Things they never told me about being an Architect

The last thing I think of before going to be will be toilet partitions, the first thought in the morning will be about toilet accessories. This will happen often. Weekly. I will spend an inordinate amount of time working on something that very few people care about, including my clients. I will find myself sexually aroused by board-formed concrete. daily. right … Read More

Alignment

Have you ever noticed something that doesn’t align? I mean noticed something that doesn’t align every time you open your eyes. Every. Time. Sprinkler heads, HVAC vents, light fixtures, outlets, light switches. They are all placed as if by accident. Or on purpose and someone is trying to kill me by making my head explode. Seriously, things that are not … Read More

Good Habits of Great Architects

Good Habit #1 – Alignment A good architect will align some of the things. A great architect will align all of the things. All of the things. But you may say that if I align this thing with that thing then that thing will not align with this thing. These are the musings of a lesser architect. Align the things. … Read More

Modernism is

Modernism is the artful replacement of everyday amenities with glass. Modernism is the creation of an open plan primarily by removing all the furniture. Modernism wants you to leave your shoes next to the front door, and your coat, and your preconceptions of spatial concepts Modernism would like to mention that it studied under Mies Van Der Rohe. Modernism would … Read More

How to stay on budget

The first thing you need to realize when trying to stay on budget is that every idea or concept for the design that you’ve ever had in your entire life is over budget. All of your ideas. Every one of them. Do I need to mention the rain screen phase you went through in college? The next thing to realize … Read More

You might be an Architect

You might be an architect If you’ve ever noticed that a vent is 2 inches off center from the window. If you’ve ever said the word Dichotomy in casual conversation. If you have at least 7 architectural scales and none of them belong to you. If you have designed your house at least twice, but never built it. If you’ve … Read More

I no longer believe in design

When I was young I believed that concept was the most important thing needed to guide the process of creating a building. If you had a solid concept, you could navigate through the whole process using it as a beacon. How do you organize the office space? Refer to the concept. How do you detail the handrail? Refer to the … Read More

Speaking of French Mediterranean

  What do you do for a living? I’m an architect Oh, interesting. Do you design houses? No Because my wife and I have always thought of designing our own house. We’d like a French Mediterranean villa. Do you design French Mediterranean? No, I live in North Carolina We just think French Mediterranean is so elegant. Don’t you? I guess … Read More

Design, Trees, and Sandwiches

I really just came here for the free lunch and the continuing education credits. I didn’t come here to listen to you pontificate on the meaning of design. I don’t even know what dichotomy means, let alone how to use it a sentence, or the design of a gymnasium primarily used for children. I don’t even think dichotomy is appropriate … Read More

Thoughts on construction

Thoughts on construction. Construction is the process of painstakingly removing all evidence of the architect’s efforts. Each concept and ideology must be carefully removed to reveal the pure structure beneath. The holes in the design must be pointed out to the architect with exasperation, then patched, filled and spackled over to provide a smooth finish on which the owner can … Read More

Beige is not a color, it’s a cry for help

How to choose a color. Try to represent the landscape and the natural terrain around the building. Pull from the tints and textures of the surrounding trees, the grasses, the reeds, the cool depths of an adjacent stream. Get inspired by the outcroppings of sandstone to the south of the site, by the wood, split for firewood down by the … Read More