Architectural Braindump

The Picture Of The Profession

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:52:00 +0000

Hello, It's been a while since my last post. I have taken a renewed interest in this Blog and will continue to write about the changing world of architecture through my eyes.
Well... It's March of 2012 and the health of architecture is still shaky. I was laid-off in 2009 and every year since then, I have hoped that the economic component to a healthy Architectural Business model would improve. Unfortunately it has not. I just recently tested the waters with some cold calling to firms to see if any positions were available. All gave the same response. They are also looking for a recovery that has not materialized yet. Construction is at an all time low. Competition for work is intense. Several people I talked to at firms said that there seems to be new players showing up at bid meetings. Something has to change soon.

Solar Spray

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:26:00 +0000

The other day I was shown a new type of solar collector that was amazing. It is a crystallized film that is applied to glass surfaces and has the ability to create power much like any solar panel would except for two differences. One, you can still see through the window it is applied to. This in itself is truly amazing. However this material has another property that will set itself apart from any other material currently used in the collection of sunlight and transformation into energy. First of all, during daylight hours this material is almost 300% more efficient than previous solar panels. Second when the sun goes down this material can produce power from artificial light sources. street lights, passing vehicles, lightning storms. All will produce some level of power. This has never before been achievable until now.
That being said, I am not here to advertise this product. Architectural Braindump is about how this world is changing. In earlier articles I wrote about integration of technologies that are more intertwined and cohesive. I have proposed that buildings will almost become a living organism to live and work in. This material helps drive home that point and shows us direction towards my theory. Glazing on a building will serve a dual purpose. Not only has the amount of reactive space been increased on some buildings by a hundred fold, but, the efficiency has been increased to incredible levels. I am confident that in the future Architects will exploit this new technology and take advantage of the returns it can provide.
one thing for sure this is one profession that is ever changing.

Residential Sprinkler System Mandatory

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:51:00 +0000

Happy New Year! That being said. Comes the announcement that any new residential construction begun after January 3, 2011 in the state of Pennsylvania will have an integrated sprinkler system as part of the project. This announcement has many contractors upset, claiming that the systems are expensive and will add considerable cost to the project budget. Insurance companies are also examining the ramifications of this new requirement. Some concerns are system failure or malfunction and who will be responsible in the event that this occurs. Some do see this as a good requirement. Firemen are willing to accept any assistance when it comes to fighting fires. In many cases the system will prevent a large fire from erupting. In the worst case scenario it will aid to fight the fire from within while the firefighters work the fire from the outside. This will change how Architects think about how they design new homes. While many will try to force the system into their design at first, eventually they will begin to evolve their designs to incorporate the system more efficiently. This is a bold change to the Architectural dynamic and will bare further examination.

Employment Has Become a Battle of Seniority

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:44:00 +0000

Over the past month I have contacted any friends or acquaintances I could think of that were working in the architectural field. Almost all were unemployed, as each told his or her story, it became evident that when firms cut back to react to declining billable work, seniority played a major role in who stayed and who went. Often people told me that youth was lost and aged were spared. All felt that this was counter-productive to the overall health of the firm. Many felt that due to the changing technologies, many of the older Architects left kept in service do not possess the newer L.E.E.D. credentials that are quickly becoming a staple certification. I spoke of the importance of how L.E.E.D.'s role in Architecture is becoming far more important than anyone could have ever imagined when it was created. when our profession begins to move forward again I hope that the role of the employees will be examined and decided with an eye to the future and how our industry is greeting that future.

Future Vacuum of Architecture

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 23:13:00 +0000

It's November 2010 and the profession of Architecture is at one of its all time lows. The current economical climate is not condusive to a need for new construction. Many buildings stand empty of any and all life. No one is going to expel energy and money to build perspective spaces when so much is currently available. The crux of this post is what happens to architects who have lost their positions and what this could mean for the future of our profession. I myself have been out of work since December 2009 and it has forced me to re-think my career choices. I am fairly confident that I am not alone. Many architects are examining their current education level and trying to figure out what other career they can tangent into. It is not easy.
Now let us look to the future when the economic structure of our country has improved and once again Architecture begins to thrive once more. Many of the once displaced Architects will no longer be available to satisfy the vacuum of work. Some will be gone through age attrition. Others will have migrated to careers that are less sensitive to economical change. To further starve the vacuum many students who would have chosen Architecture have gone towards more stable employment. Will the profession be truly healthy or will the work outsize the available human workforce?

Architects Doing More With Less

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:30:00 +0000

I have to apologize. It's been along time since my last post. I was dedicating my time to finding a new job. That endeavor has been unsuccessful thus far. Unfortunately my last post was in May and the profession is now still in the same sorry state that it was then.
I had several conversations with different firms and the feedback was clear. The only firms that are getting any jobs consistently are cutting their fees to the minimum. Basically they are covering payroll and a small margin of profit. As a result of this we as candidates for employment must come to the realization that we must accept lower salary rates to be desirable to a firm. The percentage I averaged out from several sources was 35%. It's a big drop but, until things get better it may be our saving grace.
In one of my earlier posts I spoke about how getting L.E.E.D. certification would become important. That time has already arrived. Several firms I spoke with were interested in finding out if I had attained mine.
Instead of using our skills to create environments that have a design driven by what we know and are always honing about human interaction with the spaces they inhabit. We find ourselves doing the bare minimum to create a shell that will suffice for the function that it serves.

Architecture: "Is a Building Still Just a Building?"

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Sun, 23 May 2010 01:46:00 +0000

A building was once a structure wrapped by a skin with a mechanical system that was separate and yet part of the whole at the same time. There was a definite separation of the two. Over the years that separation has begun to get clouded. With the advent of L.E.E.D. we are entering into an age of almost Science Fiction levels. Systems once controlled the climate inside the building compartment-ally. Today the structure and skin of the building are becoming the bone muscle and flesh. The mechanics are becoming more like the brain and nervous system of the building. Science Fiction has talked about creating Bio-Mechanical entities, part machine, part biological. I believe that as time progresses we will begin to see this emerge on some level. In the distant future we could have buildings with a living skin and a mechanical nervous system. It will take a long time, but, I believe as materials are discovered, buildings will undergo a transformation. Someday we may be a society of living beings, living inside living beings.

Off Topic, But Necessary

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Sun, 16 May 2010 03:10:00 +0000

Today I had the privilege of putting out flags on the grave sites of our veterans to prepare for the memorial holiday. It was part of my sons Tiger Cub Scouts Project. Every year they get together with our local V.F.W. and help them. It was a great chance for me and my son to do something together. He had no trouble understanding why we were there and how important they were. We were there for about 3 hours. There were plenty of volunteers. In all total 1500 flags were placed. When we were done we looked across the cemetery and the first word that came to mind was...sobering. This was the local cemetery in my home town of Bensalem. There was a sea of flags. Add up all the cemetery s of our country and the picture would be staggering. I told my son that this is what it took for our family to be able to live the life that we live. This Memorial Day will be particularly important for us as our nephew has just deployed with the Marines to Afghanistan, this is his first one. For the rest of the month when you drive past a cemetery take note of the amount of flags you see. Freedom is not free.

Architects Are Chasing The Government Stimulus Money

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:49:00 +0000

In my efforts to find a new place of employment I have had several different offices tell me that they are starting to see some improvement due to projects that are being funded by government stimulus money. Architectural firms are looking to capitalize on the funds set aside by the current administration to help re-invigorate our economy. My hope is that this will serve as a steadying mechanism for firms to allow the necessary changes they will need to make to move forward and get commissioned to do more dynamic projects as the new economy emerges. What will the new Architectural Project landscape look like? Time will tell.

The Profile of The Architect is Getting Blurry

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:58:00 +0000

The role of the Architect could once be clearly etched in stone. Provide an aesthetically pleasing design to the client that met the requirements of the design program and do it within their budget. Now an Architect must be knowledgeable in additional areas such as L.E.E.D. They must strive to use materials that can be recycled in the eventual demise of a building. They must be versed in alternate forms of energy creation such as wind or solar power. Architects have become more in touch with the engineering part of the building than they ever have before, because, it is fast becoming a more intrinsic part of the design as a whole. I have touched on this change in previous posts, but, not ever eluded whether these changes are good or bad for our profession. Let me say it here that I believe that these changes are desirable because, the results are buildings and technologies that speak to the future and our increasing consciousness of the importance of preserving the ball of mud and water we depend on to survive.

What's An Architect Gotta Do?

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:50:00 +0000

All indications show the field of Architecture making a rebound sometime in 2011. What do we out of work Architects do between now and then? What alternate jobs are we qualified to perform? Is our profession so specialized that we are "Pigeon Holed" from being qualified to perform other adequate paying jobs? Unfortunately we pay the price when Wall Street cashes in on toying with the economy as a means to their own greedy ends.

Architectural Evolution

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:36:00 +0000

In earlier days if you were a licensed Architect you could hang out a shingle and start getting projects to work on. Maybe you were successful at getting a good amount of projects until one day you realized that you had too much work for yourself alone, so you would usually hire a fresh out of college intern to take on some of the drafting. People would be added as time went on. Maybe a receptionist and or secretary. This was the extent of the different positions for the most part in the firm. Today there are so many more different new positions or duties that need to be performed within the firm. There are principles still, but, now there are different levels. Technology has provided new needs, such as a Cadd Systems Coordinator, Website and Blog Maintenance, and General IT. L.E.E.D. has generated many new needs within the firm. Material Research, L.E.E.D. Compliance Coordinator and many other related positions. There are many positions that I did not mention. The days of a simplistic office model are over. Successful Architectural firms are taking on more of a corporate model out of the necessity to contain and organize all the parts of the whole. I said it once before in an earlier post Architechs that technology is increasing the complexity of our designs. At the same time it is making our business models more complex. I have heard the phrase "Architectural Evolution", I believe that is the best way to describe what I am seeing in our profession.

Unemployed And Getting An Education

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:43:00 +0000

Here I sit calling firm after firm looking for a new firm to employ me. Unfortunately what I am finding repeatedly is recordings stating that the number has been disconnected or I get an answering machine that more than likely was once a receptionist. Recovery is not coming fast enough for our profession. There is a time delay between the government stimulus and a marked increase in projects for firms. The downturn of the economy has even reached Dubai which everyone thought that was impossible with the amount of capital that they operate with. Dubai, it was a chance for Architects to indulge themselves in fantastic designs and had almost no restrictions on their construction costs. The question, we as Architects have to ask is are we creating responsible Architecture or merely seeing what we can create on a huge budget. The Buildings wear a Utopian mask that hides the truth which is that they are structures built to show what wealth can produce. Some of the buildings designs weren't derived to serve a true purpose but, to indulge a whim. The buildings do not speak about sustainability. When I see pictures of the buildings, the thought that comes to mind is "Disney does Utopia", now the money has stopped flowing and we will get to see what happens to these buildings without a major influx of money to support them. I hope that this is not the future of our profession.

From "T-Squares to Mouse Clicks"

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:18:00 +0000

I am one of a dying breed of Architects that can actually remember what it was like to draw by hand. I began drafting classes in the ninth grade of high school and took it all four years I was there. We drafted by hand with "T-squares" and "Triangles". This part of our profession is on an evolutionary express train. I believe that students of today miss out on the discipline that you learn hand drafting. They don't get to experience line weights and see how they visually effect the look of a drawing. It used to be somewhat of a challenge to lean over a drafting table for hours on end. When you were finished the feeling of accomplishment was stronger than it is today. Drafting tables that could tilt and raise have now been reduced to live out their lives at one height and flat to serve as a reference table if they're lucky. Many expensive tables went the way of the scrap heap. With today's technology your office can be anywhere you can sit your laptop to work. Laptops are more than powerful enough to run the more popular cad programs such as Autocad or Revit. Cad programs have evolved as well. Once programs that performed tasks separately such as construction documents, rendering and 3d modeling now combine the tasks and build a project model where all aspects of the project are intertwined. Project interaction between all involved parties has gone mainstream. This was all started with a company called Buzzsaw and has spawned others since. B.I.M. is currently the leader in project interactivity with Revit running a close second. These systems, once in place enable a project to come together as a living organism where information can be fed to and pulled from a central location. Communication is much more efficient. Changes are realized much quicker and all involved have instant access. Where do we go from here ? What is the next evolution of tools that we as Architects use to do our jobs. I believe our interface with the computer will change and it will become more thought oriented. I believe that eventually, we will be able to put on some type of unit that will allow what I call "Three-Dimensional Thought Transference" that the computer will translate into drawings. Now I'm sure it will be more complex than that, but, I believe that is where we are headed. What do you think will be the next evolution?

Solar Energy Landlord

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:34:00 +0000

Today I stumbled upon an interesting subject, "Solar Leasing". Companies that own their own buildings are beginning to take advantage of their "Rooftop Real Estate". They are leasing out their roof space for solar collection. It may be to power companies or private entrepreneurial companies that are diving into this relatively new business model. The reason I find this important for Architects as this can be a source of leads to income. Any installation will involve an architect at some level. More importantly it is a prime example of what I was describing in my earlier post, Current State of The Profession. We as Architects need to revise our business model and be aware of these new project types. In the future I believe we will see more of these "Project Dynamics" emerge.

Current State of The Profession

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:53:00 +0000

I read today that economically our profession is starting a slow rebound. However the positive effects will not be felt for quite sometime in the firms. For many out of work Architects, this recovery will come too late.

I was at a luncheon with a life long friend of mine today that I haven't seen in years. He made a statement about what you might call a "Business Phenomenon". I am para phrasing it here, Times of economical downturn often spawn new firms that are comprised of out of work professionals. We were speaking in terms of Architects and Engineers at the time. Will this downturn spawn a new generation of firms that try and implement new business tactics and offer new services to their clients? When the banks start to lend money more generously and start the wheels of progress spinning again I believe that we will see new methods of client acquisition. Further I see firms marketing themselves more dynamically. They will make better use of the media tools that are available to them. Architects and ENGINEERS (That Was For My Friend) will need to look at their professions in a more interactive manner than before. They will need to learn how to market themselves to a more diverse emerging client. They will need to learn to create a form of sustainable income in down times. The question is will the already established firms be able to adapt?

Diversify To Maintain Income

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:41:00 +0000

Architectural firms have begun to diversify in reaction to the current state of the profession. They have altered their business model to allow for changes in personnel that create a more non specific knowledge pool. Thus allowing them to go after more projects and be able to offer their services in a broader spectrum. Firms that once zeroed in on a particular building type are now trying to present themselves to multiple types of client-el.
Many clients are complaining that the banks are not following the guide lines set up by the federal government. Banks are not lending out the necessary funds to finance the projects that businesses need and want to do. Does government have to step in once again and impose stronger rules for the banks to get the money flowing?

L.E.E.D. The Way

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:06:00 +0000

A subject that is in just about every Architectural discussion these days is L.E.E.D. It's finding it's way into every new design. It is changing the way we design buildings from concept to construction. I believe it is merely a starting point for something much larger. We are in the infant stages of what I consider to be the "Bio-Mechanical Age of Design". If I am right in the future our experience of a building will be much more interactive. I envision an environment that has an almost consciousness that will be aware of a group of people the minute they pierce the envelope of the building and will react to them as individual variables rather than one mass. I believe that the building will be able to modify the environment on a personal level providing a singular experience for each person. The things that define what a building is will begin to blur. The inhabitants will become part of the inner workings of the building.

Architectural Tactics In Tough Times

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:06:00 +0000

The current state of the economy is forcing Architects to try new tactics to generate new streams of income. Examples like; Architecture 5 Cents or Dollar Store Architecture and Design Starts Here are trying to find a place in the more intimate climate of Architecture, Residential. Their hope is that generated volume will provide a percentage of sustainable work. I do not think that many will try this, however, there are those that are willing to experiment. Is this a sustaining move until a new market emerges? Time will tell.

Hard Times Force Rethinking

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:13:00 +0000

The change in the economy has forced many Architects to revise business models that have been in place for years. They have re-examined the scope of projects they will go after. Projects once passed over are now pursued in earnest. Firms are attempting to diversify to capture more income. The only downside is that they are now working outside their comfort zone. Firms are now looking for the smaller jobs and hoping that sheer volume will carry them through these tough times.

We as Architects are not only in competition with each other. Outsourcing is taking away a fair amount of our income. It is too easy these days with the advent of the internet to have someone out of country who is willing to do the job far under what an American Architect would. We need to find a way to regain peoples trust and confidence in our own Architects.

What is the future of Architecture?

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:26:00 +0000

My apartment mate from college commented on my previous post "Architechs" and within his comment he made a prediction that in 20-30 years Architects will become obsolete. It got me wondering who will do our jobs? Will reality finally catch up with science fiction and we will have artificially intelligent computers. Will it be possible to plug in some parameter information, hit the return button and after some bells and whistles the computer will design a building for the user. Or will it be a more down to earth change? Will buildings become so technologically complex that the new professional will need to be part artist, part engineer? This is just a reinforcement in my conviction that our profession is ever changing.

Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.

Isaac Asimov

"Architechs"

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:45:00 +0000

In an earlier post, "Architects Need a New Name". I have given a lot of thought to what that name should be. It needs to incorporate art since we are an artistic profession in our designs and illustrations of our ideas. In this ever changing world, we must acknowledge the role that technology is playing in our building design. With L.E.E.D.S we need to be ever mindful that we must provide structures that will last longer than in years past and they must be made of renewable materials. All this involves the use of new technologies. Technology is being incorporated to give us "Smart Buildings". I believe that in the not too distant future buildings will become machines for living in, following a concept once conveyed by Le Corbusier. So taking all this into consideration I believe we should no longer call ourselves "Architects", it is time for us to re-claim our individuality in the world and respond to a new millennium and call ourselves "Architechs". Please provide feeback and if you like this name, spread it around and maybe, it will take hold.

"A House is a Machine For Living In"
-Le Corbusier

Parallel To Architecture

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:51:00 +0000

Our profession is ultra-sensitive to economical conditions. When economic downturn occurs we need to be able to find jobs that are parallel to ours so that we can maintain an income until better times return. There isn't much help on the web either. When you punch in "Alternate Jobs For Architects" you don't get good clear hits to a list. What other jobs are we qualified to do and what are they? If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them as would many other out of work Architects.

Architects Need A New Name

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0000

While trying to find a new job I have come to the conclusion that Architects need a new name to once again set themselves apart. I alluded to this need in one of my earlier posts An Architect By Any Other Name. We need to regain our distinction and individuality from other professions that have piggy-backed on the word architect as a spring board for a similar profession. Please feel free to brainstorm and list them here. With so much technology being integrated into our profession our new position name should be comprised of technology, art, science and design.

Technology In Residential Design

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Marcucci) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:31:00 +0000

Solar panels on a house or arranged in an array somewhere on the property was once considered high-tech and cutting edge. They are quickly becoming commonplace as government incentives increase and the price of systems decrease. Once thought to look strange or odd to passers-by, people are turning a more interested eye to solar energy and the possibilities it represents. People are starting to realize that they can sell their excess electricity back to the electric company and this is appealing to them. We may be breaking new ground here on what people will accept as aesthetic. What other once cutting edge technologies will become commonplace in our homes.