Architects design a variety of building types. Some are big, some are small, and they all have great meaning to the client and to the architect. Architecture is an interesting profession. You wear your heart on your sleeve and your work is often reviewed, and analyzed. Sometimes you specialize in a certain type of design – like residential:
Sometimes within that specialty you might only do renovations
or energy-efficient:
or commercial:
or agricultural:
or multi-family:
or Historic Renovation:
some try to push the envelope of what is accepted and expected:
sometimes form is given to you (garden apartment)
sometimes size is the rule (1000 sf)
sometimes you are the first (EarthCraft Light Commercial)
sometimes you give your time to high school students:
sometimes you design big open spaces:
sometimes you design big interior spaces:
sometimes you design high density:
But no matter what the project, as an architect, the one thing that remains constant is you design solutions!
1. You need to work harder than anyone else, it will always benefit you in the long run.
2. Volunteer – you have to get away from your computer and build connections, learn from others, and experience life.
3. Be Original, stand up for what you believe, hold true to your beliefs.
4. Be authentic. The most important asset you bring to design is your individuality, perspective, and experience.
5. Learn. Constantly look for opportunities to advance your craft, learn from others, and grow your abilities.
6. Observe. As you travel through life look at other solutions to other problems. You will be inspired and humbled when you see good design and blown away when you see bad design. This will be your motivation for every future assignment.
7. Trust your instinct.
8. Keep an open mind, sometimes the idea presented by others is the best solution.
9. Think holistic with your solutions. Sometimes the idea you are focused on will work better only if you make three other changes first.
10. If all else fails, go back to No. 1, working harder than everyone else.
“In the architectural world there are two types of Architects, frustrated Artists and frustrated Engineers” ~ Raymond E. Gaines, FCSI
As anyone that knows Ray will understand, this is one of his favorite sayings. While I think there is more diversity in the industry that he lets on, there is truth to this statement. There are many architects that are known for their aesthetic design ability and others that are known for their technical knowledge. I believe I fall somewhere in between the two. I do love to measure and quantify design decisions and I am always looking back to find the successful moves, details, and proportions of various projects. This does not stop at design alone. I try to measure everything and analyze it based on some criteria that seems appropriate for the particular goal.
My strategy to achieve my professional career goals has been a focus on education, mentorship, and relationships. Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee I joined multiple organizations and started volunteering. Looking back to measure my success so far the most beneficial organization in my career growth to date is the Construction Specifications Institute. I have built friendships with the leaders of the construction industry across the country. I know who to call to get the right answer for almost any issue that might come up on a construction site. I read the Project Resource Manual to learn the roles and responsibilities of those on a job site and how a project should be executed (so when they get off track you can get them back to where they should be as fast as possible). I learned about public speaking and gained confidence to stand in a room (this is almost always the case even today) of people who know way more than me and discuss intelligently many topics concerning the construction industry. CSI has allowed me to gain respect in my local community, have a network of supporters across the country, learn best practices to manage my active projects, and achieve many of my career goals before the age of 40.
While joining any organization is just a first step in the process to career growth and you can gain parts of any of these attributes from other organizations, CSI is the only one that brings all members of the construction industry to one table to have discussions, education, and networking. CSI members are the only ones that have supported my career goals without asking for anything in return. I hold many of my CSI relationships very highly and look to many CSI leaders as my mentors. While I have experienced this organization and the growth of my career from the standpoint of just starting out in the industry, there is no right starting point to get involved in CSI. No matter your level of experience, joining CSI, getting involved, and building relationships will help you do better work, create better projects, and have a more successful career.
Join CSI online between Wednesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 20, and pay only $192 — a 20% savings — for your membership. Use promo code “12spring20” when you join at www.csinet.org/joincsi.This promotion is only available to new members joining at the professional level. Chapter dues are not included in this promotion. To join:
Energy Costs are rising by an average of 6% every year. So what is a home owner supposed to do to keep up? Energy efficient options are all around your home, you just need to know where to look.
A solar hot water system costs around $2,500 to install, has a annual savings of $280 and a payback in 8.9 years. You don’t want to spend that much, duct sealing costs around $450 and has an annual savings of $300 or a 1.5 year payback. Still not enough? A programmable thermostat costs around $115, saves $180 annually or a .6 year payback. Small changes make a big difference. Start with the first step and see how much you can save.
For more thoughts on saving money, protecting the environment, and on architectural design visit my websites:
For those looking to build a new home, what is your motivation? Do you want a house that is new or do you want a new home that is specific for your needs? A custom home should be designed around the way you live, work, and play. It should work with your site and not simply sit on your site. It should reflect your values, your history, and your future. A house that is built for you should not be a compromise found in a magazine. It should be the idea thought through and developed based on your goals and passions. I am always competing against the $600 plan that we found – we just need to change this, this, and that to make it right. Oh by the way, the structural design is efficient and building this will cost a premium to get it to work. Why not skip this step and simply have someone trained to think through these issues, take your goals, and make a custom house for you that is not just new construction?
For more thoughts on saving money, protecting the environment, and on architectural design visit my websites:
The latest news in the Green Building Movement is the introduction of the EarthCraft Light Commercial regional green building certification program to Virginia. This rating system is designed for new or renovated commercial buildings that are 15,000 square feet or less. The EarthCraft brand is familiar to those living in Virginia due to the popularity of the single family and multi-family rating systems that have been in the state for a number of years. This new program, EarthCraft Light Commercial, expands the EarthCraft opportunity for small-scale or light commercial buildings to have a more affordable third-party recognition of sustainable design and construction practices.
While the EarthCraft Light Commercial program pilot phase is being orchestrated out of the Southface Atlanta, Georgia headquarters, the program has come to Virginia. Triple C Camp’s “Nest” in southern Albemarle County has achieved EarthCraft Light Commercial Building Certification, the first building to do so outside the state of Georgia. Triple C Camp has long been dedicated to teaching kids, adults, corporate groups, and community groups the value of living in harmony with nature. The construction of the new “Nest” gives a physical center for this environmental outreach effort. The “Nest” is an exhibit for green building and a functional learning space for those attending camp. Designed by The Gaines Group, PLC, an architectural firm named “best green designers” in 2008, this building incorporates energy efficient building envelope and systems, durable long lasting materials that don’t off-gas hazardous chemicals, water conserving fixtures, ecologically sensitive site work, construction waste diversion from the landfill, and resource efficient design and building elements. Most important to any building owner, the design of efficient systems used in this project will save money. As camp director “H” says, “We are simply doing it right, to show the kids how it can be done, so they can teach their parents.” The Nest features a long list of sustainable design strategies including a tree preservation plan, diversion of 95% of the construction waste from the landfill, high efficiency windows and doors, tight envelope, high performance HVAC system, no and low VOC glues, paints, caulks, and sealants, appropriate shading, dehumidification system, and efficient plumbing fixtures.
Among the many benefits of EarthCraft Light Commercial certification are: third-party evaluation and technical guidance, an expedited documentation process (less paperwork and more in-field documentation), full project administration from registration until final certification, and better overall building performance, including:
An integrated systems approach
Environmentally conscious design and construction applications
Efficient use of natural resources: water, energy, and building materials
Potential utility cost savings, due to reduction in demand for water / energy
Improved indoor air quality and a comfortable working environment
Tighter building envelope and ductwork (as confirmed through on-site inspections and performance testing)
The EarthCraft Light Commercial program has been in Pilot Phase development for several years and has awarded certification to 7 of its 11 pilot participants. The program, based on the EarthCraft House residential program, which has certified close to 10,000 single and multifamily homes in the Southeast, was developed by Southface. This program offers another option for buildings looking at LEED NC certification or Green Globes certification. Similar to the EarthCraft Homes program, the Light Commercial program offers an intensive level of support during the design and construction process, focusing on the energy and water efficient design strategies specific to smaller commercial buildings, as well as prescriptive measures that enhance builder education on sustainable construction practices. This program is particularly well suited to office buildings, retail showrooms, community centers, club houses, churches, and other commercial building projects 15,000 square feet of less.
The architectural firm for this project, The Gaines Group, PLC is no stranger to firsts in the green movement. They also designed the first LEED certified project in Central Virginia, the 10th LEED for Homes certified project in the country, the first Net-Zero home in Central Virginia, the first LEED NC Industrial project in Central Virginia, and one of the first six EarthCraft Homes in Virginia. The Gaines Group has a comprehensive Environmental Stewardship outreach program where they engage not only clients, but also the community through teaching green design and construction courses, providing pro-bono lectures to community groups and schools, and offering pro-bono green consulting for select non-profits. Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the firm also has a Harrisonburg, Virginia office.
