This past February, I celebrated being in business for myself ten years.  < loud applause >  Yes, thank you. However, it wasn’t until May of 2003 that I had any projects. Mark it however, you see fit. Through the good years and bad years, I’m still here because  I have nowhere else to go, no one else would hire me I’ve persevered and am blessed that I still have a job. I wish I could say that of all architects; the recession was cruel.

I suppose after ten years one would think I know something more than when I started. Yet as I was thinking about this topic for the past several months, it was hard to think of anything to share. As I was driving home from an evening of AIA continuing education (I’ll write about that one in months to come), I rattled off the first ten things that came to mind into my cell phone (talk to text feature with a hands free device – oh yeah.). I consider these more observations than advice, but if it helps you that’s great. To be honest I’d rather hear your list, I could really learn from those of you with 15, 20, or more years of self-employment experience. Nevertheless, this is what I came up with so far.

1. Time management – Finish up the project you are on right now as soon as possible; the next one will come soon and you need be ready. Projects that linger on only cost you money and don’t make your clients happy. In other words, don’t fill your time up with the little work you have.
2. Marketing – Do not turn away work simply because you think you have other projects about to happen. It is likely you’ll end up with no work (…learned this the hard way…). Without a signed contract (and retainer) it’s not a project. Just for the record, feel free to turn away work for other reasons, but that’s another topic.
3. Management – Be organized and on top of everything. As Yoda would say, “do or do not, there is no try.”
4. Planning – Do the task (of the day) that you hate the most first…it is not going away, it needs to get done. If you’re reading this now instead of doing that task, go do it, I’ll wait for you to return.
5. Clients – Give all of your active clients an update every week to where you are on their projects even if you have a little or nothing to say. They will appreciate it.
6. Marketing – Everyone you talk to may be a source for a potential referral, even the girl at Starbucks making your morning coffee. The best person to market for you is someone else who will speak highly of you and your work. They will reach people you cannot who in turn will reach even more people. People trust their friends and colleagues, so they’ll trust you. (See Jody’s blog about this).
7. Design Integrity – Find at least one thing in every design project that you can celebrate or highlight. Regardless of the client, they hired an architect after all – make it look like they did. Also, they hired YOU, not the next guy, so respectfully leave a mark….with permission. Putting up your picture or a plaque with your name is just poor taste though.
8. Self assessment – Learn your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses. Consider having someone else do what you are weaker in doing. If you cannot afford to hire someone else, then go back to item #4. You may just find your weaknesses are really your strengths taken to extremes.
9. Image – You only truly own your name and image; guard it. (This is also connected to item #6). Design your ID package carefully and be sure that everything with your name on it measures up to your quality level to the extent you can control. Everything doesn’t have to be “final” quality drawings, but your sketching, handwriting and writing skills need to be sharp. Don’t settle for common or template-type business cards, letterhead, envelopes or a website. Promote your image everywhere, but be tasteful and professional. You are in a design and creative field after all. It should be evident.
10. Passion – Remember you are an architect. Remember the things that got you into this field and don’t lose sight of those. Continue to draw, continue to sketch, continue to dream, and don’t be just a technician. Be proud that you can do some things that others can’t do; otherwise why will they hire you? If you lose the passion and fuel that drives you, the rest of this list is pointless.

Here is a bonus one…be prepared for change, you can count on it.

photos are from hisks stock photo gallery on Stock.Xchng (used under the Standard Restrictions

 

Isn’t it funny how certain songs come to mind at odd times? They hold the answers to the mysteries of life.

As I was reading and participating in an online AIA blog where people were debating the role of architects and how we could or should expand our services to a broader market, many things came to mind. Some advocate that municipalities should mandate an architect’s seal on any project requiring a permit. Some advocate that architects should be willing to tailor or limit certain services (namely CA) to clients not wanting those services. Others feel strongly the opposite direction believing it cheapens the profession not to give our full value. I suppose they advocate for turning away those projects. Lastly a few believe a large market lies in speculative housing away from the end user and work directly for the developer. The premise is a huge market awaits our involvement if we are willing to be flexible to provide only those services requested by the client. Again, this is a tailoring or limiting of our traditional role or “full services” approach.

Yeah, it’s too much to unravel in one post.

Did you ever read the fable where the sun and the wind were debating who could get the man to take off his coat first? The wind used force to no avail; the sun used warmth with success.

Despite your position on each of these issues, this famous Cheap Trick song lays it all out for me. Yes I’m an idealist, perhaps just stupid. All of this arguing and we’re getting nowhere…remember that insanity definition? Maybe my point here is a lousy business plan but it speaks to the heart of the matter. We cannot force people to use our services or to use “all” of our services. If we want to vote on the issue, we can respond by accepting or rejecting the work that comes our way. Simple right?

First of all mandating an architect’s services on residential design will simply go over poorly. I understand the life safety issues and I support that notion. I think we can make a larger case to the public that our involvement protects their HSW. But is that all we do? Ah, no.

In the case of residential design just put yourself in the client’s shoes for a moment. Would you want to be required to hire someone for a service when you were not expecting to need them? You don’t really want their services so every dollar you pay for them is already too much. In fact you probably won’t even use the instruments of their service (i.e. drawings) anyway. It’s simply a means to an end (building permit) and it’s just delaying that end. Therefore, you are left angry but you have to pay for something you did not want. The service provider at the other end isn’t motivated because they know their client is begrudging the entire process and won’t show real appreciation when it’s over. This is being an American.

So what is the secret for how we get people to want us? How do we get people to understand that they need us? Yes we would love for them to love us by letting us show our skill, our value, our worth and how we can “teach the world to sing with perfect harmony…” Sorry, I got off track.

I don’t know. I just know that when the sun got the man to take off his coat, the man was happy, the sun was content and the rest of the surrounding community got a sunny day to enjoy. Everybody wins.

What I do know is the live version of this song is waaaaay better than the studio version.

photos are from the Wikimedia Commons (used under the Creative Common License)

 

Don’t take this post the wrong way, but I’ve been thinking recently about the myriad of tasks that we do as architects. There is so much more to do than simply “making drawings.” In fact I spend little time “making drawings” with respect to the time it takes for the thought and research to know what to put on paper with confidence. My intention is not to be impolite or insolent with my later statements. This stuff just has to come out of my head or I have to listen to it alone.

Since this is a business and a service, we must be efficient, meet deadlines and provide courteous responses. Now for those of you who can afford to “dabble” in architecture regardless of whether you get paid or not, I’m sorry to break it to you. Tasks must get done promptly and they must get done well at the same time.

I’ve found that being thorough is more important than being quick. 

Yet, there are still people, clients, contractors, whomever out there that just want it quickly or they’ll try to find someone who will (say they can) do it. Architecture is intended to outlive us so let’s do it well. Here are a few questions that are frequently asked related to time and completing a task/project. By the way, I know what you are really thinking when you ask these questions. Clients have every right to expect progress and a reasonable completion date, but may I ask for a little patience?

1. What is your time frame to complete this project?
2. What is the progress of our project?
3. Why is it taking so long?
4. Since you use computers, doesn’t that make your work quicker?
5. Doesn’t that CAD program do most of the work for you?

I’ve heard that some of you architects out there “spit out” drawings quickly and leave important information off of them. They also show a lack of thought or development. You may have your reasons, you may not. Please stop that regardless.

Architecture is something that people enjoy when you get it right. Really, they do. Actually they expect it, but hurry it up already? Getting architecture right is not just seeing that it doesn’t fall down or leak or melt after the first rain storm. It is a discipline that takes thought, consideration, testing and research.

It actually takes rigor. My favorite quote with respect to this is “architecture is never done, it is just due.”

Oftentimes we as architects only know that we don’t know what we don’t know. We don’t just sit down and “draw up some plans.” Each project has its own set of issues and items to resolve. The technical issues are often the least difficult to resolve but if you don’t know how design works it is often difficult to explain the process. Design solutions come by part inspiration and part work…mostly work.

Work takes time, so it’s going to be a few more days until we finish your project.

photos are from two photostreams on Flickr (used under the Creative Common License)

top photo   bottom photo

santa fe building – d.h.burnham and co.

the rookery interior – frank lloyd wright

inland steel building – skidmore owings & merrill

amoco building (now the aon center) – edward durrell stone

cloud gate [aka the bean] – anish kapoor

john hancock center – SOM

860–880 lake shore drive apartments – ludwig mies van der rohe

prentice women’s hospital building  – Bertrand Goldberg

farnsworth house – ludwig mies van der rohe

chicago ‘L’ east 34th street & south state street transit station

we frequently look up as architects, but recently I recommend looking up more…further than the tops of buildings. we could all do with a bit of help from above. what do you think?

photos are from the author Chicago, March 2013

Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

 

Imperfection is not a concept I am comfortable with…at all.

I’m well aware I cannot attain it; in fact I’m not sure I can define it. However, I don’t like it all the same. Architecture and imperfection is not (are not?) a pair that you would expect to put together. Imperfection can show up in many aspects of our profession from our design process to our documents to the final built work.

Last week I was asked a question by a contractor regarding my drawings which happen to be quite detailed. I swallowed hard when I found out that I did not specify the type of soffit on the exterior canopy. Now it’s not something that will add cost since he already budgeted for it and it was shown graphically on my drawings. Yet I remember doing a bit of research on this item and for the life of me I can’t believe I didn’t put any notes about it; I just drew it. It still eats at me yet it’s not a big deal. I admit I am not perfect yet the end result will be just fine.

A couple of years ago I read Jeremy Till’s book “Architecture Depends” where he posits that architecture is dependent on a plethora of elements that are completely out of the architect’s control. The architect would be better off to embrace this theory. It was a fascinating read, but I’m still disappointed when the best laid plans don’t quite come together as intended. In typical architect dreaming, the ideal does not equal the real.

Even as I write this I’m coming to terms that I’ve probably made some type of error(s) whether spelling or grammatical. (Break it to me easy). Why do architects fear imperfection? Can we embrace it? I seriously doubt it.

I will say there is one area that imperfection is a bit more welcomed. During the design process we actually do cherish the potential of imperfection. Maybe that’s not the best term to use. Our ‘patient search’ for a design solution leads us down many paths and most of them are not the right most appropriate direction. We test and study a series of ideas, layouts, concepts and compositions only to find that they’re just not right for this project. Our sketches are messy and to some degree “imperfect.” However, it is through these imperfections (don’t mistake it for trial and error) that we teach ourselves to “see” the stronger solutions.

We learn from imperfection…sometimes the most profound lessons.

Architecture is a fickle paradox. We work through imperfect ideas through a rigorous process to develop an architecture that is documented perfectly and then haunt the builder to construct it perfectly. A utopian vision at best, but it is an imperfect process at worst.

Can we embrace imperfection yet? I don’t really know.

I have to go now; there is something misaligned on my desk.

 photos are from two photostreams on Flickr (used under the Creative Common License)

top photo   bottom photo

 

Since we are not “allowed” to discuss fees as architects, I suppose I have to dance around this one carefully. However, we all know that our fees for a project are more than a dollar and typically less than a million dollars. Is that safe to say?

I suppose one reason people don’t hire an architect for a residential or small commercial project has to do with fees. They either don’t sense the value for the investment, or they think they can do it themselves (i.e. don’t need an architect) or they simply believe they can’t afford an architect. These are all plausible. If you are planning a new house/building or an addition or large alteration the fee (as a mere dollar amount) can be a large number. However it must be viewed not as a mere number but as a return of equivalent value for the investment. Out of the three reasons listed above for why one doesn’t typically hire an architect (those aren’t the only reasons BTW), I’ll address the last reason, whether you can afford an architect. I think more of you can if you follow these reasons.

These are the first 10 reasons that came to mind. As always, please share you reasons to add to my list. Maybe yours are better.

1. Plan, save or budget for it.
2. Find out why hiring an architect is important to you…you will spend your money on what is important to you.
3. Consult with an architect to comment on the plans you intend to purchase.
4. Consider the fee less than the amount you will save by hiring the architect in the first place. (true – hard to prove)
5. Limit or tailor their services to your specific needs. (not necessarily recommended but better than nothing)
6. Ask your lending company if you can tie the fees into your mortgage (not common but not impossible)
7. Develop a total budget for construction cost and fees as an overall number and target that figure (have to believe in the process first)
8. Reduce the overall construction cost of your house (limit the size, simplify the design, back off on the lavish finishes) to free up money for an architect (**gasp**)
9. Find a design-build company with a skilled architect on board (where the degree of services or depth of documentation can be limited safely)
10. Marry an architect

OK, so these ideas probably could be lumped into three or four reasons and the last one is not very likely. In fact the last one might be more expensive that hiring an architect outright. I tend to believe in the second reason the most. Not to be cruel or arrogant, but I’m amazed at what we as an American culture spend money on when we cry that we don’t have enough money. I admit that we as a family spend money on things that are important to us. This may differ from your choices, but if you are willing to be honest, there’s more truth to this if you get past the initial offense.

Perhaps I will expound on each of the other reasons in follow up posts. Many of my fellow architects out there have already done that. Look around. Is an architect right for every project? Yes and no. If you’re not sure you can afford an architect or if you’re not sure you need an architect, call a local architect and ask them if you can discuss this with them. Pay them for their time, or at least offer. Listen carefully to them before you rule it out. Let me know what they say. Let me know what you decide and why. You shouldn’t make a final decision without asking some questions first.

 photos are from photostream on Flickr (used under the Creative Common License)

top photo   bottom photo

So….during my exercise routine this morning I was watching a rerun of the 90′s sitcom Wings (rented for free from our library). You’re wondering where this is going aren’t you?

This episode featured an architect that is as usual portrayed in a fashion that doesn’t help our profession. Yes, it’s a sitcom people, I get it. However, I’m more disappointed at how the process is portrayed more so than how the architect as a person is portrayed. The episode was funny (for a sitcom) but I must provide some corrective commentary after I expound on a few segments of the plot. You can watch if you’d like.

Early in the episode, supporting character Casey (lead character Helen’s sister) is talking starry-eyed to Fay about some peasant job. She looks up and see the renowned (fictional) architect Y. M. Burg across the airport terminal having lunch. She carefully approaches him and rambles off some archi-speak in an effort to impress him with her knowledge of architecture.

I don’t support any type of celebrity status privilege, but no one should feel the need to speak to us in an effort to impress us. If some think of us this way, we need as a profession to correct this. I’ve seen and heard too much arrogance from architects. Maybe there’s truth to this sitcom, but it’s not good. We desire respect and recognition for doing good work, but I can’t stand how actors and athletes are treated differently. For goodness sake, we don’t need that in our profession.

In the next segment (watch the last 3 minutes of this video) Joe and Helen are behind the lunch counter searching through a magazine for a pre-fab house (in the early 1990′s no less) because they can get the “style” of their house…cheap (not because the concept of pre-fab was being advocated). Yes the emphasis was on cheap. The architect sitting at the lunch counter overhears their discussion and offers to design a house for them. He introduces himself as if they should know who he is. They mistake the architect’s condescending comments as if he’s begging for work and perhaps he should consider working for the pre-fab company. Casey appears and is appalled when she hears that Joe and Helen ignorantly sent him away. She shows them a magazine of his work and they change their opinion to go and ask him if he’d take on their project.

There are so many things wrong with this scene from the culture’s misguided desire to get something of alleged value for cheap. Of course the architect is immediately introduced as narcissistic and patronizing (money grubbing in the words of Joe). He doesn’t explain, educate or even try to communicate on their level (yes I know it’s a sitcom). However, the public’s perception of us is extremely poor.

After realizing their mistake, Joe and Helen go to the architect’s (fancy corporate) office in Boston to ask him to reconsider. Like Casey, Joe feels the need to talk differently to impress the architect rather than be himself. The architect doesn’t help by rambling off some high-brow archi-speak in a lame attempt to engage them in the process, yet must conveniently leave to take a phone call giving Joe and Helen a chance to discuss this offer. Helen is skeptical. Joe and Helen discuss the project portrayed as uneducated compared to the architect.

Architecture as a profession is portrayed not as a service, but as an elitist commissioning by lowly peasants to a rare genius. It’s as if the client must beg the architect to take on their unimportant project. There are inaccuracies to both sides of this sketch. The architect needs the client to survive so must be grateful for the opportunity. However, clients must understand that architects are educated and talented professionals that deserve a degree of respect for being able to do and offer something they can’t do for themselves. They do have a rare creative ability, but at the same time balance must be kept or we end up somewhere…quite frankly, weird.

Later Joe and Helen fly off to Boston to see the ‘unveiling’ of their house. It turns out to be a strange geometric “modern” house that Helen says looks like the number “7″. They react politely and Joe exclaims he loves it so as not to look stupid. In the next scene back at Joe’s office, they argue over the design to where Joe finally admits it looks like the number “7″ and hates it as much as Helen. They agree to go back to the architect to tell him they don’t like it.

First of all, where were the early sketches, diagrams or dialogue of their needs, wants, program, site features, and what that one thing we all deal with…hmmm….oh yeah budget! How could Joe and Helen afford this big shot’s fee as well? Moreover, clients AND architects need not apologize for styles that they like, but clients can also expand their mind and world by being exposed to more types and expressions of architecture (and other forms of culture). In this episode modern architecture is portrayed as weird, harsh and alien (with no resale value). Nevertheless, when it comes to finding an architect, people should find an architect who not only has good chemistry with them and listens carefully, but also aligns with their aesthetic sensibilities. In other words, choose an architect whose work is somewhat close in character to what you want or appreciate. But more importantly, the chemistry has to be there.

In the final scene, Joe and Helen go to the architect’s office to “tell him off.” (I wonder if they’ve paid him anything yet.) Helen goes in first to quietly tell of their disappointment only to find that he’s sketching an alternative design that Helen ultimately loves. After a classic sitcom misunderstanding, Joe walks in and has words with the architect before he sees the new sketches. Helen shows him the design and loves it too. Based on Joe’s behavior, the architect now tells them they can’t have it. Just as he is about to break the board of sketches over his knee, the screen fades to the credits.

Like most sitcoms, this plot segment is a classic of misunderstanding for the sake of humor. I get it. However, for a client-architect relationship to be successful there must be clear, specific and candid communication. Again the PROCESS was never portrayed, shown or even alluded to in this show (it’s a sitcom I know). There was never any dialogue back and forth to allow the architect to learn and discover what the client wants or thinks they want. It sets up the architect as the genius and the client will just want what he produces. On the otherhand, his expertise isn’t valued either. It also did not show that the client frequently wants something else once the architect can show them options and reasons. It also paired up architectural styles with our artificially created classes of people. Unfortunate.

Both sides are portrayed incorrectly (it’s a sitcom, I get it). However, this was one more rare opportunity that an architect appears on television in a role that only hurts our profession. When are we (or Hollywood) ever going to get this right? No wonder the episode was titled “So Long Frank Lloyd Wrong.”

recent trip to the farnsworth house just west of chicago illinois

are you without words after seeing that?

mies me too.

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – the White Queen, Alice in Wonderland.

Impossible? Yeah, I keep telling myself that. I’ve been feeling a bit down this week, but these are the things that keep me going in this profession. There are too many of us that gave up in the past few years after being laid off, closed their doors, or those who never even got a job after graduation.

I still believe in impossible things…here are six.

1. Education will increase the amount of impact architects will have on our built environment – Some days I begin to doubt this, but I keep returning to talking about architecture to those around me in hopes that it will make a difference. I don’t think it’s realistic that every house, every building will be designed by an architect whether it’s new or renovated. However, it’s not time to give up yet. I still meet people from time to time that are truly interested in architecture and how architects make architecture. We often complain about how little input we have on the built world around us, but compared to the past few centuries do we have more input now than we ever have? In other words, in 18th century Europe (let alone America) when our profession was being defined as we know it, how many average people even knew an architect let alone hired one? Think about it.
2. Architects can make a difference in small cities and towns – I have to get up every day believing this. I do live less than an hour from Pittsburgh and do work there, but I’m fascinated with making a difference in my own city where there is less than seventy to seventy-five thousand people in my zip code. This requires going back to the first item, education in order to convince people why they need to invest in architecture and how it can and will help them, their businesses and their daily outlook on life.
3. Everybody needs wants an architect – I suppose no, but everybody doesn’t need a lawyer, plastic surgeon or accountant either. However, does everybody want an architect? Would everybody like to hire an architect, even for just an hour or two? To be honest, it’s ridiculous to want everybody to hire an architect. If we design or have input on only 2% of the houses in this country and that was raised to 4% or 5% how much work would we all have? Of course, be careful what you wish for, you might not like it. I don’t mean to be brash or even unkind. But not everyone will want the type or quality of architecture we want or prefer to do (this doesn’t mean style…Ok J?).
4. Architecture can change and improve communities for the better – If you don’t believe this as an architect, go back to bed. This is not a profession that you get into for the money.
5. Good work opportunities will come with patience and persistence – This is going to be debatable for all times with advocates on both sides presenting their evidence. I’m not sure how much control we all really have in this area and only time will tell. Sure we follow the sages in terms of carefully choosing work, but these days how many people can be that particular yet? Good clients come from good relationships and good projects come from good clients. You may land a big museum project that tricks you into believing you’ll be on the cover on AR next year, but building types don’t guarantee anything.
6. One good thing can be injected or found in every project – This is my response to the last impossibility. Again, building types are not magical in and of themselves. We make the difference as architects and designers right? We can make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear as the story goes. It’s up to us to show what we can do, how we think and how we can execute our ideas. Can we make a fantastic bathroom addition? Yes. Can we make a fantastic interior renovation to our local non-profit with little money? Yes. Can we reorganize the way your business works, functions or operates by adjusting the architecture in which you work, live, or play? Yes. I believe that. Architecture is made in a context. That context governs or drives the boundaries of a project. We may debate or argue that a particular project “could have been better if we just…” Don’t drive yourself crazy on that notion. We think more money, more space, more time, more freedom, more whatever will make architecture better. Perhaps it might. But we are called to make the best with the “hand we’re dealt.” Find a way to inject something special in every project you do. It might only be a paint color, a countertop or the entrance. How skilled are you and don’t apologize for the constraints. Don’t stop dreaming; don’t stop trying, and stop believing. (Hey we had a Journey moment there.).

Do you believe in impossible things?

photos are from Flickr used under the Creative Common License – Top Photo / Bottom  Photo

I suppose I cannot speak for anyone other than myself on this issue, but I find it extremely relevant to our profession. Last week I had two meetings with potential clients. At one point in the meeting each person said “you do that” with a look of being surprised but impressed. What they were referring to was “design” – their term not mine. In other words they didn’t realize architects can choose features other than the structure and wall placement, in other words the fixtures and finishes. Choosing finishes and fixtures (paint colors, wood finishes, lighting fixtures, countertops, flooring, furniture, accessories, etc.) is extremely important to me as it completes the overall vision for the project. I don’t approach it in a FLW-over-the-top-control-freak way, but I think it is important to carry a design theme through from the big idea to the details and finishes. This is architecture.

Perhaps the reaction that sparked this post should cause me just to chuck this one up to the public not knowing or understanding what architects do (or can do). It’s unfortunate. I can’t say that I get to make all of these decisions on every project but I expect to offer the service unless I am told otherwise. On a commercial project I consider the finishes carefully as they are part of the image or branding of the business or institution. I explain this at the outset. On residential projects it is not intended to take the “fun part” away from the client. In fact it is the most enjoyable when I work side-by-side with my clients and we work out these finishes and select the fixtures together. If we have a common goal and a common vision, then the results can be really amazing, however, HGTV has made everyone believe they can be a designer.

What is difficult at times to explain is how the architect has (or should have) an overall vision for the project. You should expect your architect to have an overall vision. We are more than technicians that draw floor plans and work out code issues. If your architect can’t do more than that, then why did you hire them? (Don’t answer that, I know why).

Now back to our client meeting or interview when people need to know that you are capable of making those decisions and trust your shared vision of the project. If clients don’t think about these things, then we need to guide them to think about these things. Give them reasons beyond opinion, preference and taste.

So answer is “yes we do that.”