they're looking for a NAME....find people who have connections. This is not to say that you're credentials are not as important as the person who is writing the letter, but trust me....CONNECTIONS help!

Well, that's hard-pressed, seeing as there can only be so many connections on this planet. I've just gone through a stalking session on Facebook and Twitter and found that none of the teachers I have had have any connections to any of the admissions committee members in the school I am applying to (at least as was apparent from these social networking sites). Furthermore, I haven't had any "big-name" teachers, if that's what you're referring to, that the admissions committee members would know. So your point is good (in fact, I believe connections helped me to get into my undergraduate institution), but unfortunately it hasn't seemed to work in this case.

I've also heard elsewhere that asking an econ prof to see your ptf and critique on it is probably not a good idea, so I'll just leave it to offering them to see the ptf if they themselves claim a desire to see it.

Other suggestions or tips are welcome.

I'm certainly not an expert on the subject since I'm just an applicant myself at this point, but I would think you should have your professors who are totally non-architecture related emphasize your achievements and potential as a student in general. The intent of admissions committees seems to be to determine who will do well in their program, so I would think you should have your recs address that issue without going into detail about their area of expertise. I think it would be better if your letter writer could say you're great at skills specific to architecture, but if you have an econ prof writing one, then I think your general strengths as a student are what should be addressed (although I do think any professor could potentially address your creativity, so maybe that too).

Faculty that have had you in class should be able to address your ability to pursue graduate studies no matter the field.

From the following:

http://gradschool.about.com/cs/askingforletters/a/recletter.htm

Who To Ask?
Most graduate programs require two or more letters of recommendation. Most students find choosing professionals to approach for letters difficult. Consider faculty members, administrators, internship/co-operative education supervisors, and employers. The persons you ask to write your letters should

* know you well
* know you long enough to write with authority
* know your work
* describe your work positively
* have a high opinion of you
* know where you are applying
* know your educational and career goals
* be able to favorably compare you with your peers
* be well known
* be able to write a good letter

Keep in mind that no one person will satisfy all of these criteria. Aim for a set of letters that cover the range of your skills. Ideally, letters should cover your academic and scholastic skills, research abilities and experiences, and applied experiences (e.g., co-operative education, internships, related work experience).