Here is a tv series I really enjoy about sustainable design. Enjoy

photo credit: pedrosimoes7

I remember watching Bill Cosby do some stand up comedy when I was a kid.  There was a story he told that caught my attention. It was an “A-Ha” moment. He told this story about a neighborhood kid who walked past his house.  There was some fence that this 2nd grader would climb on top and walk across. Each day, he would do this without falling. Then one day in science class, they learned about gravity. After that class, he could never walk across the top of the fence again.

I wonder if ignorance is truly bliss? Can we have too much information processing in our brain? Sometimes, maybe it’s better to just concentrate on what you know and not be brought down with the day to day lessons?

Not sure I know the answer. Any ideas?

photo credit: timailius

“Your opinion counts, unless I don’t agree with it.” Yes, I’ve heard this one before. Talk about choosing your words wisely! This is a craft that I work on constantly. At every meeting, phone conversation or e-mail, I try to give the best opinion I can. Here are some things that go through my mind when I formulate my response.

Be Honest

Don’t lie. Sounds simple enough, but extending the truth doesn’t help anyone. If I’m asked what window style I like, or whether gold trim is back in style, I’ll give you my opinion. It’s just my take on it. Take it as another bit of information to process on your journey to making your decision.

Take Your Time

If I’m being asked a complicated question, like where’s the best place to put a bathroom, I may need to think about it. What factors go into location? Where’s the nearest plumbing wall? Does the spot work with the adjacent uses? Will the flow (sorry for the pun) work for the rest of the house/office/restaurant?

I Don’t Know

I wish I had all the answers, but I don’t. If I’m asked how much something will cost, or how long will it take to build, I may not have the answer. If the question doesn’t fall into one of my specialties, I’ll have to decline.

Know Someone Who Does

BUT!!  I make it a habit, if not a sport, to know where to go for answers. I may not know a lot about one specific thing, but I know a little about lots of things. And, I know a lot of people who are specialists in what they do.

Be Concise

I’m good at babbling. I work very hard trying to be concise. Every great design started with an even better problem.  I strive to focus on solving that problem as efficiently as possible.  Words can get in the way if you’re not careful.

Here are a few points I think about before chiming in.

Photo Credit: piterart

When it comes to craftsmanship, how much is too much? Is there a limit to the precision one can expect on their project? Seeing a paint stroke or maybe a gap in wood work, when does it become a do-over? When do you accept it as a standard tolerance in construction?

Perfection

Perfection is unobtainable. There, I said it. No matter how hard you try to make that shelf level, it’s not EXACTLY level. There are tolerances built into the standards of what is acceptable construction.  Typically, larger projects have these tolerances spelled out in their specifications.  If there isn’t a spec, it might be worth having a conversation before the project begins. What’s level? Is a half inch out of level okay in a ten foot span? Not sure, but it’s worth talking about it.

What if you want your builder to go that extra step and pay extra close attention to detail? Maybe for a fireplace mantel, will it cost more? Maybe, or maybe not, having the conversation before construction begins, and hopefully during bidding will make sure it’s covered in the pricing.

Cost

Why would perfection cost more? Having a small tolerance for gaps, lets say one sixteenth of an inch between wood paneling may mean purchasing higher quality floor boards. Or, not seeing any form of blemishes on a new wall might mean switching to a plaster skim coat rather than standard mudded joints. Which one do you think costs more?

Time

Paying closer attention to tolerances usually means spending more time working to get it right. If you have a very tight building schedule, you may not have room to allow for the extra time needed.

Availability

Using custom cabinetry as an example, maybe you want a special piece of custom glass installed in your new kitchen cabinets. Maybe you’re looking for hand made glass to match something else already built in the house. If it’s no longer available, hopefully it can be reproduced to match the existing. Sometimes the reproduction just doesn’t look right.

Complete your design.  Specifying any special tolerances or unique materials before a project is bid will help keep your project on track!

Photo Credit: white0akart

I realize there may be some confusion about what an architect…is. I thought this post would help shed some light. At least, I’ll go over some generalities about us!

Rich

HA! I’m laughing as I type this out. But, I’ll get people wondering why I drive a pickup truck. “Where’s my BMW?” So far from the truth. I have no idea where this stereotype started. I don’t think I know any architect that’s rich. Maybe rich on life! But, not sure who’s wealthy.

Clothes

Okay, we all don’t wear black turtle necks. I hate turtle necks. Always feel like I’m being choked. And, we all don’t look like lumberjacks. At least, I try not to in summertime… But, I am guilty of wearing a tie with a nicely worn pair of jeans. I think we’re the few that can get away with it.  And, yes I do sport the glasses most of the time.

Big Words

I hate big words. I read with a pocket dictionary by my side. I never understood why someone would want to confuse another with big words. My goal is to try my best to explain myself. Big words get in the way.

Snobby

I am happy to say that I have only a few friends that are archi-snobs. All the rest are down-to-Earth kinda people. Why we have that stereotype is beyond me. I like being approachable.

Designers

Believe it or not, we’re all not designers. In fact, there’s only a few that I really admire. I consider myself to be more practical. Maybe that’s a flaw, I don’t know. But, every great design solution starts with a great problem to solve. Many architects are great problem solvers, managers, and technical experts.

Boring

I would have to say we all aren’t boring. We may be quiet, but that’s just the gears turning. Though time usually doesn’t permit, we enjoy doing other things than architecture. Though I am fond of ‘This Old House.”

Old

I had no idea how many people associated architects with having to be old. Do I have to wait until retirement to get some street cred?? I do know some wise older architects, but then again, I know some younger ones, too.

Babble

Okay, I am SO part of this group. It might be a stereotype, but it’s true!! The one trait I try so hard to fix is babbling. I can go on and on if someone lets me. I once was in a focus group with a dozen other architects. What was our common trait? Babbling!

Writing Instrument

This too is true. We all carry some kind of writing instrument. It was pounded into me to always carry a pen. And more times than not, it’s always been helpful. Same is true about pocket knives.

So, any other architect stereotypes I’m missing? (Keep it clean.)

photo credit: radiant guy

Ah, a nice peanut butter & jelly sandwich, what can be so delicious and so easy to make? Well, maybe you’ve never had one made by an architect.  We can over-complicated even the easiest tasks…

Here’s my take on a family classic as designed and submitted by yours truly.

Materials (Ingredients)

Provide each material as specified herein. Omission of any specific item does not constitute an incomplete sandwich. Contractor (Sandwich Maker) shall provide and  assemble all necessary ingredients to make one incredible, edible sandwich.

No ingredient substitutions shall be accepted  unless presented to the architect (Sandwich Eater) prior to execution of said described sandwich. Sandwich Eater may request samples to review and consume, if ingredients are in questions and I am really hungry.

Provide the following ingredients: two perfectly symmetrical fresh white bread slices – crust is optional, grape jelly seedless (no “other” flavors shall be permitted on the construction site (plate), extra crunchy peanut butter (no further details given.)

All ingredients shall be free of major defects and shall not be “spoiled.”

Construction (Assembly)

Furnish and install jelly onto one side of one piece of bread evenly to a 2mm thickness. Sandwich Maker is to provide extra care as to not harm bread while installing the peanut butter onto the other slice of bread. If slices are damaged, provide replacement at no additional charge.

Coordinate sandwich assembly with Sandwich Eater to optimize freshness and hungriness.

Sandwich Maker shall adhere both slices of said sandwich as to minimize overlapping jelly/peanut butter edging.

Sandwich Eater has the right of refusal of said sandwich up to and including second bite. Upon third bite, Sandwich Eater becomes the property and responsibility of the Sandwich Eater.

Easy.

thumbnail credit: Marshed

I enjoy local news sources, especially creative ones. Gapers Block is a Chicago web publication filled with great Chicago stories. And, they do a tremendous job keeping me updated on events around town.

Besides the stories, I love checking out their Flickr Group for great photos around the Chicagoland area. Here is an example of a photo from their group:

photo by: swanksalot

thumbnail by: MarcelGermain

After a long hard week, enjoy this list of random links that we feel you may want to check out. Some may involve design, some may involve small business and others may just be something random we find interesting. Keep checking our site each Friday to find out what inspires or interests us. Feel free to email suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter.

Join our Flickr group.

Single-serve vino? Nice…

Learning how to make excuses.

Here’s how to create a backup strategy.

Mmm batch grillin’ chicken!

One person’s junk is another person’s…junk?

You be the judge.

Nice video to watch.

So, you started your own business. You went out and left corporate America. Ventured into open waters. You can do it. Stay focused. Get clients. Meet deadlines. Get paid. If all goes well, but what happens if you get sick? Catch a cold or the dreaded flu and you’re out. Or, you have an accident. Maybe learning to juggle just didn’t pan out. What do you do when you need a time out?

Before Independence

Back when you worked for someone else, it was easy. Okay, maybe not easy, but you were covered. Call in, someone picked up the slack and got it done. Maybe you got an uneasy call a few hours after calling in, asking questions, but someone was there.

After the Leap

Now, it’s all you. You take the calls. Answer e-mails. Sharpen pencils. Make appointments. Networker. You’re head of production and design. You oversee finances. And, sign your own checks…figuratively.

What happens when you need a timeout? Either for yourself or to take care of someone else. If YOU aren’t working, who will? How can you handle the unexpected?

Sick Plan

Though I do refer to some of my plans as being “Sick.” In this case, I’m referring to all the self-employed to have a backup plan…a Plan B.

Depending on your profession, find someone you can rely on. A colleague who has your back. Someone you can trust to promote and defend you while you’re out. A person who won’t back stab. Who won’t look for an opportunity to take over a client. Just come in, do what’s needed and keep you INFORMED. Don’t forget, knowledge is key. So, make a friend out there.

Have consultants lined up, just in case you need to call them in to help at a moment’s notice.

Honesty

Be honest.  Communicate as much as you can to your team and clients! If you disappear, make sure you physically speak to a colleague as soon as you can. Sometimes, we have to miss meetings and deadlines. Finding out why after it happened can be harder for someone to take than just letting them know beforehand.

Stay Healthy

If you can help it, stay healthy. Improve your odds of not getting sick or hurt in the first place. Get rest. Eat sorta right. And all the other stuff people way smarter than me say about being healthy.

What do you do when you have to take a sick day?

photo credit: Scuddr

Sinkhole: A natural depression in a land surface communicating with a subterranean passage, generally occurring in limestone regions and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof, as defined by answers.com

Pretty scary. Look at this post’s photo taken in Guatemala after some heavy rains about a week ago.

The purpose of this post is to callout another element to your project, Soil.

Sinkholes occur because soil move around. Soil is settling, shifting, decaying and moves depending on what’s acting on it. This soil migration and more importantly, it’s composition, need to be studied at a project’s specific location.  Soil characteristics can vary widely within a short distance, even on the same project site! When a building addition is planned and the footprint is established, the Owner needs to hire a Geotechnical Engineer (Soil Engineer) to investigate what is happening underground. They do this by taking sample test soil borings in certain locations and to established depths recommended by the Soil Engineer.  Their findings may uncover the composition, strength, moisture content and other particulars for the soil. This information is provided with some general  recommendations for the foundation design.  The structural engineer and architect take that information and use it to properly design the building to withstand the soil conditions.

Soil boring tests should not be limited to big commercial buildings. Residential projects can benefit from these tests as well. House additions can benefit from a soils’ report,too.

It’s important to have the soil report completed early on a project. It may identify costly problems before construction begins.

photo credit: cluster flock