Blog Archives
6 Myths About Freelancing
Author: Lindsay Van Thoen December 20, 2013; for the Freelancers Union What happens when you tell someone you’re a freelancer? In my experience, you’ll probably get some version of the following: 1. “I wish I could work in pajamas and sleep in every day!” There may be some freelancers who don’t have to leave their
The original creative thinkers
It’s hard to miss the chatter these days about creative thinking and it’s importance going forward in the new ideas based, connected economy. Richard Florida says creativity drives theeconomy (http://zite.to/11HzQyZ). Peter Arvai calls it the “Frictionless Economy (http://zite.to/11Wsa2b) where he states; “Companies that are succeeding rely on creative thinking to consistently produce new ideas” More
Zero, Zip, Nada.
My work doesn’t get built. There, I said it. Nothing I’ve designed as Cobrooke in the last five years has gotten built. Zero, zip, nada. Not the concierge ALF in Tampa, the new campus plan for a developmentally disabled service provider, a new technology center or the performing arts center addition or the school for
Blah, Blah, Blah
My head spins these days as I read the pablum being spewed forth about technological or practice methodologies revolutionizing the practice of architecture. BIM, REVIT, IPD, open-sourcing, architect as chief-collaborator, blah, blah, blah. Enough! None of that stuff matters unless we have work. And these days there just isn’t enough to go around. Or maybe
A fictional tale about an architect and his career
A fictional tale about an architect and his career The end came for William some 1,800 miles and 26 years from where it all began. It’s an all too familiar scene. The partners gather, you’re “invited” to join them in the conference room. Eschewing eye contact, you’re told what a great employee you are, how
Does being an architect imply you’re creative?
Does being an architect imply you’re creative? I had someone remark recently that using the phrase “creative thinking” in my firm description was redundant because being an architect implies creativity. Is that true? We’ve all been in and seen our share of uninspired buildings that don’t deserve to be called architecture. A majority of the
How lucky are we?
One of my passions in life (besides design) is motorcycle riding. It’s my muse, my creative spark. When I tell people I ride you usually get one of the following replies: “You must be crazy” “I know someone who was killed in a motorcycle accident” They don’t get it; don’t understand how something perceived to
Zombie Clients
I received a call a while ago from a prospective client we did some preliminary design work for a concierge assisted living facility years ago. It did not go well as a lot of these fliers we take in pursuit of work go often do. We have experience in this building type and tried, in
So you want to be an architect?
May I ask why? Aah architecture. The grand old profession of Wright, Sullivan, Mies and Kahn. The ability to shape cities with one’s own hands, to change lives and alter the course of history. To be Howard Roark of the Fountainhead, dreaming of blowing up your own creation because the client, a necessary evil of
The race to the bottom
Architects and their fees A short while ago we submitted a proposal for a fairly large, two building flex-office space complex. A simple project, not much if any design work but the kind of project a firm would do to generate cash flow and keep the company pro-forma in the black. Our proposal was to
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