Hannah Wood published a two-parter titled 'Architects Take Climate Action!' based on conversations with newly established architecture activist groups, as well as practitioners and educators, all striving to embed climate principles into their practices and organizations.

Orhan Ayyüce wants to see more of/than this "Architects need to be on the streets more, unregulated, independent, and able to voice the public interest. Get out of the dwg's and get into unbuilt/built environments of the public. Save y/our existence by going beyond the buildings alone. More than status quo is necessary."

Plus, Sean Joyner offered up some Thoughts on Black Tokenism in Architectural Practice. Thomas Wensing appreciated the way "The piece addresses how to reach the talent latent in minority communities to open up a path to architectural education...Race and class are always used as a foil to keep people from having power and access to resources. The accessibility and expense of quality education is a racial issue." Later Alejandro Duran suggested that restructuring "the architectural imaginary around processes of inclusion and agency...could really do something to help the profession be more inclusive and regain some of its lost agency in the eyes of the public."

News

The Winter Visual Arts Building at historic Franklin & Marshal College, designed by Steven Holl Architects, was completed in October. square. had a partial compliment "his metaphors make me cringe.. but the result is usually pretty nice". citizen added "It's the architectural version of MacGyver using three bottlecaps and a pair of rusty nail clippers to perform a heart transplant. The important part is the end result."

'Nectors were generally enthusiastic about Snøhetta’s design for the El Paso Children's Museum. Moreover, Gary Garvin was intrigued "Such a playful touch, adding the steeply pitched gable roof after the succession of the rolling tops of the cloud. Is this a house? A cloud? A cloud house? A house cloud? The square, flat dormer descends down the side to a curved conclusion, this shape picked up elsewhere in variations, taking us in yet other directions".

Reacting to the latest news about the Sir David Adjaye-designed house for Brad Pitt's Make It Right initiative, in NOLA (R.I.P.), archanonymous opined "pretty terribly designed... stucco walls with a non-overhanging roof...Agree the AOR is to blame primarily, but more consideration could have been paid to the environment". Then reminded us "Other Make-It-Right houses are much more successful. Tulane's Urban Build Program is very successful, and most of those roofs are even flat!"

Austrian architect, architectural philosopher, academic, and theorist, Wolfgang Tschapeller was awarded the prestigious European Prize for Architecture. Reviewing the architect's back-catalog gave randomised feelings

"all nostalgic about the days of Lebbeus Woods and Coop-Himmelb(l)au as if I were still in school."

Blogs/Firms/Updates/Work

Recently, Joshua Tawney worked on a few logo and pattern studies. While in the lead up to World Architecture Day, Atelier RZLBD shared an open letter/short essay on Space.

Chisel & Mouse added three new iconic models; Colosseo Quadrato, the Pantheon, and Oxo Tower, to their catalogue of architectural sculptures.

Are you an Intermediate Architect/Designer (with at least 3-7 years of experience), looking for something new? Consider applying to work at one of 3 firms in NYC; COOKFOX, Murdock Solon Architects, Studio Gaia, or join AXIA Design’s Toronto office.

Otherwise for something more out of the ordinary, apply to be; a

• GS-12 Architect working for the US Army Corps of Engineers - Baltimore District, where you would "be responsible for preparing and reviewing complete architectural plans and specifications for new construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of a variety of military and civil works projects."
• The Virtual Environment Manager "responsible for organizing and
  executing efforts for the continuous maintenance of digital plans, models, and space database for all property occupied by UPHS."
• A Design Data Analyst at A.G. KUNZ LLC (which aims to be the world leader in model-based design, engineering and construction management for complex capital programs).

School/Blogs

Tulane School of Architecture, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture, became the first architecture programs to sign on to U.S. Architects Declare pledge. 

Lesley Lokko announced her resignation as Dean of Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York. midlander spoke for many "this is a shame - architecture needs more leaders who write well and can inspire future professionals to speak persuasively about complex ideas without jargon". Though at least one current CCNY student popped in to complain "this statement from Dean Lokko is puzzling to me."

Wai Think Tank released some data on the tuition to income ratio, as part of their ongoing work studying structural racism in architecture. Marc Miller felt it important to clarify "This is not an architectural education problem. This is a problem of higher education being at large and the consequence of intentional and continued disinvestment from higher education."

Discussion/Threads

Alex Jalz secured a post-graduate job prior to COVID19 pandemic but now can’t "help but notice that things are a bit slow" and is looking for tips on how to stay busy. thisisnotmyname replied "If you are wondering why you haven't been laid off, it sounds like they want to keep you around so that they have staff in place and quickly available when work picks up.  Appreciate what you have.  Many firms out there withdrew people's job offers and cut staff this year."

Others like senjohnblutarsky recommended just asking "Then find whatever you can...Mostly, just ask." SneakyPete emphatically agreed "Ask, ask, ask, then, if nobody responds, stop worrying about it." In terms of potential busy work or "side projects" the list ranged from "Quality control (even basic proof reading) on outgoing documents" to more marketing related "web site...office portfolio, promotional literature" or even materials/systems research.

Donna Sink was interested in Examples of cool *small* canopies/tents? As in "the quick scrappy exuberance of the Extinction Rebellion tensegrity structures that Phineas Harper wrote about here, but also the material elegance of Studio Gang's Lincoln Park Zoo canopy".  archanonymous brought the goods, from Something they personally "designed and installed - a tensile fabric structure" to "Selgas Cano's fantastic plastic Serpentine pavilion" and a number of temporary pavilions by SOFTLab.

Finally, dominiond was "feeling quite frustrated with the commodification of our services" and therefore curious "What other streams of income  do other firms create so you aren’t just relying on design fees?"

At least a few folks thought the OP was letting the developers walk all over them and that a first step was to "cut out the developer-assholes" aka "politely tell him to fuck off". Non Sequitur advised "I think the moral here is design only service is cheap and relatively easy.  Want more stability, convert to full service (design through CA)."