I am a solo practitioner and travel quite a bit for work, finding myself on the road once or twice a month. With this comes the fun of packing up everything I need and prepping for upcoming meetings. I use 11x17s for a lot of design presentations or even reduced size drawing sets. ( I would do 12x18 but that is a discussion of what simple printers are capable and a tangent conversation). I find that I have my laptop bag and a slew of folders holding the 11x17 drawings.
One day as I was packing, I started wondering if there is a good professional bag that would work for holding drawings and taking to meetings. I could not find anything specific to fit this criteria. Yes, there are workarounds of people finding bags large enough to stow away drawings into something that fits into the luggage category, or the commentary of why can't you just roll your drawings.
So my question is two-fold.
1. Is there such a bag on the market for an architect to transport 11x17 or even 12x18 drawings flat, along with the other meeting essentials?
2. Assuming there is not: Is there a demand for it? Do you find yourself or someone that you work with in need of such a bag?
ovalle
Oct 18, 17 7:59 pm
You might be interested in this. Elegant, however, not very cheap :
These look wonderful!! The price is a different story.
Wilma Buttfit
Oct 19, 17 5:24 am
I can sew, send me your design. What is your budget?
Wood Guy
Oct 19, 17 9:09 am
I have this bag: https://www.timbuk2.com/custom..., which will handle 11x17, or 12x18 if well-protected, and an oversized laptop. I don't use it much, though--it's somewhat ungainly, nowhere near as elegant as the ones ovalie posted--but it gets the job done, affordably.
I have a timbuk2 bag, my second one now, and find that it's practical. Unfortunate that you don't get much use out of it from it's size. Rock and a hard place type of dilemma. (And thank you for the printer recommendation too)
Or perhaps you could convince the folks at pup to make one. If only we knew someone...
Donna Sink
Oct 19, 17 10:55 am
Sending the PUP love to you, Marc!
thatsthat
Oct 19, 17 10:06 am
Pretty much every person in my office uses a variation of the timbuk2 bag that Wood Guy posted. It's not particularly stylish, but it's extremely durable. We do a lot of very dirty field work and my bag has fared well. Easy to wipe clean with a sponge. I have the medium size and it holds a laptop in an outside pouch, 11x17 sets and clipboards, plus tapes and the like.
I like the design of a lot of the MRKT bags, but I'm not sure it could handle the dirty environment or provide enough organization for my stuff.
nnazarov
Oct 19, 17 8:43 pm
Great feedback! Interesting to hear that the timbuk2 is the go to bag.
Donna Sink
Oct 19, 17 11:02 am
They don't fit your requirements, nnazarov and everybody, but look how gorgeous these bags that PUP made from RCA dome roof fabric AND Exhibit Columbus banners are!
nnazarov
Oct 19, 17 8:38 pm
They do have a great urban appeal!
FlameAura
Oct 19, 17 12:19 pm
In Copenhagen many people would have a black Rains backpack, it's really cool and waterproof
That looks great. Do you know how it is with interior compartments?
Donna Sink
Oct 20, 17 8:56 am
This is a beautiful bag. very architecty.
FlameAura
Oct 23, 17 5:51 am
Yes indeed!! I don't know about its interior compartments as I've never had it myself. Try google/youtube for this :)
b3tadine[sutures]
Oct 19, 17 12:26 pm
I always use one of these.
wurdan freo
Oct 19, 17 10:24 pm
its your bag... baby
Nam Henderson
Oct 20, 17 1:57 am
I currently have a Timbuktu but those Mad Rabbit and Rains models look slick. I've been attracted to that boxier look for a bit now. Anyone have experience riding regularly with one?
I suppose Copenhagen has it fair share of bicycle commuters...
Marc Miller
Oct 21, 17 11:13 am
I had a smaller MRKT bag (carter series) that worked pretty well, but I walk.
Nam Henderson
Oct 21, 17 1:55 pm
I am certainly not the regular bicycle commuter I used to be, but still a key factor I look for in bags...
randomised
Oct 20, 17 3:38 am
Ortlieb was the go-to brand at university, very high bike messenger appeal though, wouldn't know anything a bit more stylish yet equally durable and waterproof.
Donna Sink
Apr 2, 18 8:56 am
Bumping this thread because we all love to talk about bags, obvs.
People for Urban Prgress has a new line of smaller messenger bags, including one called the Architect (all of our bags have names of jobs: Clerk, Executive, Page, Intern...).
The Architect bag is gorgeous, non-gender-specific, and beautifully proportioned. I'l post more pics in a minute.
Donna Sink
Apr 2, 18 9:03 am
Here it is in use:
Donna Sink
Apr 2, 18 9:08 am
And another in use pic...some other stuff happening here too.
Donna Sink
Apr 2, 18 9:10 am
And me being very FLW in a vintage cape while carrying the Architect bag. No mistaking me for an engineer LOL! The artwork above me is an installation by my friend and fellow Cranbrook grad Lauren Zoll.
Miles Jaffe
Apr 2, 18 9:31 am
Stylin'
Non Sequitur
Apr 2, 18 9:45 am
What's with that light on the left?
edit: never mind, I checked the art installation's page. Neat stuff.
thatsthat
Apr 2, 18 12:12 pm
I like this bag. I've been looking for something my field work stuff can go it. It's hard to find a good crossbody bag that is big enough for a clipboard. The only ones close that I've found are from Tom Bihn.
Also I love the cape! It's very hard to find a good, well-fitting, well-made cape.
BulgarBlogger
Apr 10, 18 9:15 pm
If you all are such DESIGNERS - why don't you DESIGN one? lol Architects have great ideas... but we are horrible at executing...
Hey everyone,
I am a solo practitioner and travel quite a bit for work, finding myself on the road once or twice a month. With this comes the fun of packing up everything I need and prepping for upcoming meetings. I use 11x17s for a lot of design presentations or even reduced size drawing sets. ( I would do 12x18 but that is a discussion of what simple printers are capable and a tangent conversation). I find that I have my laptop bag and a slew of folders holding the 11x17 drawings.
One day as I was packing, I started wondering if there is a good professional bag that would work for holding drawings and taking to meetings. I could not find anything specific to fit this criteria. Yes, there are workarounds of people finding bags large enough to stow away drawings into something that fits into the luggage category, or the commentary of why can't you just roll your drawings.
So my question is two-fold.
1. Is there such a bag on the market for an architect to transport 11x17 or even 12x18 drawings flat, along with the other meeting essentials?
2. Assuming there is not: Is there a demand for it? Do you find yourself or someone that you work with in need of such a bag?
You might be interested in this. Elegant, however, not very cheap :
12" x 18" portflio bag
https://theatelieryul.com/coll...
11" x 17" bag
https://theatelieryul.com/coll...
These look wonderful!! The price is a different story.
I can sew, send me your design. What is your budget?
I have this bag: https://www.timbuk2.com/custom..., which will handle 11x17, or 12x18 if well-protected, and an oversized laptop. I don't use it much, though--it's somewhat ungainly, nowhere near as elegant as the ones ovalie posted--but it gets the job done, affordably.
(I also have and recommend this printer, which will handle 12x18 prints: https://epson.com/Support/Prin.... )
I have a timbuk2 bag, my second one now, and find that it's practical. Unfortunate that you don't get much use out of it from it's size. Rock and a hard place type of dilemma. (And thank you for the printer recommendation too)
Perhaps the Mad Rabbit Kicking Tiger Tarpaulin
Or perhaps you could convince the folks at pup to make one. If only we knew someone...
Sending the PUP love to you, Marc!
Pretty much every person in my office uses a variation of the timbuk2 bag that Wood Guy posted. It's not particularly stylish, but it's extremely durable. We do a lot of very dirty field work and my bag has fared well. Easy to wipe clean with a sponge. I have the medium size and it holds a laptop in an outside pouch, 11x17 sets and clipboards, plus tapes and the like.
I like the design of a lot of the MRKT bags, but I'm not sure it could handle the dirty environment or provide enough organization for my stuff.
Great feedback! Interesting to hear that the timbuk2 is the go to bag.
They don't fit your requirements, nnazarov and everybody, but look how gorgeous these bags that PUP made from RCA dome roof fabric AND Exhibit Columbus banners are!
They do have a great urban appeal!
In Copenhagen many people would have a black Rains backpack, it's really cool and waterproof
https://www.rains.com/collecti...
That looks great. Do you know how it is with interior compartments?
This is a beautiful bag. very architecty.
Yes indeed!! I don't know about its interior compartments as I've never had it myself. Try google/youtube for this :)
I always use one of these.
its your bag... baby
I currently have a Timbuktu but those Mad Rabbit and Rains models look slick. I've been attracted to that boxier look for a bit now. Anyone have experience riding regularly with one?
I suppose Copenhagen has it fair share of bicycle commuters...
I had a smaller MRKT bag (carter series) that worked pretty well, but I walk.
I am certainly not the regular bicycle commuter I used to be, but still a key factor I look for in bags...
Ortlieb was the go-to brand at university, very high bike messenger appeal though, wouldn't know anything a bit more stylish yet equally durable and waterproof.
Bumping this thread because we all love to talk about bags, obvs.
People for Urban Prgress has a new line of smaller messenger bags, including one called the Architect (all of our bags have names of jobs: Clerk, Executive, Page, Intern...).
https://shop.peopleup.org/coll...
The Architect bag is gorgeous, non-gender-specific, and beautifully proportioned. I'l post more pics in a minute.
Here it is in use:
And another in use pic...some other stuff happening here too.
And me being very FLW in a vintage cape while carrying the Architect bag. No mistaking me for an engineer LOL! The artwork above me is an installation by my friend and fellow Cranbrook grad Lauren Zoll.
Stylin'
What's with that light on the left?
edit: never mind, I checked the art installation's page. Neat stuff.
I like this bag. I've been looking for something my field work stuff can go it. It's hard to find a good crossbody bag that is big enough for a clipboard. The only ones close that I've found are from Tom Bihn.
Also I love the cape! It's very hard to find a good, well-fitting, well-made cape.
If you all are such DESIGNERS - why don't you DESIGN one? lol Architects have great ideas... but we are horrible at executing...