Nicholas Korody started publishing excerpts from Archinect’s fourth live podcasting event, Next Up: Floating Worlds. 

Looking at potential roles for architecture in the contemporary neoliberal economy, with a focus on issues pertaining to gender and identity, the event featured lectures/interviews with; Jack Self, Christine Bjerke, the Feminist Architecture Collaborative, one-third of Support.fm (and perhaps?) more…

Responding to some critics, Donna Sink offered perspective "I've been publicly humbled several times recently for doing what I think a lot of commenters here are doing: reading/hearing something that makes me uncomfortable, so I get defensive about it and start delegitimizing it. I'm learning to just listen sometimes: to consider that the speaker has a platform for a reason (f-architecture is certainly doing stuff), and maybe I should listen *without commenting* and try to figure out why what they're saying makes me uncomfortable and examine what long-held beliefs I have that might just be insufficiently examined."

Plus, Julia Ingalls brought us along on an exploration of the 'Architectural Imagination of Ben Katchor'. Orhan Ayyüce "Really enjoyed reading Julius Knipl Real Estate Photographer in late 80's LA Weekly, or was it the Reader? For me, Ben Katchor 's morbidness capture sort of mild dystopic experience of the eveyday city. I am glad this is now what architects reading and learning from."

News
In a bold semantic move, the AIA renamed a NAAB-accredited, employed graduate on the path to licensure as either a "design professional" or "architectural associate". chigurh thought there was a simpler solution "just get licensed", further "Do what you gotta do to achieve the professional status and title you want." Bursting everyone’s bubble b3tadine[sutures] reminded folks "Again, this is not really a victory, AIA has nothing to do with state licensing boards, and this language would seem to satisfy nearly every state board's concern regarding the title. This is more about satisfying a small group of people that being AIA Executive Board, and their weariness around this topic."

Janosh felt the new Richard Meier Light collection "awesome - they look just like 80s coke palaces, only they are light fixtures!"

The Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles has acquired a seriously massive archive directly from the studio of Frank O. Gehry. won and done williams was excited "What a great resource! I love the first elevation (Editor’s Note: referring to one for the Ron Davis House) - it's a shame we don't see more drawings like that today."

Orhan Ayyüce drew attention to the "fascinating similarities tags pull out::)))" on an article about a new pyramid, older than Giza, discovered 20 miles south of Cairo. The suggested readings include pieces on; ‘Ornament and Extinction in the Nuclear Era’, BIGs West 57th Street "courtscraper" and a long read on Cahokia.

Archinect is excited to announce the launch a new hybrid print-digital publication, Ed. For the inaugural issue, we’re considering this architecture of architecture. The call for submissions is open immediately. The deadline for submitting is Tuesday, May 2 at 11:59 pm (PST).
 

Firms/Work Updates
Everyday Intern also responded to a recent post on AIA's website which "outlined their position on the use of the title ‘intern’... I suppose the best part of all this is that the AIA acknowledges that the titles they've come up with are not quite dignified. I suppose that is worth applauding."

Then later, threw down the gauntlet "Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. NCARB created the titles 'intern architect' and 'architectural intern' and then codified them into the Model Law. NCARB should do what is necessary to clean it up."

Recently Lucila Silva-Santisteban worked on "...Model 1" while Matthew Wieber worked on "...CARVE".

Patrick McAndrews started off-NARRATIVES. As he explains "The blog's inception is in alignment with the 'off-modern' perspective; drawing from the works and teachings of the Svetlana Boym among other writers and thinkers in the 20th and 21st centuries". He promises "observations, essays, book reviews, serial narratives, and other works of original research and theory" in the future.

For those looking for a new job KieranTimberlake "is seeking a Design Researcher with a focus in building performance".

Otherwise MARC FORNES/THEVERYMANY is seeking applicants for three full-time junior architect positions w/ a Computation & Complex Geometry Focus.

Woodard Residence in Memphis, TN by archimania and Matryoshka House in Rotterdam, Netherlands by shift architecture urbanism, are just two of the projects from the latest Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Houses" Pinterest Board.

School/Blogs
Dr. Henry Tsang started a blog for Keimyung University's College of Architecture; both the departments of Architecture and Architectural Engineering.

The blog affiliated with UTokyo Advanced Design Studio, recapped a visit by the staff and students from Obuchi lab to ETH Zurich this March. Among other things, the folks from UTokyo ADS, "were given a series of demonstrations of robotic applications in digital fabrications".

Bethany Lundell Garver, AIA, NCARB, education director at the Boston Architecture College has been elected Northeast Regional Director of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

Discussions/Threads
MDH-ARCH’s boss is retiring and they are interested in "Maybe a possible buy out option in a certain number of years, maybe some type of profit sharing to keep my invested in the business. I really don't know but wanted to get some feedback from all you experienced folks out there." geezertect cautioned "Do lots of thinking and homework.  Good luck." SneakyPete suggested starting with the Ownership Transition Resources available via the AIA Trust.

JeromeS noted one risk "You need to see everything.  Once you've seen everything, you may not be able to work their any longer- if you decide not to buy."

mtdew wants "to know how others were compensated for bringing work into the company." Many advised to wait, at least until the project is a true "financial success and a design award winner". Threesleeve argued "the time to discuss a finder's fee would have been before you put out the proposal...I would think they'd be amenable to making you the face of the project"

Finally, achi1234 was looking for opinions about how best to represent open timber post wall on plans. Both Non Sequitur and David Curtis believed the correct answer was "a series of rectangles like they were closely spaced columns." Wood Guy added "Anything that deviates from standard construction needs to also be called out on the plans".
 

Additionally
ICYMI, the AIA released a revamped version of its Disaster Assistance Handbook. AIA’s embattled Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA. stated "The new Handbook shows architects everywhere how they can work with local governments to prepare for and respond to disasters, and how they can help enhance community resilience through individual client projects and participation in broader planning efforts."

Had a chance to read it yet? What’s your take?