Small Firms Ideas Exchange

I cut my architecture teeth decades ago...came up old school. But even with that history, I wouldn't go back to paper and pencil. If possible, I do concept and schematic in Sketchup....though it's faster with paper and pencil. Plus, digital files can be transitioned to presentation and working product.

With that said, I do miss the smell of an old-school drafting room...graphite, eraser dust, vellum, and cigarette smoke...a wonderful bouquet of smells!

I think there has been a general attempt in our society to try and improve speed and quality through the use of electronic support. That's not a problem. I think the problem is that we have not spent nearly enough time developing the wetware programming. That is to say the human part of conducting business. Our thinking patterns and methods are not keeping up with the technology.

The AIA in the knowledge community process talks about collecting data, analyzing it to create information, and then transforming it through understanding into wisdom where the understanding can be applied across different contexts. The electronic part of modern business excels at supporting the first two parts of that. What is lacking is the way to get from information to understanding. There is perhaps a rush to judgement based on the information available that may not have sufficient analysis. More importantly it may be out of context. I have been reviewing the work of other firms for a design competition. I am not seeing a lot of acknowledgement of the context. We say we do this but in many cases, we don't show evidence of it.

The lack of broader thinking skills is a problem that afflicts our society and not simply our profession. We quickly confuse what we can do quickly and easily -- often with the help of a computer--with what we should do. We examine things and solve for the technological and even aesthetic problems but fail to address the issues of meaning and importance to our humanity. ( I call that poetry.)

You can claim that it is all a dollar driven frenzy that the client inspires with long wishlists and tight budgets and shorter timelines. I don't accept that. Maslow's Heirarchy puts "protection of body" what we might think of as shelter in the safety layer just above the bottom where food water and air are. Many architects think they work a couple levels up in the esteem level where respect for self and others occurs. Buildings as a measure of status you might say. Maslow's highest level is self actualization. How many buildings have you designed with the clients self actualization in mind. This is where I think the real value in architecture lies. This is where the clients creativity can be engaged. This is where the poetry happens. Nothing at the high end of the scale precludes anything lower. Rather, to get to the high end of the scale the lower things must generally be in place. The problem is we stop at status because no computer program in the world can create wisdom. No program exists to process meaning in interpretation of the built environment. To have that you must study people, not technology, and respond to the need for self actualization--yes, even for a corporation.

Computers help us develop speed. Speed can improve performance. However, sometimes, it is only making mistakes faster. Sometimes it is only making larger and grander mistakes that cost a lot more money. Even when all the client's stated needs have been met.

Albert, dude. if you think you need to apologize for being rude; you probably are.

(I suggest you focus; Maybe a little spell check might help...don't be so quick to "blame"; hey-maybe a little less coffee could work wonders for you.)

What exactly do you suggest?
How about YOU start by defining for us your perception of "The Current Situation"? That way some meaningful discussion can occur. My perspective is that "This Recession" is qualitatively different than the recessions of the Good Old Days; hmmm why... Maybe because the context is different? There won't obviously be One Magic Pill that fixes it all; I believe there are a number of required modifications to be executed at a wide variety of levels; perhaps the blog posting was an attempt to get persons such as yourself to look beyond the end of their nose (and past their own back-side) to use some facet of that history to clue in to what YOU could/should be doing (differently) to fix your world. Take responsibility for yourself. For those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it.

You could focus on one particular aspect of "The Current Situation"; accounts receivable, client retention, balancing finances and surviving (I don't care, just pick one) and analyze "The Current Situation" wearing those glasses. Identify a for us (the readers) a few particular issues of concern and suggest a methodology working towards resolution. Or pose a question or two supposing a desired outcome and vett it in this venue.
We all look forward to your next posting.

Not to be rude but do not you think that all your topics listed below are pure stupid and detached from the current situation. damn it keyboard

not to be rude but do not you think that all your topics listed below are pure stupid and deached from teh current situation.

"Call Me" vs. "Text Me"