like to work somewhere that has a similar attitude. I'm at a point in my life where I want to be challenged, not complacent.
__
Any suggestions of offices would be greatly appreciated.
2x4?
yes that's more or less what I had in mind. I am hoping there are others.
Rios Clementi Hale came to mind as an example of an office that puts equal emphasis on the design of a building as a piece of furniture or a print graphic.
MKThink in San Francisco also is involved with industrial design with Frog design.
I guess I am also thinking of early Diller and Scofidio work that wasn't so "architectural" in it's approach but neverless engaged some kind of discourse in understanding our relationship with the built environment as both space and object.
Like I mentioned above, I am especially interested in offices that incorporate digital media in their practice. I still want to be doing something that deals with the construction and experiential aspects of space but at the same time not having to listen to people talk about LEED and ADA codes. But not so far removed that I am photoshopping produce for grocery store ads (although I hear that pays well).
Whether you like them or not, Pentagram could fit this category also...
exhibit design
wow that's it!? Not even enough offices to count using 2 hands.
Pentagram's awesome, the prez graduated from UC - he's lectured here before.
You may want to consider working for a studio like Baron & Baron, if your portfolio can get you in the door.
They don't specifically do 'architecture,' but the range of work is stunning, they are internationally known as for producing consistently excellent work, and Fabien Baron is a terrific person.
well, sadly there aren't that many that have a truly multi-disciplinary approach. and many of them only are able to be fully multi-disciplinary on some of their projects...also if you look there are a variety out there that meld landscape architecture/architecture/urban design...but might not incorporate furniture design/architecture/industrial design.
if you're interested in the smaller, detail oriented approaches. check out a number of the design/build offices out there....LTL, freecell, Marmol Radziner, Peter Gluck - a lot of smaller offices get started by building their own stuff..and a few embrace it as a business model.
if you're more interested in the graphic design/branding strategy/design strategy....you see my point. it's actually a huge pool, but it depends on what you're looking for.
one in nyc that i think doesn't get talked enough about is Ralph Appelbaum's office, for instance....they do exhibit design which entails interface design/industrial design/furniture/and architecture.
What if you did some freelance exhibit/graphic/multimedia/etc design on the side? That might make it easier for you to mentally deal with having a straight-up architecture job.
Then, if you're working in a small enough office or an office with really cool/receptive management, you could even start affiliating your freelance work with your firm/getting co-workers involved - effectively helping the existing firm to become the diverse work experience that you [and lots of people] are looking for. Obviously it'd be a long shot, but I'd guess that for every few frightened and risk-averse firm principals, you might find one that sees diversification of services as a great opportunity, and would love to have you on board with that kind of vision.
Best of luck to you.
^ thanks for the suggestion. Sadly I am in a pretty rigidly corporate office right now that rarely veers from a building typology they have never worked on, let alone a completely different design discipline. The intended objective of the original post was to seek out some various exit strategies. Granted this isn't exactly the economy to be playing that game, but I am tired of letting that control my decisions, which in part has put me in the position I am in currently of being another number in the corporate machine.
I've been doing some of my own stuff in the evenings, mostly revisiting some past projects to build portfolio strength but it hasn't yet proved to balance out the 8 hours I contemplate jumping out the window.
At any rate, thanks for the suggestion so far. Hopefully more will trickle in.
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