CHICAGO STUDIO is a semester-long residency program for architecture and design students that provides a compelling alternative to the traditional academic learning environment. The program fully integrates education and practice by embedding A+D students within prestigious Chicago-based practices, creating a virtual campus and network of supporters who offer their time, space and knowledge. Its distinctive structure and curriculum promotes a collaborative design process encompassing multiple points of view within academia, the profession and broader community. CHICAGO STUDIO should become a part of a greater movement in higher education that makes academic and professional methodology less divided and more aligned, which will create stronger fields collectively. Two entities that are inherently connected never benefit from a lack of dialogue or participation, and there is serious opportunity for the advancement of any profession through the creative exchange of ingenuity and experience. CHICAGO STUDIO actively engages in challenging issues facing Chicago, by designing “for” the city, instead of simply “in” the city. The design projects are located in particularly challenging areas, teaching the students about the greater process and responsibility of architecture. In a city so rich with architectural legacy, the students often prompt new discussions with their creative ideas and discoveries, drawing eager participation from civic leaders, politicians, real-estate developers and industry professionals. Phil Enquist FAIA, and Partner of SOM said, “CHICAGO STUDIO has developed many innovative ideas for the City of Chicago, while at the same time, introduced this great city to many young designers. The program has created an effective bridge between the City, the Chicago practices and Virginia Tech students.” Today, there are over 200 professionals involved in the program, and this collective network is advancing the potential of this field by breaking down the common barriers between education and practice, and embracing a unified partnership that betters both the students and the profession. Andrew Balster, Chicago Studio Program Director
CONTENTS STUDIO DESIGN : TEATRO VISTA 1300 WEST DEVON AVENUE site information design development
an architectural transformation
business proposal ARCH 4044: PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE lectures on practice conversations of practice
codes of ethics and professional conduct
typical project schedule
ARCH 4214: URBAN ENVIRONMENT
cta red line wilson stop proposal
mapping an urban uptown
(journal of applied research) case study: the poetry foundation
buildings, texts, and contexts: the figuring of absence
STUDIO TRAVEL: minneapolis + milwaukee
TEATRO
1 3 0 0
W .
D E V O N
A V E N U E
O VISTA
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C H I C A G O ,
I L L I N O I S
Teatro Vista, Theatre with a View, is firmly committed to sharing and celebrating the riches of Latino culture with Chicago theater audiences and OUR MISSION beyond.
Teatro Vista, Theatre with a View, is firmly committed to sharing This commitment stems from the belief that there are as many similarities and celebrating the riches of Latino culture with Chicago theater between us as there are differences, and perhaps the answer to breaking audiences and walls beyond.of prejudice and stereotypes lies in understanding these down the similarities and differences.
This commitment stems from the belief that there are as many similarities between as there this are differences, andTeatro perhapsVista the intends to bridge the gap Ultimately, it isusthrough “view” that answer to breaking down the walls of prejudice and stereotypes between Latino and non-Latino cultures in Chicago. lies in understanding these similarities and differences. Ultimately, it is through this “view” that Teatro Vista intends to bridge the gap between Latino and non-Latino cultures in Chicago. OUR VISION Teatro Vista is the vanguard of Latino theater in the United States, a place where Latino and non-Latino artists can expressively flourish and excel to the highest level of theatrical professionalism. We are dedicated to sharing new work by new playwrights in cuttingedge productions and presenting classic plays featuring artists of color. OUR VALUES We believe in the transformative power of theater. We believe we are intricately connected to each other and therefore we are inclusive. We believe sharing stories through performance is an exceptionally potent way to bring people together.
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN
INTRODUCTION This project was completed in the Spring of 2013 by architecture students in Virginia Tech’s Chicago Studio working with GREC Architects. It is part of a series of eight separate projects that attempt to understand and preserve the culture of Chicago’s Uptown through the adaptive re-use of existing buildings. Over the course of ten weeks, we engaged with the Uptown community through numerous interviews, site visits, and presentations. These investigations led us to an understanding of the strong Chicago theater community. The intent of this project is to provide Teatro Vista with a space that allows them to exercise their mission statement of cultural inclusion. The program includes a 149 seat main-stage thrust theater, a 60-seat flexible black box theater, and related support spaces. In addition, the program includes a bar/lounge and offices for full-time staff of Teatro Vista. We hope that this study will serve as a starting point for the realization of a permanent theater facility for Teatro Vista.
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CREATED BY Greg Catron John Knuteson Daniel Murrow Virginia Tech | Chicago Studio Undergraduate Architecture ADVISED BY Andrew Balster Director, Chicago Studio SoA+D | CAUS | Virginia Tech abalster@vt.edu Donald Copper Principal GREC Architects Ricardo Gutierrez Artistic Director Teatro Vista
13 | SITE INFORMATION 27 | DESIGN DEVELOPMENT 41 | DESIGN PROPOSAL 77 | BUSINESS PACKAGE
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SITE INFORMATION
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1300 WEST DEVON AVENUE | WEINSTEIN FUNERAL HOME
SOUTH FACADE
EAST FACADE
NORTH FACADE
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
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SITE ACCESS
Located near the active intersection of Sheridan and Broadway, the site is easily accessible by multiple bus routes, as well as the Loyola Red Line stop. Devon Avenue is characterized by heavy vehicle traffic, and with very little parking available beyond street parking itself, the property’s three parking lots represent a valuable asset for Teatro Vista.
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RO
A T S I
V
AT E T
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THEATERS AND RESTAURANTS
With a relatively close proximity to an already established theater presence in Rogers Park, Teatro Vista has the opportunity to benefit from a greater support network of other theater companies through regional season passes, shared audience base, and increased word of mouth. An abundance of restaurants along this stretch of Devon represents an incentive for audience members to spend time in the area before or after a show building a greater presence for the neighborhood.
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CLARK & BROADWAY ACTIVITY
CLA
RK S TRE
ET
The Devon corridor represents a diverse collection of cultural groups in its surrounding neighborhoods. Neighborhoods range from Russian American, Indian American, and Orthodox Jewish, to Pakistani, Hispanic, and Bangladeshi. This presents an opportunity for Teatro Vista to bridge multiple cultural perspectives through its own performance as well as an informal bar platform. The bar could be a chance for the neighborhood to share its perspective through poetry, music, storytelling, and other forms.
DEVON AV
ENUE
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BROAD WAY
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
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EXISTING CONDITIONS
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3
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1 | Crypt 2 | Storage 3 | Reposing Room 4 | Family Room 5 | Chapel 6 | Display Room 7 | Offices 8 | Lobby 9 | Gathering Space
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PROPERTY
L A K E W O O D
2
D E
V O N
A V E N U E
1
4
A V E N U E
3
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1| 13,286 Sqft 2| 7,000 Sqft | 23 Parking Stalls 3| 8,000 Sqft | 24 Parking Stalls 4| 10,000 Sqft | 19 Parking Stalls
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SPATIAL AND STRUCTURAL BREAKDOWN
The existing funeral home can be broken down into four distinct structural units. Bowstring trusses span the two large areas which house the chapel and gathering spaces. These spaces are centrally connected by beams which create the funeral home lobby. A two-story apartment is attached on the north side of the structure. The beams and bowstring trusses sit on load-bearing cavity walls. Non-structural interior walls divide the larger spaces into their designated use.
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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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PROCESSION
CONCEPT
In visiting the site of the existing Weinstein Jewish Funeral Home and beginning to understand the traditional Jewish funeral rituals, a strong relationship and choreography of space was observed. The choreography of spaces leads to a shared moment between the mourners and their deceased. As an adaptive reuse project, the question was asked, how can we allow the history of the funeral to live which still moving forward? Through this concept of procession and choreographed spaces, the adaptive reuse of the funeral home was initiated.
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ITERATION
In an effort to fully capitalize on the ideas and abilities offered by each individual in the three-man team, the design for the new theatre home of Teatro Vista developed through a process of iteration. Each team member proposed ideas and designs for the adaptive reuse of the Weinstein Funeral Home. Discussion and continued consideration of the agree-upon concept of architecture in procession allowed for the strongest combination of architectural moments to be realized. The iterative process also allowed for the deepest level of exploration and understanding to be reached.
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ITERATION
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ITERATION
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DESIGN PROPOSAL
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21’
16’
9 8
1 | Exterior Vestibule 2 | Re-Orientation Room 3 | Ticket Booth 4 | Bar 5 | Lounge 6 | Thrust-Stage 7 | Black Box 8 | Green Room 9 | Scene Shop
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53’
3
50’
0
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5
10
20’
GROUND LEVEL
38’
7 30’
5
11’
4
18’
2 1
17’
45’
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20’
23’
1 2
23’
1 | Rehearsal Space 2 | Offices 3 | Conference 4 | Storage 5 | Mechanical
0
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5
10
20’
27’
SECOND LEVEL
38’
30’
4
3 5
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15’
Top of Screen 28’ 0” Top of Black Box 25’ 0”
Ceiling 18’ 0”
REHEARSAL Level 2 10’ 0”
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0
MEETING SPACE BAR
LOUNGE
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5
10
20’
Top of Thrust Theater 26’ 0”
Bottom of Trusses 19’ 0”
Level 2 10’ 0”
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MAIN STAGE
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OFFICES
REHEARSAL
BLACK BOX
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5
10
20’
Top of Thrust Theater 28’ 0”
Bottom of Trusses 19’ 0”
Level 2 10’ 0”
MAIN STAGE
50
0
MEETING SPACE
BAR
LOUNGE
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5
10
20’
REHEARSAL SCENE SHOP
OFFICES
DRESS - W
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DRESS - M
0
5
10
Top of Black Box 25’ 0”
Bottom of Trusses 19’ 0”
Level 2 10’ 0”
BLACK BOX DRESS BLACK BOX
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20’
COMMUNITY ELEMENT
Building from Teatro Vista’s mission to bridge the gap between latino and non-latino cultures in Chicago, it was necessary to begin the procession outside of the theatre and within the Roger’s Park community. Through the introduction of unifying elements in the community, passersby are offered a glimpse into the character of the theatre itself.
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ADJACENT LOTS
Moving in the direction of the theatre, the procession is strengthened by the adjacent properties of the theatre. These areas are designed with the intent of initiating interaction within the community and offering platforms for public engagement when the theatre itself is not holding a performance or event.
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APPROACH
On approach to Teatro Vista’s new theatre home in Roger’s Park, the threshold to the interior is not directly visible. Attention is called to this new center for performance, but with respect to it’s context on Devon Avenue. The theatre activates a stronger pedestrian presence between Broadway and Clark Street as visitors proceed inward. Visitors become aware of the context and their place within a culturally diverse corridor before entering the realm of the actor.
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CONTEXT REMOVAL
As the entry is not visible from the street, visitors must slip behind the facade where they encounter an exterior vestibule. This represents the first level of removal from context. The focus shifts from the context on Devon to the visitors and their ideas of the imminent experience.
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MISCONCEPTION
By crossing the threshold to the interior, visitors become completely removed from context. Senses are subtly tuned with some degree of disorientation or misconception of the theatre destination. This process of removal from context and perceptual qualities in space attempts to heighten an awareness of the sensory stimulation offered by the forthcoming performance.
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THEATRE BAR
Visitors are offered the convenience of a bar and lounge to become acquainted and “reoriented” to Teatro Vista’s new stage. The bar is designed with community tables and a small stage, providing for informal engagement among visitors in anticipation of the main performance.
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AUDIENCE LOUNGE
From the audience lounge, visitors can enjoy a pre-performance drink. Again, the threshold in not immediately evident, leaving the visitor in a state of question or wonder as to what is beyond.
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REVEAL
The entrance to the blackbox and thrust theatres occurs through unique sliding and rotating doors, revealing the final destination for performance. The theatre spaces finally portray a sense of interiority. After crossing many thresholds in procession, the point of refuge has been reached.
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BLACKBOX + THRUST
Teatro Vista’s new theatre home is Roger’s Park is equipped with a 60-seat Blackbox Theatre for intimate and engaging performances, as well as a 149-seat Thrust Theatre for larger, main-stage events. The sequence of choreographed spaces have led to these moments of full sensory stimulation. Removal from context and a heightened level of anticipation allow for the fantasy of theatre to be most successfully experienced.
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MEMORY
On exit from the performance, the fantasy fades to memory, but Teatro Vista offers a glimpse into what created the performance first-hand. Exiting backstage, the audience encounters a “storage corridor� complete with props from both current and former Teatro Vista performances. These spaces strengthen the memory of performance and begin the gradual procession back into reality.
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EXIT CENTER STAGE
Entering a familiar space from an unfamiliar or unrealized direction, the choreography of space in procession continues. The exit doors release theatergoers back into the lounge and bar area for a chance to discuss the night’s event. The bar also offers Teatro Vista a stable financial base to fund their new home in Roger’s Park.
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DESIGN HIERARCHY
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1300 W DEVON AVENUE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
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PHYSICAL MODEL
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BUSINESS PACKAGE
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BUSINESS MODEL
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FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY
To assure financial stability for the new home of Teatro Vista in Rogers Park, a business model was developed, laying out the resources and theater infrastructure already present in the communities of Rogers Park and Edgewater. Through the creation of a theater coalition, Teatro Vista has the opportunity to take part in a strong theater presence near 1300 W Devon Avenue. A theater coalition would consist of partnership with nearby theaters to assure high audience attendance as well as generating a loyal audience base. This coalition could also incorporate an agreement with the vast range of restaurants located on Devon Avenue, Broadway, and Clark Street. Together, this coalition would truly make Rogers Park a theater destination with Teatro Vista at its center.
1300 W Devon Avenue also neighbors the campus of Loyola University. Loyola University offers a degree in Theater through the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. In particular, Teatro Vista could serve as an opportunity for Loyola students to fulfill the course requirement of ‘Fieldwork in Chicago’ (THTR 397). This internship course is structured as an independent study to help students make valuable contacts in the city and help them prepare for an entry level career or graduate school admission. To further strengthen Teatro Vista’s new foundations in Rogers Park, a relationship with Loyola’s theater program signifies community outreach and purposeful use of the Teatro Vista stage.
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AVENUE OF ENTERTAINMENT
1300 W Devon Avenue sits between Clark and Broadway, two very active N-S arteries in the City of Chicago. In contrast, this stretch of Devon lacks pedestrian activity due to multiple vacancies and open lots. Teatro Vista has the opportunity to redefine this section of Devon as the center of a Theater district and bridge the gap of activity between Clark and Broadway. The new theater could also generate an avenue of entertainment spanning from Loyola University in the east to Clark Street and many culturally diverse nodes to the west.
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PHASE ONE THRUST STAGE THEATER SCENE SHOP DRESSING ROOMS GREEN ROOM LOBBY TICKET OFFICE OFFICES REHEARSAL SPACE STORAGE Phase one allows Teatro Vista to initiate its presence within Roger’s Park through the expression of its theater performances. Through a combination of fundraising, income from rental space, and ticket sales, Teatro Vista can accomplish the construction of Phase 2.
PHASE TWO
BAR / LOUNGE REORIENTATION ROOM VESTIBULE CONFERENCE SPACE DEDICATED MECHANICAL
Phase two intends to generate a significant profit for Teatro Vista in anticipation of completing phase three as well as creating a greater base of income for the theater itself.
PHASE THREE
BLACK BOX THEATER BALCONY SPACE
Phase three completes the construction of the project. The theater is now fully equipped with the necessary theater spaces, rental capability, and bar component.
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PHASING
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ARCH 4044: PROFES
SSIONAL PRACTICE
INTRODUCTION The intention of this professional practice manual is to combine all of the information learned and produced into a resource that can be referred back to as students enter the profession. Much of current architectural education focuses solely on design or peripherals associated with it. Yet, the profession, as the Chicago Studio witnesses, is far more complex. The design of the architect’s practice, path or business, is as important as the design of their architecture. Included in this manual are the ideas and opinions of Chicago practitioners in subjects directly related to the profession of architecture as well as conclusions made from this broad range of valuable resources offered to the students of the Chicago Studio.
90 | LECTURE 114 | CONVERSATION 134 | ETHICS + CONDUCT 136 | PROJECT SCHEDULE
LECTURE
cannon design
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY lecture by Randy Guillot - Principal
Cannon Design defines itself as a single firm, multiple office (SFMO) with 17 offices around the globe. The intent of this architecture firm is to find creative design solutions to the greatest challenges. In being able to find creative solutions, Cannon Design has become a design driven collaboration in which design decisions are made by those with the greatest knowledge of the problem. This could be the most practical, yet visionary, way of looking at design and not limiting the design simply to the architect. Creating relationships with other fields of study only strengthens the understanding of the problem at hand and supports a more successful experience for the identified user. Cannon Design has been able to successfully introduce this approach to design in two specific disciplines: education and medicine. It’s no coincidence that these two disciplines are heavily human-centered. One of the frontier collaborations at Cannon Design is The Third Teacher Plus, focused specifically on architecture for education and the many fields of study that a good education can depend on. Through in-depth research and observation, cultural and education values specific to the project can become more relevant in design decisions. It has been said that architects cannot understand the ‘place’ entirely.
Architects must engage the ‘place’ in design for it to really take hold, but even without complete understanding, the place must also be respected. We as architects have the ability to modify our surroundings, every aspect of life can be manipulated. Because there is so much at risk in designing for a place, there is a lot of story to be read before simply just doing. The story reaches beyond the architectural problem itself and could potentially radiate into territory unfamiliar to the architect. Therefore, the view of Cannon Design is for a collaboration to occur, allowing for the greatest possibly understanding. Though, the level of understanding does not simply mean the architecture will answer the questions for the owner and user. Understanding means realizing the effect the architecture will have in its lifespan and beyond. The more specific a building is, the less adaptable it becomes. Is this a desirable outcome? Presumably not. Another design specialization by Cannon Design is the Open Hand Studio, extending the breadth of site specific work. Open Hand Studio focuses on pro bono design services for clients that would not otherwise have the ability to access such expertise. Being voluntary and usually without payment, such projects require unique or elegant use of every resource available. In my opinion,
DANIEL MURROW_PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE_ARCH 4044
such projects allow for the greatest expression of the “place.” Site specific qualities and social context must be emphasized and celebrated. There is very little else for the architecture to be derived from. This again stems from the design philosophy of reading the story before any designing occurs. My interpretation of this design philosophy is that the success of a design depends heavily on the understanding of the problem at hand. The observation, research, and knowledge that occurs pre-design will truly determine the result which is the design, the architecture. By frontloading the design process, with a great deal of time allocated to research and observation, design decisions can be made more quickly and accurately. This process naturally supports the philosophy of collaboration and communication in order to achieve the most suitable architecture for the client.
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LECTURE
95
gensler
A NEW GENERATION lecture by Charles Chambers - Architectural Designer
The first thing we must understand as we make the transition from school to a career is that there will most likely be a generation gap between us and our boss. There is a lot of research and understanding that comes with preparing to apply for a job in the field of architecture, and especially in making sure that the job is right for each of us. Charles pointed out that the AIA and other organizations exist for the purpose of providing professionals in the field of architecture with data that will help us find a successful career path. One such resource is the AIA nationwide report offering data on the worth of professionals with differing levels of experience. The goal is to make sure that architects and non-registered staff receive the compensation we deserve. In the current economic climate, it is valuable to do your homework and have some knowledge of current issues and practices, both in architecture and beyond. Interviews are more often becoming a circular format, instead of back-and-forth, question-answer style, employers want to hear the observations and propositions of a potential employee. Having a conversation allows questions to be answered without necessarily asking them, and we must be aware of that. It is important to make a case that you will be an asset to any firm or employer you seek employment with. This begins with showing you can make propositions based on the knowledge and teachings you have sought out.
To suggest a proposal shows that you are observing, comprehending, and acknowledging with a proactive intent. Honesty can also strengthen your status as an asset to a company. Over a short period of time after being hired, your skill set will be tested, and it’s expected for each of us to be able to perform up to the level of at least what we ourselves have spoken. Portraying our assets in a way that conveys a continued interest in learning is far stronger than submitting a stellar resume and not being able to live up to it. Through my education in architecture thus far, I have become well versed in a wide range of crafts. However, there are only a few which I am completely comfortable saying I am an expert at. Each person is different, and so is each group of architects. By having some constraint and pursuing the practice which we believe best suits each of us, along with honesty in our skills, we have a better chance at mutual respect with our employers. It’s easy to forget that the biggest critic of our work is ourselves. We may think pursue employment with firms that aren’t really what’s best for us. Though, whether the goal is to find a position which supports our strengths or to push the boundaries and take the first step in an unfamiliar direction, the first step is to be happy with our choice. Being educated in architecture opens many doors with many career paths and opportunities, but it also comes with a high degree of responsibility and expectation to perform.
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The respect I have for the profession, though, is that these responsibilities and expectations are founded on honest principle. Architect’s are fighting for the authenticity of the built environment, for a specialization that quality of life is dependent upon. This is why I see architecture as a profession of transparency. It is a thorough process to construct a good piece of architecture, and then for that piece of architecture to be forever inhabited - that’s a measure of true success, or honesty from beginning to end. The respect we give ourselves in the profession would be the perfect relationship if that were the only relationship architects were required to sustain. In the end, architecture is a service industry though. Somewhere in history, the value of the service an architect provides became devalued, even as expectations have continued to rise. The final point Charles Chambers spoke to is that there needs to be a restructuring, a revaluing of the services architects provide. Architects, as with any professional, deserve the correct level of compensation for the amount of work that is done. Largely these days, that is not the case and if a change is to occur, it is up to us to innovate the structure of service. Many attributes change over generations, the responsibilities of an architect, the specialties an architect provides, and so to, the compensation for the time, knowledge, and honesty provided by a professional.
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LECTURE
97
skidmore, owings & merrill llp
PROJECT MANAGEMENT lecture by Brett Taylor - Associate Director
The approach Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill LLP (SOM) takes in the schedule of its projects is not unlike the project schedule of most architecture firms. SOM does, however, pride itself on the strict rigor it possess in the approach to every project. This rigor allows for all specialists to focus on the task they are specifically asked to complete. For example, in communicating with a client, the client may submit a request for proposal (RFP) outlining descriptions and expectations for the proposal of a project design. However, in the case of SOM, the RFP never reaches the desk of the designer. SOM wants designers to focus on the design, and instead have other specialists focusing on the interpretation of the RFP and communication of it to the designer. Once the RFP is interpreted, the project is in the works of conceptual design. In my opinion, conceptual design is the most intriguing portion of the project schedule, although it is often very difficult to relay this idea to the client. Holding the funds for a project, a client may or may not be interested in the origination of a form, but instead simply want to see the final result. Between conceptual design and the documents that signal construction, a lot more designing occurs. A concept for creating form phases into an architecture with structure that allows it to stand, which phases into a building that meets
government regulation and supports human inhabitation, and finally details of how the construction is to take place. At the same time all of this design is occurring, there is a business side to the project. Nothing happens without funding, and subsequently, without a client. Therefore, it is an important task communicating the thoughts and ideas of a project as design is occurring so that the client understands the tasks architects are undertaking, sometimes without a tangible, presentable product. Relating to the discourse by Charles Chambers on the generation gap or architects (lecture 2), there is an obvious disconnect needing to be settled in the knowledge of the work architects actually do and the respect that should be expected in terms of compensation. Conceptual and schematic design stages exist for the purpose of grounding the design in relevant ideas and matters directly relating to the project. Outside of the requests on the client, the architect is hired on for expertise in design, not just construction. Making the first stage of a project even more difficult is the lack of immediate income to finance the required designers and resources. Brett Taylor says that often, client fees are not received for the first two months entering the design of a new project. This means there is a dependence on financing from other
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projects happening simultaneously. On the subject of financing, there is a debate over whether to go after work by competition. Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill is less likely to partake in competitions because it has more security in jobs with existing clients. Someone will end up taking the risk and participating in such competitions though. My though has always been that the architecture realized from a competition is more successful based on the simple fact that many firms are competing and are therefore pushing a higher standard of design. However, according to Brett Taylor, this may not always be the case. Often, because of constraints in funding, architects may only do enough design to start a conversation with a client. That’s not to say having multiple design perspectives isn’t a strength in itself. The breadth of work produced for a competition is satisfactory, and maybe those controlling the competition only want a parti to begin with, but how do the architects fare in a competition? Not all competitions offer a stipend for contributing to the potential project. Again, firms are forced to produce on their own budget in the pursuit of honest work.
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LECTURE
99
jahn
CONSTRUCTION
_BANGKOK AIRPORT
lecture by Carl D’Silva - Principal Architect
The new Bangkok Airport by Jahn architects (formerly Murphy Jahn) was the first large project Carl D’Silva worked on after joining the firm. The competition for the airport was held in 1994. From 1995 to 1998, the airport went through many design phases before it was ready to be sent out for construction bidding. Construction began in late 2001 and the airport opened commercially in 2006, a year after the original planned opening. There are many possible reasons for the lengthy process of completing the Bangkok International Airport, from changes in government, to problems in financing, but mostly because of the level of design innovation and construction complexity. From energy and comfort to lighting design and a steel superstructure, the airport required precision and accuracy in the plan for construction. The concept of energy and comfort centered around subtle techniques and a unique form to achieve a massive endeavor in design. The steel superstructure was divided between landside and airside, the division being at the point of security. In terms of energy efficiency and comfort within the terminal, Murphy Jahn used a displacement ventilation system as well as a combination of shading louvres and fritted glass to counter the environmental elements at the site of the airport. There are elements of floor cooling where pedestrian traffic exists. Piping is covered with a concrete
topping slab to achieve radiant cooling. None of these techniques are unique to this project, but incorporating them into the design brought about another level of detail to appreciate. Murphy Jahn also spent a great deal of time on the lighting design throughout the airport. From lighting within the terminals to the illumination of the steel superstructure at night, the perspectives and experiences of this great architecture were just as important in the design as the actual architecture and construction. In the construction, it was important that the assembly be in as few pieces as possible on site. However, these pieces still had to be transported to the site. The whole construction seemed to be a large assembly process. Once the steel superstructure was assembled, enclosure was achieved with a fabric roof assembly and glass cable wall systems. The fabric roof offers enclosure, natural light, solar radiation, and a visual standpoint. The glass cable wall system, being the longest continuous cable-glass wall, is self supporting. The trusses above the wall are able to pick up the continuous live loads caused mostly by wind. Seeing the level of detail in such a large project, I realize the amount of preparation, planning and organization that goes into successfully completing the construction of a project as it is designed. Most often, the circumstances change dramatically from CAD to site. However, because
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most of the structural elements were manufactured off site, there had to be some knowledge of how it would all come together properly. This knowledge was most likely generated digitally - a computer generated erector set. The manufacturing had to be correct. The tools for assembly had to be correct. The craftsman had to have knowledge of the overall intent as well as the materials at hand. The need for problem solving on-site was reduced. However, in turn, it was necessary to prototype off site and beforehand to gain some knowledge. The joints connecting the fabric and cable net structure were thoroughly tested and prepared leading up to construction. The fabric roof assembly may have been the only large-scale craft to be “manufactured” on site, and even that was still a process of assembly. If all construction projects were carried out at the level of the Bangkok International Airport, I would expect completion times to drop drastically. Costs for construction out-weigh every other expense. If we the architects can plan and control the way in which their architecture is constructed, it has the possibility of being constructed more quickly and at lower costs.
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES lecture by Sarah Malin + Ashley Marsh
Sarah Malin is a design ethnographer for Cannon Design. Studying anthropology in school, she found her niche with Cannon in its Third Teacher program - a studio of Cannon Design focused on design for the public interest. To achieve this goal, Sarah’s job is to research and observe the tendencies and needs of a community and relay her findings to the design studio in hopes that what she has observed will influence the outcome of a design for the better. Similarly, Ashley Marsh is a part of Cannon Design’s Open Hand Studio, striving to offer opportunities to those in need that otherwise would not have access to resources such as design professionals. The Open Hand Studio provides pro bono design services in order to help the public understand the possibilities for improvement in life and culture with the introduction of innovative thinking. Both of these focuses represent Cannon’s commitment to public interest design. These programs think about profit based on the end user impacts. The holistic design intent engages locally, but connects globally and looks at social issues as design opportunities. In perceiving design as a tool for the communities and social interactions we confront daily makes
architecture and design an even more relevant craft for humanity. Architecture has the ability to mold lifestyles and change the outlook of a whole culture. Architects have the ability to create beauty for all to appreciate. Design is an important characteristic in all walks of life. “How does it look?” “How does it perform?“ “How does it relate?” These questions that we ask as designers critique our own work with daily are the same questions the average American citizen might ask of his/her surroundings. An honest goal of an architect is to better the environment in which humans live and interact. Though, if architects are offering their expertise for the less fortunate in hopes of providing an otherwise inaccessible resource, what is the balance for the architect? How is an architect or firm expected to provide during pro-bono work as the open hand studio does? Let’s first look at some positive effects of such work: the ideal result would be a positive impact on the people for which the project is implemented. Also, projects that are so anthropocentric allow for strong relationships to form. In doing this, specialization reaches a whole new level, meaning design that is more successful in meeting a community’s needs. Designers also become more well versed in the
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practice. Yes, architects have a social responsibility connected to their extraordinary power of design. In being educated as a designer, this a concept that needs to be understood. We show our profession respect by not taking for granted the power available to us to manipulate what other people interact with on a daily basis. Architecture is a service and as such, there has to be a great deal of professionalism and manner in the practice. What can be said about this lecture is that whether or not a project lends a financial gain, the honesty, integrity, impact, and ethical standards designers offer the world make it a noble profession.
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CONTRACTS The driving force behind contracts in the field of architecture is an attempt at perfection in the project schedule. By providing all parties involved with a contract, communication would ideally become less complicated and the focus could turn to the work at hand. An agreement between a client and architect would typically include the scope of the project, all liability, who is at risk and who assumes what responsibilities. The contract also usually includes a schedule to be agreed upon, the fees for all services, and the work product defining how the architect will do what is asked to be done. What complicates the process is when the contractor or other parties become involved. The standard structure of a project is communication between architect and client and between client and contractor with the involvement of the architect decreasing as the involvement of the contractor increases. However, the logical route to successfully constructing an architect’s design is for the architect to communicate directly with the contractor, and this often becomes the case. The architect is still liable for the design as it is constructed even if they are not the one doing the construction. A large part of the overall process for the architect, roughly one-third of the project timeline, is allocated to construction observation. The other portions being design and construction documentation prep. Architects do
lecture by Drew Ranieri - Associate Principal
have the option of acquiring a waiver under circumstances that they are not able to oversee the construction of their design. In doing this, the architect is no longer liable for any issues, and most often, their work on the project is complete. In understanding the reasoning behind contacts, I can also realize the reality of contracts, much like any other aspect of architecture, or more generally, life. There is a goal of a contract to simplify a process. Contracts set a framework for how a project should be organized, but there is always room for error. Being educated and introduced to as much of the daily tasks involved in the profession is important in the realization of what we as architecture students have waiting for us in a career. Over the course of five years of design school, there is a general shift in thinking, from purely artistic and theoretical to technical and realistic. That’s not to say the creative foundation set early on in our education is not still there, I think it’s up to each design student to determine the level of creativity involved in their studies. This is what makes architecture such a unique beast. It’s so easy to find a new vein for exploration that sometimes it’s difficult to pull back and consider the end goal. Is the end goal design interventions at a scale that intends to inspire a community to become more active, or is the goal to completely transform a city-scape, initiate a new
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way of life, and determine how people will interact? The importance of professional development at this time in our lives is a hope that we will realize any and all of these interests, these goals, are possible. Specialization is at a level where an individual educated in design could be the architect, could be the client, could be the contractor. Architects have the “master builder” of opportunities and it’s up to us to determine where we end up with these tools in our pockets. What aspect of human culture will each of us impact? Realistically, at the end of our education, we will be prepared in creative thinking, technology and business in order to open up as many doors to successful careers as possible. Knowledge of contracts, business relations, and communication afford the creativity and design to lead our career and not just become a hobby.
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COMMUNICATION
lecture by Randy Guillot - Principal
Randy Guillot, a design principal for Cannon Design, was educated at the Rhode Island School of Design. Just like many of the practitioners and mentors who volunteer their time to the Chicago Studio of Virginia Tech, Randy was once educated in a similar framework of architectural though as us. Therefore, to have these resources offer us their experience and advice for the best practices during out academic years is indispensable. The first advice Randy offered for us is taking advantage of the relationships we built though our work. No matter what the circumstance, getting to know someone and adding resources to a strong, lively network of peers has the ability to open the most unexpected doors. Communication is everything. By showing you have the confidence in some aspect of your work and projecting that demeanor will make your presence be felt. In architecture, it’s important to think both analytically and emotionally for the greater good of the architecture and the people involved. For those aspects of your own curriculum vitae that you are not most confident, there will always be opportunities to add strength. Randy went about this by observing the resources around him and making the effort to attach to the person he felt was doing the best, or most relevant, work at the firm. If I have learned anything from Chicago Studio, it is that very few practitioners in the field of architecture
are unwilling to offer some of their time and expertise. I reason that just like Randy, all architects have been in the same position as we are today at some point in their own lives. Therefore, we all have learned, or will learn, the importance of exploring all opportunities. We don’t always know who our next client or business partner may be. Randy also explained that architecture is an “apprentice profession” where the innovation and progress occurring within the field is grounded in the work of those that have come before us. Whether or not we understand the decisions and requests made by our superiors, we have to believe that it is for good reason. Successfully climbing in the profession is a unique task: “listen to me and ignore me.” By putting faith is those guiding the process but also having your own propositions and having a willingness to offer new idea, young professionals are able to make the most of their presence with the responsibilities afforded to them. Very rarely is there ever only one correct answer to a problem in architecture, and it may just be that your proposition is the most appropriate solution at any given time. My perception is that young practitioners have a tendency to only focus on their strengths and stray from attempting to complete an uncomfortable task. This probably stems from a belief that there is a correct and an incorrect way to
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complete a task. Employers want to see the problem solving skills inherent in young professionals. That’s the test of individuality and potential for innovation. It can take time for an individual to realize the unique personality and perspectives he or she offers to the design community. Early on in a career, there will be tests of confidence and progress can only occur with confidence in what one is doing. The next step is to find an employer or colleague that you respect and make an attempt to assist them in tasks that you are good at. By promoting your strengths without expectation of what it may bring you, you set yourself up for discovery. Discovery means learning. Learning means a lifelong career of education. In my opinion, this is much more rewarding than always pushing for a single, monumental goal. Once your reach that goal, where do you go? Communication and clear intent are key to solidifying a path unique and suitable for each of us.
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GLASS 101 The three main elements in the making of glass are sand, lime, and soda. As early as 1963, float glass manufacturing was introduced in the United States. Float glass is named as such because of its manufacturing process in which the material is melted and floated atop molten tin. There are over 45 float tanks in North America. Each facility floats glass over a length of about a quarter of a mile in the manufacturing process. Glass manufacturing is not that same as glass fabrication. The glass manufacturer first creates the raw product of glass. The glass is then sent to fabricators to manipulate the glass for certain uses and standards. The most basic fabrication of glass is the annealing process in which glass is cooled slowly to add strength. Heat strengthened glass, true to its name, goes through a reheating process, adding compression to the surface of the glass. The glass gains double the strength of annealed glass by adding this step. Tempered glass is a safety glazing product. This type of glass achieved four times the strength of basic annealed glass through its rapid cooling fabrication process. The rapid cooling changes the character of the glass on breakage. Instead of breaking in large chunks, the glass breaks into smaller, pebble-sized pieces. One other fabrication usually carried out on glass is covering it in some type of coating. Glass coatings - from tinting and reflective/mirror
lecture by Carl D’Silva - Principal Architect
characteristics, to non-reflective, ceramic frit, and low-emissivity - all attempt to control the transparent quality of glass. Either in reduction of heat gain, control of heat loss, or more aesthetic qualities, glass coatings offer up a wider range of possibilities for architectural use. Architecturally, we prefer transparency in glass, but we also prefer to decide for ourselves how much transparency. Glass plays a predominant role in architecture. It allows humans to happily occupy a built work. It brings the outdoors in visually, and sometimes creates invisible architecture. The Farnsworth House, Philip Johnson’s Glass House, The Willis Tower Skydeck, and the New York City Apple Store all use glass for its most basic quality - transparency. In doing so, these projects are applauded for their ability to create the most dramatic of architectural moments. In experiencing each of these works, it’s not the glass that is most often spoken of, and yet the glass allows them to be what they are. It is instead about the experience, about what is beyond, about what can be seen because of the glass. There becomes a better unity between spaces, between interior and exterior, between nature and intervention because of glass. As architecture and engineering have advanced, so have the opportunity to proliferate the use of glass. Glass has become more prominent in design to the point
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where it’s not just incorporated for seeing though, but also for holding up. Glass as structure is a fairly new way of thinking, but its inception brings about the conversation of completely transparent architecture. Is it necessary for glass to serve as structure or is it done just because it can be? Complete transparency means complete focus on something other than the architecture technology in the case of the Apple Store. But transparency in a home, a residence - The Farnsworth House explains that issue. Therefore, as versatile as glass has become as an architectural material, it is important to have restraint in its use. It is also important to understand the qualities and character that make glass a wonderful material for architects to incorporate.
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A BROADENED FIELD lecture by Laura Fisher and Adam Whipple
Laura Fisher is a licensed architect in New York, Texas, and Illinois. However, what has allowed her to become the versatile asset she is today is the business degree (MBA) she pursued in night school while continuing to work. The advice Laura was able to give from her own experiences is to contract yourself out and not be afraid of what you don’t know. By continuing to learn and always broadening your professional network, you are positioning yourself for future opportunities. It’s important to know what skillset you posses and convey it to others. It’s also helpful when pursuing a career to know where you want to go, but don’t be too focused to pass on opportunities which could take you beyond your own goals. It’s a complex balance between what you want and what your career wants for you, and sometimes it’s better to go along for the ride. Broadening your network of professionals and contacts means going beyond your career as well. By participating in volunteer activities and even just including yourself in community events or interactive hobbies, the possibility to meet related professionals (possible future employers or even clients) increases. There aren’t always boundaries and rules when it comes to networking, so its worth opening up to, and looking for, such possibilities. Being active shows others the things you are good at and the things that you are interested in. It also means continued learning .
By taking advantage of what you are offered, you may be preparing yourself for something in your future that is unexpected. Being aware of your experiences and how you can take what you have learned and apply it to work afterward is a strong asset to have. The easiest and cheapest education is taking advantage of all that is offered and apply it, make it your own. What’s the better use of time and money than to reuse what you have already done? Laura Fisher has become an expert at contracting out her expertise and keeping a good record of all she has learned and experienced. Similarly, Adam Whipple asks the question, “How can I look at what I’m learning in the most productive way possible?” Adam has set his own standards for what his education can grant him. An education in architecture has provided not only a spatial understanding and strengths in design and creativity, but also presentation and communication skills, coordination and teamwork, and the ability to problem-solve. Those latter skills can be applied to any career field and the former still have a broad range of prospective paths. It really comes down to the application of your design thinking in any pursuit. By having confidence in who you are and knowing what you want, you have all the choices to make right in front of you. The common theme between Laura and Adam is that they have both followed unusual career paths.
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Both were educated in architecture and are still actively engaged in design, but their title is not specifically “architect.” They are instead applying what they know to similar fields, becoming just as successful, and broadening the quality of life beyond simply “Architecture.” The path is never really set when classroom education stops. Architecture students are forced to learn how to think. If you know how to think, you can figure out how to apply your knowledge, and the opportunities should be endless. I say ‘should’ because the choice is in the hands of the beholder. Either you think for yourself or always allow your employer to think and make decisions for you. Laura and Adam never let anyone else think for them. They broke the mold of the typical architectural career schedule and probably found more insight in their lives. Each person will subconsciously find a goal they want to reach. Each person will also see a career path they think they should follow to achieve that goal. The two rarely match. Each of us must fine-tune our career path, sometime with complete overhaul, to hit personal achievements. From what I have seen, the individuals that take chances, go the less known, route, and learn for themselves - instead of believing what other people tell them - are more fulfilled and less likely to question the untested waters.
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LEADERSHIP Brian Lee is a design partner for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. However, he defines himself more simply as an architect that wants to do good work. The position he holds offers him opportunities to engage in a lot of different ways in the midst of a design project. It is important for him to pay attention to the work that is being done and contemplate ever aspect of it. Brian believes it is important to really understand a design, the technology that creates it, and the meaning behind it. He finds these three factors - craft, technology, and meaning - to define the “ethos” of every project he works on. In order to be able to understand the contributions architects make to society and have confidence that those contributions are relevant, Brian says it is important to be well read in a wide variety of topics, not just architecture. Interests in topics such as culture can inform your architecture in a positive way. This may not be considered very often by students studying architecture. We get so wrapped up in our project and in the precedents lending their concept, but do we really understand the big picture? Architects should be expected to take a leadership role - conveying to clients and communities the subjects
lecture by Brian Lee - Design Principal
that they are well versed in. If we want to assume the role of the “master architect” we as a collective need to show it and embrace it. Not all clients or developers are interested in the larger picture. This is the responsibility of the architect - to take the clients requests, incorporate the relating elements and contexts which define the project, and contribute to human society. Often, clients don’t understand the craft and though process that creates architecture. Therefore, the client is interested in the end result, the beautiful rendering. But it’s not in the interest of the firm to overproduce reality for the client too quickly. Architects still must produce a holistic design - the structure, the enclosure, the systems - not just the amenities. By showing clients bits and pieces over the course of the design phases, the is hope that they may begin to comprehend the process that is being carried out. A progression may also generate respect for where the project began and what had to happen to reach reality. Brian Lee’s demeanor as he spoke about his approach to architecture was one of consideration and awareness. Brian may not know all the answers, but what he does know, he knows with great confidence. It’s as if his observational approach to
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learning, and teaching, has allowed him to make small decisions - good, well thought out choices that push a design to a new dimension. Sure, testing and iteration may prove a different solution, but the idea that without acting and only observing before making any decisions, it’s elementary. Take what is offered to you in plain site and use it to your own advantage. Set the foundation for innovation based on what’s already been don. Knowledge is so vast and great. The manipulations need only be a small shift, and innovation can occur. “Be well read.” Knowledge has its way of coming together and forming something great.
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mas studio
MAS CONTEXT Iker Gil finds common ground in his work through its proactive undertaking. By showing the potential for a community or site, a conversation can being and leads to opportunities for more founded projects. This was particularly true with Iker’s design for the 2010 Architecture for Humanities competition. A framework for individuality in a furniture product was the goal of Iker’s design. The success and longevity of it was completely unexpected. The goal was for the furniture piece to last three months. However, with its success, it continued to “perform” well beyond its intended life. This brought up with conversation about permanence. Is it ok for a design, with the intention of only temporary installation, to become permanent? Should architects and designers enjoy the success while it lasts or take a stronger stand and suggest that if a permanent design is needed, a new conversation should be had. Site and need are two important aspects in design. Sometimes the need is not interpreted or planned for properly, for better or worse, but either way, a follow up is probably necessary for the good of the practice in making sure what we are doing as designers is sufficient. Iker has also found a niche in his own work that he wasn’t able to do when working for someone else. By driving his own design, he is able to
take advantage of unique platforms that interest him in conveying his designs and ideas. In the process, Iker has been able to bridge many different techniques and become a well rounded designer. Three main media he has combined are photography, graphic design, and literature. This has culminated in his original quarterly publication: Mas Context. Iker is able to do research in architecture and design and publish news, ideas and designs as well as bring up topics that might not be realized by the greater design community. This is the forefront of Iker’s goal of incorporating other interests into design, and at the same time, his propositions proactively being conversations by bringing up issues that need to be dealt with and can be solved through design. Architects and designers are educated to think in a different way than other professionals. The work we do is relevant to almost every stakeholder at some time or another. Consequently, our range of general knowledge must be so vast. In having such a unique perspective, though, we are taking advantage of our own inherent abilities by simply conveying out thoughts, insights, knowledge and imagination - with or without the intent of publishing. Everyone has a point of view, and ours is just as much relevant as the next. For example, Iker took a proactive approach and made
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THINK TANK lecture by Iker Gil - Director
a proposition for the Chicago Pedway system: “The Chicago Pedway system should and must become the new collective space in the city of Chicago.” Iker has identified a problem he believes he can solve architecturally and, in the process, enhances public space in the city. By being proactive, the design profession is making communities better. Our careers have the ability to do that, and we are the ones that must make it happen. What does this means to us in our professional practice? It is important to convey our personal interests and the asset we are to a potential employee. More often than not, people will pick up on characteristics or skills we haven’t directly intended to share. However, the more well-rounded we are and the more interests we should that we have in all walks of life define who we are beyond the 9-5. Making propositions will only make our value grow. The projects we start a conversation about are the projects our firm could potentially pursue, and firms like that. The media and tools that interest us most can be the ticket to our own personal success and then success of our local communities.
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ACCIDENT v INTENTION lecture by John Syverston - Senior Principal
A career in architecture has the ability to knit many experiences, teachings, and goals together unexpectedly. There is a difference between accident and intention, but both are to be appreciated in life. John Syvertsen’s goal was to stitch together a few thoughts about the profession, but in the process, his insight developed into a thesis on how to approach a career in architecture. His words really brought together what Chicago Studio has offered and what we can do with it moving forward. First, John reminded us that it is important to consult others. Your peers, your advisors, anyone you feel comfortable speaking with, their perspectives can shed light on your work in ways you may never realize. We are not in a vacuum, especially not in a studio environment, so take advantage of what surrounds you. Work with the system and use it to your advantage, don’t fight it. Second, there is never too much research to be done. The better we can understand the topics that move our work forward, the better the work itself will be. It’s never wrong to keep learning. The important thing is to “dive in and do everything, make a mess” as long as we know the value we are getting from doing it. We must keep out passions at the forefront of our work. It’s the only way we are going to feel accomplished in what we do. We may find out talents to differ
from our passion. In a career, we may have to rely on our talents from time to time, but those talents should not dictate the path we take and allow our passions to suffer because of talent. If we have a goal and don’t know how to accomplish it, it doesn’t hurt to dive in and identify opportunities which could create the path. To hold back and only work in familiar settings will only keep you in those familiar settings. Yes, pursuing a goal may pull you in unexpected directions, but what I get from John Syvertson is that having perspective means not losing sight of those important goals. One such perspective worth have clear sight of is a mutuality with an employer. It should be easy to detect whether you and your firm go well together. You and your firm will do the best work when you are both on the same page and have mutual respect. There are valuable experiences in working for different sized firms, and it will always lend to your work, but we can’t be afraid to have a tune up if something is our of place. John Syvertson found three facets that interested him and set to pursue them in his work: public interest, higher education, and cities. It wasn’t assured to him whether he would ever get to decide if these facets could be the focus of his work. His success as an architect led him to top positions, overseeing work that
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wasn’t necessarily his own. However, a choice to change led to a choice to remember these facets, and today Cannon Design works heavily for the public interest (Open Hand Studio), for education (The Third Teacher), and for cities (Peter Ellis New Cities). Over the course of a career, not everything will be apparent to each of us. John’s words speak to this. Working hard may achieve goals that aren’t always yours. However, architectural education and our way of thinking should have the strength to take us where we want to go. A career is like a thesis, a career is like a relationship. It will push us to achieve and bring to light what was previously only assumed. Hard choices may have to be made, and the big picture probably will not be visible until it’s all over, but decisions can’t be made for the big picture. Have a goal, have confidence, and take advantage of opportunities. The small scale success will write the big picture.
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ASHLEY MARSH senior associate
Why did you choose a career in architecture/design? I think for me it was kind of typical. I was really into art and math and someone said, “you should be an architect.” I thought that would be great job because you can blend the higher level of intellectual capacity with creativity. That’s what kind of got me into school and in starting my training as an architect but I think that what has really kept me engaged in it is when I was brought up my grandfather was a mason and somehow it just rubbed off on my dad to be the kind of guy who would always be curious about everything and how it was constructed. Also, I think, especially when I got to graduate school, I really I was one of the first people in my family to go to college and so I assumed I would just get my degree and go work. It wasn’t until grad school that I took the opportunity and think about how I was approaching architecture and why I really cared about it. What is your role as Cannon Design? I wear a couple of hats. My main role and the role that I have been in for the six years that I have been at Cannon has been to be an architect in an education studio. I’ve done a broad range of K-12 and highered client work, a number of different program types. Higher-education is
one of those interesting things where you can get into specific subjects like science or allied health or medicine, or residence halls. There are all different facets of architecture. In that role, I certainly am one of the leaders in the group here in Chicago spearheading a lot of the programming and planning early client engagement. I’m also a little bit of a technical geek too, so I span a lot of different areas. But I’ve also, ever since I’ve been here, had the “change the world” attitude towards what we do as architects in the profession, doing something very different than what I saw the firm doing, but I think I’ve always seen the firm having a really open arms approach to supporting new, big ideas and I’ve always exploited that. So in that sense I think I’ve also been a leadership voice, doing grassroots-like work and provoking leadership. That has led to a lot of opportunities that the leadership team has supported me in. How has the Open Hand Studio developed over your time at Cannon Design? There were some projects that were pro bono focused, or maybe some outreach programs that were happening, but none of it was really strategic or very interesting. The goals of the Open Hand Studio are inherent in Cannon Design but, without the work I’ve been doing with John [Syvertson] Cannon wouldn’t be in the position that it is with Open Hand
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and the way that it’s thinking about a different mode of practice. Cannon is seeing the relevance of Open Hand Studio and they’re also seeing how critical the approach is. The culture is there in a lot of the offices and in a lot of the markets, they’ve just never really been able to articulate it. Are the principles of Open Hand Studio focused solely on architecture for education? I would argue that it’s not specialized in education. A number of our projects have been hospitals around the country and abroad and are all related to outreach. I think every market is feeling the pressure What are your day to day tasks? That’s one of the coolest things about being an architect is that your day is never the same. Typically, right now I’m leading a master planning project for the School of the Art Institute. My main task for that project is to be the main point of contact for the client. But it also requires me to steer the design direction for all the decisions that are being made. Before this project I was running the entire interior architecture documentation for a new theatre school that we are building at DePaul. There has been some really interesting collaboration with Clark Pelli on that project. I’ve also had six month stints where all I’ve been doing are really small schematic, conceptual
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-visioning projects and every week it’s a different task. Are you able to jump in to any other projects or is your role focused specifically on the projects you are heading? I do have chances to work on other things. I have spent time on programming for a student center for the school of the Art Institute at the same time I was doing the master plan. There are a lot of marketing pursuits on projects that I’ll help out with and prepare the proposal for. The Open Hand Studio is my day-to-day responsibility, and it keeps me pretty busy. What do you like most about your job? Variety. I reflect on this a lot. The really great thing about architecture is that one day I can be master urban planning a million and a half square foot campus, the next six months I’m working on details for a new curtain wall system that we’re testing, and the next week I might be engaged with a client relationship trying to studying their existing equipment and understand how it’s going to fit in a new building. There is so much variety in the tasks that when I see myself wanting to do something different, I know that opportunity with come. I also think something that may have been a little unexpected for me is the satisfaction of project completion. Whether it’s a built project, towards the end of the project, sometimes the client relationships are good and at other times they’re not so great, it just depends on how things go. Every project has a different feel to it, but typically it’s pretty monumental when a project is completed. Moving forward in your career, is there anything you hope, or intend, to change about what you do? Coming from the University of Illinois
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at Champaign with my undergraduate degree, the thing to do is to stay at U of I for graduate school and then get a job in Chicago. I chose not to stay at U of I and made my way to Washington University. It was a little bit of change in speed, but it worked out amazingly for me because U of I was a very technical school. By the time I got to graduate school I had the time to take theory and research courses that really interested me. It was nice because at that point I was able to understand what I was really interested in. But at the same time I begin to think, what if I had taken off a couple of years after undergraduate and really thought about it. I didn’t even think taking a break from school was really an option. That’s one thing that I’ve always been kind of curious about. The other thing is that I’ve been at Cannon Design ever since I graduated six years ago. I don’t have experience with other firms or know what it’s like to work for firms that specialize in things other than what Cannon does. I think that in both working within the profession and outside of it has the ability to give you a lot of perspective. The agility of what I’m doing now is influenced by the fact that I have friends that are doing multiple other things. How does technology play a role in your work? When I was a student, I would have thought I would have gone into a firm that does materials heavy research and is almost more like a shop. ShoP Architects is probably a practice I would have said, that’s where I want to work when I graduate. Innovating construction methods and delivery processes. They’re also engaged in really interested civic work and so as a result, technology plays a role in all kinds of decisions. They’re sort of parametric modeling, but they’re using advanced fabrication techniques to speed construction delivery. That would have been something I would have expected. Technology only
influences me as much as it supports me in my ideas. It doesn’t drive my thinking. I use as many programs as needed in order to complete the task the right way. What is your experience of the relationship and communication of the various specialities Cannon Design is bridging in its work? The way we talk to our clients is not the same as the way we speak to eachother. But then it’s almost too simplified when we talk to other specialties here at Cannon. You can be too buried in your architecture, so there has to be a balance between that where you’re still having elevated discussion. Sometimes it’s extremely hard for professionals not educated in architecture and design to understand the things that Cannon is trying to achieve. Trying to find a way to build respect for what each person is doing is really important. There is some tolerance we have to build for one another. But I also think there is a fear I have that we as architects get 120 where we are afraid that into a mode we’re talking “archi-speak” and it’s a dangerous place to go because people can’t understand us. It’s no different that the difficulty in understanding how scientists explain their work though. There’s a reason we speak the way we do, there’s a certain level of intellectual capacity that is built in to what we are doing and I think there’s also a fear that we become too simplified and dull if we lose a lot of our language and our character that builds. I’m very cautious of that. What could architectural training?
be improved in education and
We do a lot of really hard work and we’re being help accountable for a lot of stuff, but maybe not as much as we probably should be. I tend to have this kind of “suck it up” mentality. Find what you love and focus on that. You can do really interesting work
and not kill yourself, you just have to be disciplined about it. I don’t think I realized when I started working that it would be ok to ask if I could change something. I was never empowered to craft my own destiny. But I realized that as long as I’m being honest and working with integrity, you’re probably not doing anything too detrimental, so it doesn’t hurt to try new things and make changes. Do you see any shifts occurring in the field of architecture? I think category of conventional architects will be replaced by a generation of proactive responders. The only way we’re going to maintain professional relevance is if we’re putting more big ideas out on the table and trying to identify populations that we don’t technically engage with. Mass Design could be a good example of that. It’s important to get architects into conversations that we don’t conventionally associate with. We will have to be a proactive profession. I also think there is some truth in the work of SHoP Architects. They’re really smart about taking huge control over construction phase work, even though it’s very risky. AIA has pulled architects out of getting too engaged in the construction process and passing that work to the contractor. SHoP has said, no we want to be involved, we want complete control. We want to prove to the client that we as architects can think of smarter and faster ways deliver fabrication materials. We should be able to know and learn how our ideas and designs are actually created. SHoP now actually consults with contractors around the country because they know how to do advanced delivery methods.
their ego and as a result they have built amazing reputations. We never could have anticipated that firms that young could have achieved what they have. They have lost their ego and are in turn generating incredible architecture. The other thing would be to make sure that you understand the global context that you’re operating within. The more you understand of what’s happening in your city or the world around you, the better you could be at responding with architecture and understand how architecture can be a positive impact. How do you see architects achieving the speed and accuracy in architecture that our culture is expecting with a high level of authenticity? I think one of the best things we can do is think about the whole cycle of the built environment. Yes, maybe our design time may have to be shortened, but that doesn’t mean our impact after the design is built couldn’t be greater. We could be involved in the life-cycle of the building. It’s again about being proactive and thinking about different modes of practice that could help you tap into those areas. I also think that there is a lot of squeezing of the process, but I don’t think that timing has hurt us so badly. The reason we spend so much time in building documentation is to make sure that they are there for the long-haul. Sometimes it’s hard to do that when the process time is being squeezed, but it’s an important step. I think that’s why SHoP is great is that they’re just going out there and doing it. They are completing the work and have been able to merge into another market using skills that we have always had.
What advice would you give for this generation of architecture students? Be gutsy and be empathetic. Work with authenticity. There is a mass of emerging architects who have lost
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g r e c architects
DONALD COPPER principal
Why did you become an architect?
beyond that basic
I was a kid who was pretty artistic, and really the only one in my extended family that was. I also showed some aptitude for math and science. So, in a family like mine, where there aren’t architects, it was a conventional assumption that art plus math equals architecture. In retrospect, that’s pretty insightful, because it’s kind of true. The creative side and the analytical side create a combination that does help you become a good architect. You have to be able to analyze a problem, but then also be able to solve it.
framework. All of a sudden, I was not only given permission to do it, but really responsible for it, really made sense to me. I found a whole other part of my creative brain that I wasn’t aware of.
What led you to Virginia Tech? Honestly, it was just proximity. 350 miles or so from Baltimore. It made perfect sense to me. I knew I wanted to go away for school and it seemed like a good distance. Have there been any changes in your perspective of the field of architecture over the course of your career? Architecture really changed my life. The whole education process in the School of Architecture, from the first year and throughout, to sort of disorient you and suggest that the way you have been learning is no longer applicable. That really hit home for me. I was always a good student in conventional public education, but I never felt I was encouraged to go
Were there any further changes in your perspective once you became a professional? I think so. What was really useful for me about Cowgill Education was the idea that you don’t necessarily learn how to do things, you learn how to think. Then, you can apply that to problems that come up in how to do. I feel like I can learn how to do anything if I needed or wanted to. There’s evidence in that with the diverse range of things alumni of Virginia Tech architecture have pursued over the years. Some more architecture related than others, but some that aren’t architecture at all. I had some expectations for what the profession would be. I came out of school thinking it would be this multi-disciplinary thing where I would get together with a group of people who I could work with and provide architecture, design, graphic design services. I thought it was a holistic, communal approach, which quickly went away, because when I found out what was demanded by the profession, namely, working all the time, that all went to the back of my
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head. How did you get to where you are today as a partner of G R E C Architects? I came to Chicago and started work at Murphy-Jahn. I didn’t intend to work at Murphy-Jahn, but that was the only opening when I got here. I realized that sort of corporate culture was not really to my liking. Either way, I was there and tried to make the most of it by taking advantage of the resources they have, which are vast. I also became very close with the people I was working with there. After three years there, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted, so I resigned. I didn’t have anything lined up, but after a couple of weeks of resigning, someone I worked with at Murphy-Jahn who had gone to a small design firm called me and said they needed some help on some small projects. That was Himmel/ Bonner. They did some high-end, high budget work, so it was a lot of attention to detail. We looked at Coop Himmelblau. It was during the postmodern phase, but no one in the office was into that, we were all more into what Carlo Scarpa did and what Coop Himmelblau was doing and some of the more innovative architects. They started getting busier, so I stayed on with them from about 1984 until 1987 or 88. There, I got a lot more design responsibility, but also project management responsibility. They, just like in our office, being a small office, people had to be able to do a lot of
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things. They gave me a bunch of retail projects, and a couple of residential interior projects, but not a lot of new construction. It didn’t really matter, because there is a certain inventory of responsibility every job comes with. More complex projects get bigger quickly, but for someone with 3-4 years of experience, running a job is running a job. That was really valuable, and so it wrapped up and ran its course. I resigned again and spent two years or so being self employed, doing some retail jobs which I had started to get a reputation for. Greg Randall, who I worked with at Himmel Bonner, called me to come work with him at what was at the time DeStefano Goettsch. The partnership didn’t last very long because the two are very strong willed individuals. After I joined, it became DeStefano and Partners. Again, it was a three to four year working period, except this time I was laid off. I was the project designer on the Sears Tower lobby renovation. It was during that project that they lost a big job in Barcelona, and I got cut. David Ervin, who also work at DeStefano and Partners, started working with Guepardo, and they were doing public work. There were four people in the office and they were doing multiple school projects, big jobs. Dave called me to see if I could help out. It was supposed to be temporary, but we found that we worked well together, so we started generating work outside of the public sector. In about 2000, Dave and I asked to become partners. We became partners and five years later, we invited Greg Randall to join us. That’s why I said it’s largely accidental, because the pattern was, I would get a lot out of a situation and then when it would start to drop off, I would either resign of get laid off. I would spend a little bit of time wandering around, but not really worried because I always did end up finding something. Was it difficult to see the point when you should resign or change your career path?
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It’s kind of like dating in a way. A lot of times when someone finally ends it, you realize it probably should have happened a lot earlier. Not that there’s a big problem there. Whenever you acknowledge it, or if you’re able to acknowledge it as it’s happening, the better off you are. You just have to read the signs and know when you’ve gotten the most out of a situation. As a young adult, you probably think, “alright, I’m going to grab the world by the collar and you’re going to make it what you think it should be.” But, in retrospect, I’m ok with going with the flow as long as it’s not seriously detrimental to my health. There’s something to be found in whatever direction you take, and it’s really up to you what you get out of the situations you’re in. You’re not going to be comparing yourself with anyone else really. How close were your interactions with Dave Ervin and Greg Randall before becoming partners? We were pretty close friends. We worked on projects together, but we also socialized together. I think the value there is that we have different tastes and we have conflicts, but I think we have a stronger foundation of history and friendship. We trust eachother and ourselves to be able to find a way a way out of conflict. Regardless of what we disagree on, I know that their priority is my wellbeing. We all have the same goals. What are your roles and responsibilities and how do they relate with your partners? We don’t have the traditional design firm structure, which is a design partner, a business partner, and a technical partner. Those are the three major ingredients in making it in this business. All three of us do all of those things, but we may have a slightly different mixture of all three. I’m not sure that any one of us would be better at those three things than we are together. We’re not completely complimentary in the conventional
perspective, and what I think that means is that we’re probably not the most efficient model, but we make it happen and we enjoy being a part of the practice. The way we translate that in marketing terms is that we offer corporate design services in a boutique atmosphere. The reality is, we would rather focus more on the architecture than the structure of the firm. What could architectural training?
be improved in education and
I’ve held the same opinion since I graduated which is that I believe the education I got, because it was so valuable to me, I’m a huge proponent of it. I don’t know if time changes that or not. I think the philosophy of teaching people how to think is a valuable educational tool. More than anything else, it makes the individual understand that they are responsible for what their life becomes, in the sense that if people have an understanding of how to approach problems in general, that gives you tools to do anything almost. So, I think what comes with that is a sense of responsibility for everything that happens. I don’t know what more you can expect of education in that way. Teaching people skills is a valuable thing, but teaching people how to acquire skills is maybe even more important. In architecture school, there aren’t a lot of classes of how to do something, you learn how to do those things on your own in the process of reaching a goal. There is an environment where you had to learn how to do things, and so you get that from other students. You get that education from doing, and from the environment of doing it. Trying, failing, trying again and succeeding - to me that has a higher level of success than sitting someone down and showing them how to do it. I think that’s the appropriate education for architects. The reality is, you’re not going to come out of school and work in an office and be given a job to run day one. What you are going to be charged with is
to be a functional member of a team and learn what you need to know to function. If you know how to learn, you’re ok. As you learn more, you’ll receive more responsibility. What is your opinion on the role of technology is the practice of architecture? In my day, knowing how to sketch was important. Today, knowing electronic software now is pretty critical. That’s not to say that the profession is only about that now. The world seems to be trending toward BIM, and I’m still a little skeptical, the office as a whole is still skeptical. It’s probably good to at least have a basic knowledge of how it all works. If for no other reason, you might need it for the office that wants to hire you. Also, being a free thinker on your own, you can know what the value of technology is in practice, not just what it does. How it will benefit versus whether it’s necessary. It’s like photography. It’s not just having a camera, it’s knowing the value of making photographs. I think a lot of young people are enamoured with technology for the sake of technology because it does cool things. It’s helpful to think on a higher level about technology, though. If you know the goal, the product, technology is just another tool, like a hammer or a camera. Technology is not the goal. It’s not valuable for what it is, it’s valuable for what it can do. It’s easy to get wrapped up in what technology is, but you still have to do something with it, make things. What shifts do you see happening in the practice of architecture? Over the last couple of decades, the role of the architect has become less clear. Architects used to provide a broader range of services. At the same time, the contractor had more of a responsibility. The boundaries of our roles, tasks, and responsibilities were more defined. They’re a lot more blurry now. There’s no longer just the owner, the architect, and the contractor,
there’s the owners representative, which is a role the architect used to play. Some pieces of the architect got taken off, some pieces of the contractor got taken off, and were lumped into a whole new profession called owners representative or construction manager. It has blurred the boundaries, and in some ways have made us become more accountable for things that used to be the contractors responsibility. That might be ok if it were met with an increase in our compensation, but that hasn’t happened. The thing that concerns me most about BIM is that if the architect is responsible for the building model, we are basically constructing the building electronically. Every decision we make, not just in design, but in the building of the computer model, we become accountable for in the actual construction. That concerns me a great deal because if that model is turned over to the contractor and used to construct the building, and something is not correct, it becomes almost solely the architect’s responsibility. Whereas, previously, we do drawings, and we define the scope of the project. We don’t tell anyone how to build it, we just define the scope of it in two dimensions. It’s the contractor’s responsibility to translate that into a building. There is a “firewall” there that is sometimes tested and not always clear, but it’s there. If we start virtually building the building, and that becomes the model for actual construction, it puts us more at risk. There is a life to these projects beyond when it is completed. The risk continues throughout the life of the building. We as architects continue to give our roles away and contractors take them. This means that our accountability increases but our compensation does not.
if we are unwilling to give the client something that they want, there is someone else who will give it to them. As a profession, we are not unified because we’re all trying to be profitable. If there is a change, it needs to be throughout the profession holistically, but then standardized fees are illegal according to the federal trade commission. I think at the bottom of all this is the mentality, “I will kill you if I must.” There will always be competition. That’s the context in which we are continually being asked to do more for the same amount of compensation.
Have you come up with any idea of how architects can take back their roles and be compensated properly for the range of services they provide? It’s really hard to control, because
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cannon design
SARAH MALIN design ethnographer
Why did you choose a career in architecture/design? I got into design because I wanted there to be something more tangible about my work. I think as I study human behavior with the end goal of changing their behavior to make their lives better, there is something valuable in the tangibility of a person being aware of being able to change their environment. It is a more interesting way for me to study behavior. Were you aware of your interest in studying behavior through design while you were in school? I became interested in it the spring right before I graduated. Then, I found out about the design for america program, a six-week studio over the summer, which I decided to partake in. From there I just kept going. What responsibilities do you have at Cannon Design? It has evolved over time, but I am involved with The Third Teacher Plus, an education design consultancy within the education market. We are interdisciplinary, so we like to use design in the general sense and in the mindset sense to apply ourselves to helping our clients improve their approach to learning. The two leaders of our team are an architect and a teacher and then there are three of us in the studio who are doing a lot of
the leg work. My role is to focus on the beginning part of our process which is where we do a lot of fieldwork, so we go in and do interviews, observations, and surveys and then synthesize and analyze all of that into insight and a framework for the design to evolve out of. That’s how I articulate it, but The Third Teacher Plus has been changing and evolving into a consultancy. I started working at Cannon two and a half years ago. When I first joined it wasn’t a consultancy, it was really just a program trying to build a conversation and then build momentum around the idea. At the time, I was doing more social media and research, as well as helping with interviews and helping to change the language in which we approach education. Instead of just talking about the environment, we began talking about what type of experiences will be enabled and can change. Then, we started having clients about a year ago, so we had to get more rigorous and serious with our process, and being able to define what our process was. As the years have gone by, we’ve begun to define our typology, our toolkit of standards that we’re going to be employing for our different projects. The goal is to solidify what this organization is. If you look at astronauts and argonauts, I define myself as an argonaut. I want to make sure that what we’re doing is rigorous and systematized and not just one-off projects.
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What is the structure of the Third Teacher Plus Studio? There are six of us formally, but we work in tandem with the whole education market. We also will connect with our coworkers in other offices depending on what we’re doing. So, right now we’re starting, or at least getting very close to sealing the deal, on a few projects in San Francisco, so we’re working with coworkers our of that office. We’ll also pull in outside people to further augment the team, and they will generally be from education realm. Do you think it’s possible for the principles of The Third Teacher Plus to be applied to other markets? I think it can be applied to a lot of things. There is a similar group called Confluence in health care where they are also interdisciplinary, but health care is a whole other animal, it’s much more process based and there are many more metrics and ways to evaluate in quantitative ways. Education is an interesting difference where it is more qualitative and it’s more about these communities and organizations of very passionate people. It requires a little bit of a different kind of art as to how those are run. That has felt like the best fit for me in an architecture firm. In the grand scheme of things, I think I take a more zoomed out approach, with international development and really just development in general.
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What is your day to day work with The Third Teacher Plus and how what has the studio’s process of work developed into?
speaking in terms of space. That’s the key learning and insight that Cannon Design has found with bringing in other disciplines.
My daily tasks would either be out at a client site doing interviews and observations, or back at the office reading through notes, sketches, and videos and coding the information to confer patterns, figuring out an approach. So, what we have been developing for the past year is “best practices” for how to analyze, because it can be very daunting to figure out. There can be so many patterns and we need to figure out what is going to be most valuable for the client. That’s an ongoing question in any researcher’s head. Everything is interesting to me, and that’s where it’s great to work in design because my attention to language is paired with my coworkers’ attention to space and visual representation. Together, we put together a multi-media package.
What is the range of disciplines involved in reaching the goals of Cannon Design?
What do you enjoy most about the work you do? I most enjoy interacting with clients and being there in the field and facilitating conversations. It seems that it is rare for a group of faculty or parents to have an occasion where they can reflect on why they are there and what they believe in and they always leave very excited about what they were able to think about and the ideas that they came up with. It’s a very fun position to play, to facilitate that for them and bring out their own ideas for them. Have you played a successful role in the mediation between clients and architects? That translation is key and it’s not to say that I can do what designers can’t, I think it’s more of a question of design education. Not everyone has been trained in architecture and not everyone, unfortunately, is as aware of space as architects, so there needs to be conversations that are in the client’s wheelhouse before we get to
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It’s pretty much architecture, engineering, MEP engineering, and then interior architects. There are a few of us in Confluence, The Third Teacher Plus, and a sustainability team with different backgrounds. But that’s it for now. I’m interested to see how strategically Cannon Design commits to hiring more disciplines and what they would look like. It’s a challenge at this stage. At the end of the day, this is still an architecture firm, so the resources become limited for professionals who are not architects. When I first got into design, I knew that architecture was another animal in the design field, but I didn’t realized how separated it can be from the design community such as graphic design, product design. I think that connecting with those other realms would be really valuable for architecture. How does technology play a role in your work? We really want to unpack that word, push back on the term technology. It’s used all the time and it has acquired a lot of different meanings. I always want to push whoever is saying it to get down to “what behavior are you talking about? What function are you talking about?” Then, we can have a conversation, but remember that technology is just extending the ability for a person to talk. On a smaller scale, technology is allowing us to have collaborative abilities that we may not have otherwise. Videoconferencing technology is valuable but still not there yet, so it can often be more frustrating than helpful. Technology is also important in my fieldwork. I can take video and notes, and have that information available to me when I need it.
Then, there’s this whole other realm of what technology means, with big data and analyzing behavior in space that I’m eager to geek out about but I don’t really have that right at my finger tips. At the end of the day, I’m an ethnographer. I value understanding each individual and how those individuals come together. Some of the data and numbers that are relied on, I don’t trust. How do you communicate your work (research, observations, data) to designers so the project can succeed? Two ways. The first is, we will put together a document, that’s the most formal and final way of presenting our work. But, informally, we will go out into the field together and ideally reflect on what we saw immediately afterward and compare notes. That’s also something we want to refine and make sure it actually happens every time. We share notes, and then framing a charette. We take what we learned, the insights and opportunities we see, and frame that as “how can we...” statements, and then brainstorm how the environment can reach the goal for the community. Another side of what I do is story creation. I do a lot of writing, asking, “what is the vision, what are we all emotionally drawn to and compelled to with this unique project?” I always ask the designers to weave that whole story together around their renderings. The physical story is ultimately what we are giving the client. Our engagement often wraps up that concept design, so a lot of our clients are engaged up until this point, and then need to begin fundraising to keep moving forward. That tangible story is what is helping them push forward. What shifts do you see happening in the field of architecture? Managers shouldn’t just be the best architects. They should either be getting training so that they also know
how to empower groups of people or they are promoted for those reasons. What could architectural training?
be improved education
in and
Speaking the language of your client is very important. Engaging with them about the topic or goal before talking about space is valuable. Learning management and leadership techniques and approaches will make the workplace better. Communication is also an asset to have, as well as presentation skills. But you can’t do everything. Part of it is also knowing when to partner. What is important is that your education gives you an awareness of those other skill sets so that you know to reach out and you know how to work with differences. What advice would you give for this generation of architecture students? It’s important to be curious about how your field can collide with others, and you should actively think about what that looks like. The easy first step in that is to bring people into your conversation. For example, as you are in your studio, what would happen if you invited a psychology major to come in and give their perspective? It also means going out and inserting yourself into other conversations and pushing yourself to think about how to interact with others using your architecture lens, but really thinking about what does that architecture lens mean in the grand scheme of things, not just, “this is the type of building you need.” What stands out to me that is so cool about architecture as a thought process is that it’s such a systems approach, you have to think about so many details and also the whole. That ability to do both is so valuable to any conversation, knowing how to go back and forth between scales.
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city of chicago
BENET HALLER director, planning and urban design
What is the relationship between architecture firms and the city planning department?
Are you able to have input design related decisions through a design review?
Architects are hired by a developer to build something, so if we are doing design review, then we are interacting directly with the architect in that extent. They are primarily on the other side of the table when we are engaged in design review. Occasionally we may retain architects as advisors for projects such as historic preservation or emergency preservation from collapse and jobs of that nature.
The crucial issue in design review is really one of the benefits of the comments I’m making versus
What are your responsibilities for the City of Chicago? My title is Director of Planning and Urban Design. I have a staff of five. We work all over the city. There are three principles functions we serve: long range planning, inter-agency coordination, and design review. A lot of things happen in the city by-right. However, if it’s a planned development on a large site or with large structures, the project will trigger planned development review. I also specifically have to do things like strip center review, encouraging smaller format retail buildings to be built at the street and things of that nature as well as garage review such as multistory parking garages and things like that. Also, if it’s a project receiving city assistance, either land or money, we also review those.
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Is there objective criteria that I bear in mind when making comments, to what extent is it subjective, and to what extent am I making the building better by objective measure or to what extent is it aesthetics. By and large I don’t want to get into aesthetic issues. I don’t want anyone to know my taste. It ultimately has a bad impact on development if I’m really pushing my personal aesthetic values. I try to avoid getting into such design detail. If you’re providing, say, a public plaza or open space, is that on the correct side of the building, like the south side? Is it engaged with retail space in such a way that it’s going to be used? Do I believe that it’s put together in a way that the “bones” are strong enough to make it something that is an amenity? The height and massing of a building, how does that effect the surrounding properties? Does it fit well with the buildings adjacent to it? Those are the types of questions I’m asking in the most broad terms. I never take pen to paper, I don’t draw for anyone. I try to make sure that what I say carries a certain amount of weight and to some extent it does, although I try to be careful, knowing that there are principles. It’s not just
that I want something, it’s that this will benefit the city. That becomes the key goal, and that’s why an architecture education becomes important. There are two reasons why an architecture education has become important for me, one: so you are at least aware when you are getting into aesthetics as you were taught in school. The second is terminology. Architects do not respect people who do not speak their architecture language. I do find that it’s mostly them speaking to themselves, but I also recognize that being able to talk the talk gives me a certain degree of respect that I wouldn’t receive otherwise. What would you say could be improved by architectural education and training? I went to architecture school before I went to planning school. I’ve realized that architects don’t really know what planning is, by and large, and that can be bad when they graduate. They see planning as handcuffing their creativity. They don’t understand why it exists at all, and their interaction with it is poor at best and they can’t understand why. I think that knowing what urban planning is a little better and understanding that it’s something you work with and not against helps you understand why it exists. There’s a theory behind that, a very conservative theory of course, but a theory none the less. It’s not incomprehensible.
Do you see any shifts occurring in the practice of architecture? It just seems like architects in general, with my dim view of the profession, are working themselves out of more and more of a job. Landscape architects do this, civil engineers do that, so architects effectively become interior designers for exteriors. It seems like that have become the arc of the profession is this constant diminishing in responsibility, leaving clients to ask, “what am I paying you for?” That becomes the key tension is to what extent does the profession reclaim itself or on the more European model, an architecture degree needs to be a more design degree having to do with the built environment but the majority of students graduating from architecture school are not going to become architects. The general track of an architectural education is not to become an architect, it’s to become a “building guy.” Do you think specialized fields are good for the design world? The sense one has about architecture when reading the discourse about it is that architects are responsible for a lot more. That’s empowering in its own special way, but on the other hand, obviously if there is a structural failure or material failure, there needs to be coverage in some way, and things have become more specialized. Are there any ways that the relationship between the city planning department and architecture firms can be improved? Specific to Chicago, there are all kinds of advocacy organization for architecture. The AIA chapter here is very strong. Chicago Architecture Foundation is also a voice in architecture, and even our Preservation Chicago folks are quite active. Collaboration can function in a lot of ways. I’m working with Stanley Tigerman and Archeworks to talk about some broader ideas for
development in the city. We’ve been looking into how architects can help us with that and actually giving architects ideas for meaningful projects in the city. There is a broader principle about what our intentions are long-term and how development should progress in particular areas of the city. It’s not helpful for me if I have to then go critique an architect’s work and say, “hopefully you learned a lot, but there is no application for development on this site.” When in the design process do architects begin contacting city officials and what is the most successful process for introducing a project for review? We have actually set up a format called intake meetings where the property owner can visit us whenever he/she wants basically for a half hour on Wednesdays. We encourage owners of large projects to come in as early as possible. That was we can have a lot of input early. Sometimes we get developers who come in with a completely finished project. The thing about Chicago is that the developers community is fairly small. I would say 90% of the large projects revolve around 5 or 6 developers. They work in Chicago, they know Chicago, they know what we are going to want. They are also more likely to come in early if they think there is something “sticky” about what is being proposed. The architect is then a part of that development team. Or, not surprisingly, the developer uses the same architect over and over again for good or bad. We have established that the intake meeting is a good format because it does allow people to come whenever they feel is appropriate and we encourage them to come early. There may be the problem that we don’t know the relationship between the developer and the architect. When I see a project, I might question, is this the developer’s idea of something I don’t like, or is this the architect’s idea? Does the architect like the project the developer is proposing?
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Do I see something about the project that I don’t necessarily know who is advocating for it? Perhaps the outcome is to simply let the architect do we he/ she wants and just supporting certain design moves without explicitly sharing feelings of the overall intention, Given that a lot of the development is the same cast of characters - architects and developers - we do have relatively close relationships, and hopefully by being consistent, they know better what we want. This will simplify our work during the review process. Probably the most crucial thing for me is that I’m never working directly with the architect, it’s usually in the context of a larger team.
What advice would you give for this generation of architecture students? The key thing would be to avoid debt on graduation because that limits what you can do and puts undo stress on your life. The other thing may be specialization and the fact that an architecture degree may not be leading you to be an architect but maybe to be some kind of “building guy.” What this is exactly, who knows. To at least have some idea of what your career will be. Maybe you know already you’re not going to be a practicing architect. Maybe you don’t. Either way, you want to have a fallback. To have a specialization that ensures you will stay employed as an architect can be very important. Architecture is a notoriously unstable profession and you’re certainly not going to stay in the same job through your lifetime. We’ve kind of known that in architecture for probably twenty years now, ahead of a lot of other professions. You have to have skills to keep you employable.
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ADAM WHIPPLE project manager
Why did you choose to pursue an architecture education? I chose architecture because I had a cousin who was an architect, and I always looked up to him. That’s where my initial interest came from. It also just seemed like a good match of my interests coming out of high school, which were artistic but also science and math based, so it seemed like it made sense. It also seemed a lot more exciting than studying in other fields I was aware of. There seemed to be a lot more possibilities. The one thing about architecture is that you have to make the decision to keep pursuing the career throughout your education. I think the field attracts people with a little bit more of an idea of where they want to go, what direction they want to take with their education. Architecture depends on a commitment a little bit earlier. I went to University of Illinois, Champaign for my undergraduate degree. During that time, I started talking with the Navy. I ended up getting a scholarship into the Navy, paying for my graduate school, but I had to finish grad school in a year and a half. The reason for that was because I had to have an accredited degree in order to get a commission. I finished my undergraduate while overlapping that with graduate school. From there, I went to officer candidate school and was commissioned as a Naval Officer. I was active duty in the
Navy for about five years. Around my fourth year in the Navy, I applied to the Harvard Graduate School of Design for a Master of Architecture in Urban Design. When I was accepted, I left the Navy for school. After finishing GSD I moved to New York, and after that I came to Chicago. What prompted your decision to go into the Navy? The Navy specifically recruited engineers and architects. They came to the school of architecture and pitched this idea. I looked into it and it was the Civil Engineer Corp. Predominantly, it’s people with engineering backgrounds, but the more I understood it, it was really instruction based. They had the active duty component, the Construction Battalion. The shore-based group was pretty much construction management and facilities management. I figured I would give it a shot and that I would get a lot of experience in the construction side. How it ended up is that after my commission, I went to a secondary school and then my first job was as basically a construction manager in Puerto Rico. I went down there, I would implement designs that were either designed locally or state-side. I was out on the site every day and it ended up being a great experience. You get a lot of exposure right away while also having a lot of responsibility right away. After that, I ended up going to San Diego to work at a
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public works center, which is normally facilities management. However, they had an in-house design group, so I talked to the executive officer and he ended up putting me into work for an architect. I was able to do all of my IDP and was designing things for the architect. Then, you get to manage the construction, so I got to see the whole process. The Civil Engineer Corp has a really strict intern process for architects, but I side-stepped that and probably pissed off some people. I was able to finish what I was doing without owing more time to the Navy. I probably learned a lot more than I would have at an architecture firm. I also realized at that time that I really liked being involved from the start to the finish, it wasn’t like someone had already made a lot of decisions and then I was stepping in to continue the work. It really incorporated everything: looking for that space, designing the space, figuring out furniture, the whole nine-yards. Going into urban design was a chance for me to re-assimilate with designing versus all of the construction management I had been doing. I also think I was looking for more information on how things began. What happens at the front end of the process. Urban design is so far ahead in terms of time-frame, when a project actually gets commissioned to an architect. It really did help to fill in the blanks in the time-frame, from day one to the end of a project. That was what I was most interested in. The Masters in Urban
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Design lasted two years at Harvard. I had never worked full-time for an architect until I graduated from GSD and went to New York. I worked for a small firm, and did that during the time I was taking the exams. I figured it was a good time to do that because I was getting exposure to everything that was on the exams. Then, because I went to school for urban design, I wanted to practice that, and I didn’t really want to do it in New York because it was expensive. So I moved to Chicago and got a job in the urban design department at SCB and ultimately, I went to SOM and realized that even though I like urban design, I don’t really like the firms in Chicago. That’s the point where I moved into development. What were the similarities and differences in architecture and urban design education? It was mostly architects that were teaching the urban design, but I think the approach was much more refreshing. It was really taking the city and context and putting that first. It wasn’t about what was happening inside the buildings, you were more focused on designing the space in between the buildings and what the relationship with infrastructure. For me, that became a much more exciting way to apply your design skills is to try and create a better city. Buildings are a part of the city, but they are very insular a lot of times. I like to think of it more as “space design,” figuring out how people are actually interacting. I think that really effects how you end up approaching architecture. You really do have a responsibility to enhance the public appearance, even though the public isn’t really paying your commission. I think that architects that haven’t been specifically trained in urban design, some are very good at it, but by-and-large a lot of them are horrible at it. The urban design mentality needs to be more prominent, especially at larger firms because they are dealing with urban problems. Even
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if it’s a one building commission, a lot of these cities are huge and they’re dealing with the interior and exterior and how they relate to neighboring buildings. I think my education in urban design was much more geared toward thinking about the urban system rather than your particular design. Has your outlook on the profession changed from the time you entered architecture school until now? I think it has, but maybe not that much. I’m ambivalent about the profession. In a way, I still do believe it’s the best education, with the amount of exposure and teaching you receive, as well as the problem solving skills you develop is unparalleled. I do still feel that it lacks in certain areas. There need to be more classes in leadership. In general, as a profession, it’s not very good. I think there needs to be more exposure into what the profession really is about, getting students excited about something, even if it’s not design. Exposure can expand how architecture is perceived, as a collaborator, someone who can really take a complex problem and truly deal with it. My perception has maybe changed here and there but I think in general I really respect architects, I think it’s a noble profession. I am disappointed about how leadership in the profession treats a younger generation who is trying to learn and progress. The leadership mentality has not changed in a very long time. My outlook is hopeful for the profession. There are firms that are beginning to embrace collaborative aspects of architecture. One thing I disagree with is that architects stay away from liability, and in doing so, they have relinquished a lot of their duties as architects. Now there are many different types of design. Also, there’s no doubt that people coming out of school don’t have the experience, for sure, but good ideas aren’t necessarily a result of experience. Sometimes it’s a result of not having experience and if you don’t allow for mistakes and for open
dialogue, people are going to be afraid to even mention any ideas, and then who’s losing out? Starting off can be a scary experience. I guess people don’t want to take risks on management or cultural changes in management, but change in the hierarchy can be beneficial. Still, it’s an exciting time to be a young designer. You probably still have to put in your four years, I just recommend trying to do it some place where you’re learning something, and also somewhere that you’re not suffering. You might suffer financially a little bit, but I don’t know in what capacity you wouldn’t. The great thing is that you’re coming out with skills that could possibly cut out years of experience necessary to be able to do something and I think that’s pretty exciting. What do you enjoy about your current position? My official title is project manager. What I like about it is that I am very autonomous. I have to make decisions and live with them. It requires me to be very confident in my decision making abilities. I appreciate my position because I don’t like to be second guessed. I have really great relationships with designers, builders, consultants, engineers, and subcontractors, so I feel like it’s a pretty good team structure. It gives me the opportunity to try to be a good leader. It’d just nice that I don’t have to report to someone and have them make a decision for me. On the design side, I definitely get guessed a lot more than on the construction side where a decision has to be made and you go with it. It’s really design by committee which can be frustrating, but at the same time I try to do my best to optimize that process to where I don’t have to deal with frustration as much. The work is really up to me as to how I want to structure it and make it as efficient as possible. By finding really good team members it’s eliminated my work load by thirty percent or so. It’s really just about getting a team
together and making sure everyone is responsible for what they need to be responsible for. I think if I were at an architecture firm, that would never really happen. Right now I can see exactly what the conditions are on the sites, so I’m making an as informed decision as possible. Whereas at an architecture firm, working behind a desk, I would probably only get some details and then I have to come up with a solution which may or may not work. Is there anything you would change about your job? What are your longterm goals?
have to make sure that you know how you’re doing the work. That’s really the business aspect of it. When things start tightening up and there’s not as much latitude for mistakes, you’re not going to survive. You have to have a concrete process behind your business, That’s where a lot construction and development companies began to disappear in 2005-2006. That’s where you have to be smart, keeping your stuff organized and know what you’re doing at any particular point. I think that’s a part of the education system - a little bit more leadership and a little bit more business should be incorporated.
I hope that the side work I’ve started will come back around and become an actual day job. At a certain point it’s almost too much work not to be a full time job, but I think you have to be smart when you make that leap. Part of me is nervous because the real estate market seems to be recovering and I’m trying to take advantage of the fact that it hasn’t recovered. I think you just have to understand what opportunities exist and when you see the opportunity, take it. The thing about doing my own work is that I get to reap the rewards, I have to suffer through the mistakes, I get to choose the people I work with. Those are the most important things to me. I don’t want to make money for someone else when I can make it for myself, and I don’t want to work with people I don’t trust. What could be changed or improved about architectural education and training? One thing about architects is that they’re not good businessmen. That’s something that needs to be bolstered. To get excited about what we get excited about it easy compared to getting excited about boring stuff, but you have to figure out a way to do it. You have to try and understand it in terms of a design project almost. That’s the biggest thing is knowing how to organize yourself and you
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practitioner conversation
RESPONSE architecture as a profession
Based on the feedback I received from these practitioner conversations, a strong majority of practitioners chose to study architecture because it supported their personal strengths and interests. Artistic and creative ability plus mathematic and scientific interests equals the strength and desire to study architecture. This equation seems obvious, but every individual is different, so for it to be supported holistically across a broad range of professions is unique. Three characteristics really can define a profession: science, mathematics, and creativity. Architecture is a multidisciplinary field. I look at it as the tangent between art and engineering, meaning architects have to consider aspects of both fields, along with human relationships anything from psychology to sociology to ethnography. Architecture is not just how something looks or how something performs, although it is both of those things. However, it is also how it effects an individual or a community, how the built environment is perceived, and how it engages human interaction. Art + engineering = human life - architecture. No matter who you are or what job you end up taking, if it relates to the built environment your work will become related to many other fields you might now realize. The typical model is an architect, an owner, and a contractor. Those relationships are becoming more blurred over the course of time by specialization and introduction of new professions. The ethnographer communicates information of the client to the architect. The architect communicates with the city officials to review a design
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interpreted from data gathered by the ethnographer. The city officials communicate with the developers and contractors to approve permits for construction or occupancy. Everyone is working for the existence of a built environment, even if each person has a different task or goal. Because we are working for this existence, each and every one of us has acquired a similar set of morals and values out of a respect for the work we are trying to do. What might cause conflict is if we don’t realize the mutual intent we are working for. The architect thinks the city officials are handcuffing innovation, the owner thinks the architect just doesn’t want to listen. The network we have built is plagued with unnecessary competition, and this competition is allowing specialized professions to carve away at the responsibilities of architects. What makes architecture great is the wide variety of tasks required to create a building. Plus, no two buildings are the same. This assures that no two projects are alike and, in turn, non of the work we do is ever the same. Architecture is a forward moving exploration with job satisfaction if the form of project completion. The most apparent agreement in the profession is the unique education architects receive in design school. Architects are taught how to think, not necessarily how to do. By knowing how to think and how to problem solve, we have the opportunity to be successful in almost any career path. Students leaving architecture school are only limited by the opportunities they do not pursue. Don Copper believes that
by being taught in this way, we acquire a greater sense of responsibility to do to the best of our ability what we choose to do with our career. Still, architects are human. Three consistent weaknesses in architectural education I have found when speaking to professionals in Chicago are communication (mostly with nonarchitects), education in business, and experience in leadership. It takes a lot of time to become good at all three of these things, and if it’s not a focus of our education, it has the ability to become a forgotten trait. Architecture is all about communication, and when clients or peers in other disciplines are trying to learn from your abilities, it won’t get any more important to know how to communicate in a way that gets the point across without losing content. Leadership is something that can be acquired more over time, but it’s all about what leadership we are focused on. The ability to lead a company takes time, responsibility, and aspiration. Leadership in pursuit of a higher standard of living is an expectation of the field. As mentioned, our education gives us a higher level of awareness. We become aware that our profession has an ability to change the way humans live and interact. That awareness becomes a social responsibility, and our failure to accept that responsibility could mean the failure of the profession. There seems to be an overall consensus that the profession is headed in a direction where our duties are diminishing. Responsibilities that were once the architect’s are now being taken by specialized professions. Client representatives,
construction managers, developers, investors are all controlling more of the process. This means architects are losing out on compensation, even when expectations are still rising. The introduction of new technology is speeding up the design process and increasing the level of detail. Architects have not respected the importance of technology, almost taking it for granted, and it has directly effected compensation and liability. Adam Whipple says that architects have tried to stay away from liability, and that has caused a loss in duty. However, by showing that we are able to practically construct an entire building electronically, architects are assuming even the contractor’s liability. Increasing your work load and your liability while decreasing compensation and perceived duty in the built environment doesn’t seem very visionary, but architects are actively generating ideas for how the future might define an architect. Ashley Marsh, a senior associate at Cannon Design believes architects will be pushed to make a proactive response to the needs of society. Clients will no longer seeks out architects, but instead, architects will show their relevance by identifying issues and developing solutions as, or even before, they are needed. Director of Urban Design and Planning for the City of Chicago, Benet Haller sees the profession moving into specialization of being defined more simply as the “building guy.” A large portion of architecture students do no end up pursuing the title of registered architect. It’s possible that the profession takes a more passive role
and simply focuses on the specialties it still has, instead of making it a point to reclaim lost duties. SHoP architects have taken the aggressive route, assuming responsibility for a huge portion of the construction phase, and consequently, more liability. It’s a point to be made that we need to either accept our losses and focus on the assets we still offer, or we live up to the name of our profession. One way of the other, it’s worth knowing what we are doing. The education we receive emphasizes such a free way of thinking. I would suggest this is a part of what has complicated the profession. More than any other, architecture has a reliance on innovation, and that often incorporates many different media and disciplines to reach a successful design. This has led to a collaborative practice, bringing in professionals from other disciplines. Collaboration may blur the definition of an architecture firm but, really, it’s strengthening an architectural foundation in society. Our relationships with our clients are becoming ever closer. Sarah Malin, design ethnographer for Cannon Design, has experienced the collaborative framework firsthand as she has not been educated in design. “It’s important to be curious about how your field can collide with others, and you should actively think about what that looks like. The easy first step is to bring people into your conversation,” she says. Architecture firms are only beginning to harness the collaborative process, which is surprising considering architecture is always about the critique and collaborative input. Architectural education is an asset to anyone who
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pursues it, but what might be lost in the transfer from education to practice are the resources in other disciplines. By continuing to grasp those voices, we are continuing to practice the principles set in the foundation of our design knowledge. Architectural practitioners of Chicago have offered the idea that, by encouraging training in communication, leadership, and business, along with the education already offered by architecture schools, individuals with creative interests and mathematic and science strengths have the opportunity to generate a more defined and justly compensated profession with the ability to think and problem solve for the greater good.
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aia code of ethics and professional conduct
CARL D’SILVA jahn - principal architect
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) sets out standards of practice in the profession with the intent of guiding and protecting practicing architects. The code of ethics and professional conduct in particular sets a framework for how to conduct business and strengthen the standard for practice in relationship with all parties architects come in contact with. The general obligation of all classes of architects who are members of the institute, as defined by the institute, is to maintain and advance their knowledge of the art and science of architecture, respect the body of architectural accomplishment, contribute to its growth, thoughtfully consider the social and environmental impact of their professional activity, and exercise learned and uncompromised professional judgement. The obligations of the American Institute of Architects are further specified with the following five canons for professionalism, integrity and competence. Those five canons are: obligations to the public, to the client, to the profession, to colleagues, and to the environment. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the real world ethics in the architecture profession, an interview was conducted with Carl D’Silva, Principal Architect at Jahn Architecture, based on his experiences in a leadership role over the course of his career at Jahn, formerly Murphy/ Jahn. Focused first on the overall presence of the canons of ethics in the architecture firm environment,
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Carl believes that ethics are not something this is currently controlled by any organization, including the AIA. “There are certain values you live for in your life and you expect those values to be applied both personally and professionally,” says D’Silva. Ethics are an interesting subject for architects to engage in directly. More often than not in professional practice, codes of conduct and ethics work subconsciously, but with an awareness. It is worth having a constant awareness for the sake of the architectural practice, but it shouldn’t take away from the design work that needs to be done. The AIA sets out these standards for the betterment of the profession, but the fact becomes that the AIA is only a professional organization and not a governing body. Therefore, their documents and standards become more of guidelines to be followed at the discretion of the architect. Whether or not practicing architects are aware of the canons of ethics sets out by the AIA, D’Silva believes that most honest architects would agree with the principles and practices accordingly, even without reading them. Because questions of ethics can vary from individual to individual, it’s probably better that such documents and standards are nothing more than guidelines. Architecture is a service industry with clients who have the freedom to choose who they hire for design work. Architects can choose how to run their firm, as long as they don’t break the
law. The AIA offers a more detailed structure for professional practice with the intention of strengthening the moral of the profession and offering assistance to the architecture community. The continued existence of the AIA shows that the architectural community at least supports the intent of the organization. The sixth canon of ethics, obligations to the environment, is the most recent to be added to the code. With a growing interest in sustainability, this canon attempts to guide architects with sustainable design and development principles in their professional activities. Although this canon has been put in place, Carl says the degree to which sustainability is incorporated in a design is really up to the client. “The bottom line is finding practical ways of saving the client money which, in turn, means using less energy. There are techniques for making a building more efficient,” he says, “the electrical and mechanical loads are by far the two largest energy components of a building. It’s less about ethics and more about economics.” However, if the practical way to save money is by using sustainable design techniques, it becomes the responsibility of the architect to advocate those techniques. That’s the point when the canons of ethics set out by the AIA should at least become a voice in the back of an architect’s head. The AIA may not have any regulatory power of mandate in how the profession functions, but
because its intention is for our benefit, it has become a prominent voice in the field. Carl D’Silva’s point of view is that there aren’t a whole lot of opportunities for architects to engage in unethical behavior. The structure of a client-architect relationship is almost always drawn out in preliminary contract. The AIA does provide contracts to be used for this purpose and they do get used. A contract has the ability to provide protection of an architect’s intellectual property, meaning the client receives the drawings for the building to be constructed. Once it is constructed, the design copyright is still the property of the architect. D’Silva does admit that this isn’t often an issue. “A building will change if you change the site, so saying we own the design trademark doesn’t really mean that much,” he says. It must mean something, though, if architects still make the effort to copyright their work. When asked if a stronger regulatory power in the field of architecture could provide not only the profession, but all related disciplines with a united goal in bettering society, Carl took a “realistic” perspective. “There is always an immediate and practical concern that may outweigh global initiatives,” said D’Silva. He went on to state that on the topic of environmental regulations for new structures, there is a standard that exists. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-
conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) initiated the standard ‘ASHRAE 90’ in 1975 for energy in building except for low-rise residential. That standard was updated in 2001 to ‘ASHRAE 90.1’ and is progressively updated every few years. Because of this standard, buildings are certainly becoming more efficient than they have been in the past. Carl admits that ASHRAE is a progressive standard, but it isn’t progressing at a rate that will match our global needs and issues. “I think it’s the right approach at the right speed, there are just too many immediate issues trumping long-term goals,” says Carl D’Silva. The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct generated by the American Institute of Architects, and more specifically the six canons of conduct attempt to set a standard for architectural practice. Being a professional organization, the AIA has not gained any regulatory power over the profession. However, for obligations to the public, the client, the profession, and to colleagues, the canons provide a good framework and value system to reference if uncertainties arise. The most canon, obligations to the environment, is more difficult to suggest good practice for. Standards exist for sustainable design and we can begin to enforce a sustainable way of thinking on society, but if we expect a more drastic change in our lifestyles for the benefit of the environment, regulations must exist from the top-down. Government exists
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by the people, for the greater good of the people. Sustainability has “sustained” itself as a greater public interest, and the question will be asked - Why are we not enforcing what the majority of our country believes in? The topics of environment can be translated more broadly to all canons of ethics the AIA has developed. To some extent, each canon has a relating regulation or law. How can the AIA combine the existing regulations and take a stronger position in the profession? For protection of architectural professionals and protection of society, it’s worth making the prominent organization the standard to be followed by all - until then, it’s nothing more than a framework of guidelines and suggestions.
AIA CANONS OF ETHICS
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typical schedule from beginning to end of architectural services
PROJECT SCHEDULE CONCEPT DESIGN SCHEMATIC DESIGN
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
BIDDING
CON
REF DEV COO ARC
SEND OUT BIDDIN SIGN ON CONTRA
REFINED SCHEMATIC DESIGN LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL CODES AND REGULATIONS A REVIEW PROJECT WITH CODE OFFICIALS, OBTAIN APPROV BUILDING SYSTEMS DESIGNED WITH CONSULTATION MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, FIRE SAFETY, SECURITY, TELE PRICING: PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COST FOR PROJECT
PROJECT DESCRIPTION CREATED DEVELOPMENT OF GRAPHIC AND WRITTEN CONCEPTUAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR APPLY SUSTAINABLE_HISTORIC PRESERVATION PRINCIPLES GATHERING OF PRESENTATION MATERIALS SCHEMATIC DESIGN DOCUMENTS DEVELOP PROJECT PHASING PLANS - SIGNED BY CLIENT TO BEGIN DESIGN DEVELO STRUCTURAL ENGINEER MAY BE CONSULTED BASED ON PROJECT DESCRIPTION PROGRAMMING DOCUMENTATION OF CLIENT REQUIREMENTS IN WRITTEN, NUMERICAL, GRAPHIC FORM DEVELOPMENT OF VISION AND GOALS FOR PROJECT SITE AND BUILDING ANALYSIS (CONTEXT, CODE, ZONING) PROJECT COST AND FEASIBILITY PLANNING AND ZONING REGULATIONS DEFINED
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NSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
SHOP DRAWING CREATED SUBMITTAL SCHEDULE CREATED SITE-VISITS RESPOND TO CLIENT_CONTRACTOR COMMENTS PAYMENT APPLICATION CERTIFICATION MANUALS/WARRANTIES TO OWNER PUNCH LISTS_FINAL WALK-THROUGHS ISSUE LETTER OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION
FINED DRAWINGS, LAYOUT OF FLOORPLANS VELOP SPECIFICATIONS ORDINATE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, FITTING OF SYSTEMS CHITECTURAL, STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, CIVIL, ELECTRICAL CONSULTATION
NG TO CONTRACTORS ACTOR
ADDRESSED VALS, SUBMITTAL OF PERMITS
ECOMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS INTRODUCED T ESTIMATED FOR CLIENT CLIENT APPROVAL
OPMENT
DANIEL MURROW_PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE_ARCH 4044
TYPICAL PROJECT SCHEDULE
141
_2013
DANIEL MURRO W