Vierendeel Truss at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub

How to Write Awesomely Effective Email

Here is a great article to help write effective email when communicating with others. Joshua suggests an easy acronym to remember, PASS - Purpose, Action, Support and Summary.
Check it out here: Awesomely Effective Email Communication

Ditch the Cord, Let the Road Charge Your EV | Autopia | Wired.com

For those of you interested in EV technology, here is an interesting concept for recharging our vehicles in the future with inductive power transfer. The video does not have audio, but the animation is self explanatory.



Ditch the Cord, Let the Road Charge Your EV | Autopia | Wired.com

Death by PowerPoint

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: There are some really great tips on how to make a good presentation.

Death by PowerPoint

View more presentations from www.kapterev.com.

Top 9 Transferable Skills | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

Top 9 Transferable Skills | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel: "In an uncertain job market, skills are your best security. No matter how bleak the economy, work still needs to get done and there is always someone looking for a person who can do the work well. Start thinking about what you do well by assessing your transferable skills.
Have the ability to describe your skills"

This is a very good advice for anyone - including those in the design field - to heed when they are concerned about the future of their careers. What skills do you bring to the table?

Google isn't the answer!

Many times I find myself saying, "if I had the Internet of today, back when I was in high school, I would have been very dangerous." However, I have the 'internet of today', well, today and am probably not much more dangerous today than I was back in high school. I have wondered about that attitude and have spoken both for the capabilities the Internet bring to the architecture profession and against the limitations inherently created by the Internet, but have never been able to clearly articulate what are those limitations.
This morning, ironically, I Stumble[d]Upon an article by Natalie Sklobovskaya about good illustration that spells out a valid reason as a designer to walk away from the computer. She writes,

"Go out into the world.

'Why can’t I just search online for inspiration? The Internet is much bigger than anywhere I can walk or drive!'

I know, right?? My professors are sticklers for requiring us to obtain ideas and inspiration from everywhere but the Internet, which used to perplex me. And I actually didn’t internalize the answer until my professor (and illustrator) John Hendrix laid it out.

And here’s the deal. The Internet indeed makes visual stimulus very easy to find these days. There are thousands of blogs dedicated to aggregating inspirational material from website designs to comics, and Google is available right there for your searching pleasure. But it’s not “searching” for ideas you want to be doing. You want to be happening upon them, be surprised by them, have absolutely no influence on their having found you. Anything with you more in control means they’re coming from your head one way or another.

Discovering brand new ideas online is nigh impossible for exactly this reason, since things you find on the Internet are inherently based on your somehow searching for them. You’re going to need to type some keywords into the search box, or consciously go to a blog that has material of a known type — yes, even StumbleUpon is limiting. Using the Internet, thus, means you need to have some idea in your head to search for — and how can you search for things that you don’t know you’re looking for?

So. Keep your sketchbook (or even your camera phone) with you and just observe, actively. Take photographs, makes doodles, notes, visit corners of the bookstore or the library you always avoid, browse magazines from the 1930s. You’re surrounded by visual inspiration every day, most of which you usually dismiss — but all of it is out there waiting for you, it is not already in your head, and you will not find it unless you open your eyes and let it find you."

Now the irony of what she is saying is not lost upon me, I did just happen to find her blog post this morning not by searching for something specifically but truly stumbling upon the post. But to her point, how many times have we struggled find inspiration, only to end up where we are comfortable? Now there is definitely a place for 'the google', as one of my architecture professors used to refer to it, but for inspiration I believe it is a far cry from a replacement of our God given senses and abilities to inform us of our surroundings.

What is your opinion? How do you find inspiration in a digitally connected world?

Are you willing to get involved?

Do you find yourself procrastinating and once you realize it, you are not quite sure why? I have noticed, in the past few weeks, when I talk to acquaintances and friends there seems to be a desire for improving their lives but a hesitation to move forward with action. Now many of my friends here are in the architecture profession and just coming of age in the beginning of their careers. I understand not wanting to upset an apple cart, but I find myself scratching my head and wondering what we are waiting for?

Notice, I put myself in this category because I recognize that I have procrastinated on some of the items that I am looking to accomplish in my life. And maybe I am the only one, but I don't think so. I have had many discussions with classmates and co-workers who wish the profession of architecture was different. I am assuming that they want better recognition and compensation for the work that they produce. Now that I think of it, I could be wrong because as things are now, the profession is changing. It is changing to a point where architects could be so marginalized they are legislated into a requirement for the building process and only asked to accomplish those tasks required by law.

One example of this was the limited involvement architects had in crafting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The AIA and their federal advocacy team did an outstanding job of bringing architects' issues to policy makers on capitol hill, but at the end of the day, the relationships lawmakers had with their constituents ultimately decided the final legislation.

Architects have a role in the representatives' future in Washington. I can tell you I personally witnessed the desire for information by the staff members of the congressmen about well designed communities, the importance of light-rail transportation solutions, and sustainable construction assemblies as it pertained to stimulating the economy. These young professionals recognized the value of the education we on which pride ourselves requiring to be a part of the architecture profession.

Effective governance, in principle, is dictated by policy and budget. The people that craft the policy and set the budget are the true governors of the future. These people are the ones with which relationships must be built. As architects and professionals, we cannot wait for our elected officials to come ask us the tough questions. We need to have a relationship with them as their constituents who are capable and ready to support them as leaders in our republic. If we do this, we have the opportunity to design the work environment in which we will practice. Remember back when you were younger, wasn't it easier to win the made up neighborhood game when you were the one creating the rules? Now is the time for us to create the future.

What do you want the future to look like? How can you help the political process? Leave a comment and let me know, what is holding you back?

UIA August 2009 e/Newsletter

Vicepresidente Mauricio Rivero Borrell, Union Internacional de Arquitectos, has asked me to distribute this widely to share the work being done by the UIA.

Open publication - Free publishing - More architecture

Technology Crunch

How quickly we forget that we have the technology to solve not only the most complex pro-forma calculations or building performance models but also the mundane tasks that previously required for most a few conventions in order to keep our ideas in line....Read the whole article

What to do during the summer before your 3rd year of Architecture School

3rd year of architecture school can be very overwhelming and a lot of fun. If you are in a Bachelor of Architecture program, hang in there you are almost half way done to completing your professional degree. If you are in a pre-professional program, now is a really good time to start thinking about where you would like to complete your Master of Architecture professional degree if it will be different from your undergraduate program. But school is not all you should be thinking about as it comes to your career. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind as prepare for your next year in school.

Time Management in Architecture School

I know this might sound cliche but really it is a life saver when it comes to your classes. Now that you have gotten through your first two years of school, take a look at your GPA. If you still have over a 3.5, great job! If not, no sweat, hopefully the registrar is allowing you to register for class and therefore you aren't too far down on the GPA scale. So what does this have to do with time management? Well, now that you are an upperclassmen, your social calendar will fill up more than it has in the past. You will want to do what you can to maintain those grades as long as you can.

I found that time management was key to overcoming the analysis paralysis that affects every designer at some level. I suggest starting with each of your known deadlines and charting them out on a printed calendar or a piece of paper. It is important to do write this down, so you commit to the dates, don't fret you can transfer more of the detail to your online calendars at a later time. Writing it down on paper is permanent decision making that allows you to move on to the next decision.

Now you should have a good idea how long it might take to complete tasks after two years of school. On each day leading up to your deadlines, set aside 8 hours to sleep, no matter how well you think you work on little to no sleep, you always perform better rested and refreshed. Then schedule backwards to have a good idea of how much time you need to dedicate to your project. Of course there is probably a good chance you may not have all of the requirements of each project, so take an opportunity to talk with your professor about your upcoming requirements. The more information the better you are prepared. Remember this is why you are planning ahead now so you will be successful throughout the school year.

Once you have your projects on your calendar, jot down some idea of when you should have 60% or more of your project completed. Throughout the year work towards meeting these deadlines. Of course this is just a guide but the better you are at sticking to your predetermined dates, the more successful you will be throughout the year.

Important points:

• Know your deadlines

• Set side time to rest and sleep your brain

• Set benchmarks to assist you with completing the process

Social Networking Sites

What do all those posts and pictures have to do with architecture school, you might be asking. Well now during the summer, it is a good time to take a close look at what your identity is to the world. Unless you are a very reserved individual, you do not need to lock down your profile through your privacy settings so tight that no one can find you, but you may find managing your identity would be easier if privacy settings are the steps you need to take. Social networking sites can be very useful in presenting yourself to others, however your professionalism should be evident in your profile. Here is a good article on Twitter and Facebook etiquette for job hunters, remember you may want to find a job one day.

It is important to remember that people are viewing your profile, along with the thousands of computers with programs that crawl data, and make judgements about that information based on their personal experiences. Here is where social networking becomes very valuable. You have the ability to demonstrate your writing ability, your social skills (not by the number of followers per se, but through interaction with non-local individuals), and your personal preferences – photos, videos, fan pages and other applications. Keep in mind, many people will have viewed your public page before they sit down with you. That being said, don't fret about what your identity says, it should be you. There may be a future partner, boss or client that loves 311 just as much as you do and would love to talk about your passion for music and creativity it brings to your design. But on the same token, your frequent trips to the beach to party hard may cause a potential relationship to avoid further contact in order to prevent an inappropriate episode from reflecting badly on them in the future.

Documentation

If you haven't learned by now, documenting your work is very important. Hopefully you have been mentored by your professors or older students that have impressed upon you the value of recording the work that you do in studio and other classes. If you have not been fortunate enough to have that experience, start documenting now. Digitally document your work and find some way to annotate what each image is in your recording process. At a minimum write down the date that you created the diagram or image and where you created it to help jog your memory in the future.

These are just a few of the suggestions that I found helpful in my collegiate experience. Please comment below if you have a suggestion that you believe could help someone going into their 3rd year of architecture school.

Could you be a millionaire by 30?

For all of those recent graduates who may feel a little down about their outlook on life, I wanted to share a story of a friend of mine from high school. Alan and I got reconnected on Facebook some time ago and it is fun to see what each other are up to after years have passed by. Alan was always a great guy to have in class with you - he made the hour go by quickly with his quick wit, and huge smile. He has written a book "A Million Bucks by 30" that I haven't read yet, but have no doubt it gives some very creative ways of looking at life.

If you have a minute, I encourage you to watch this short clip:

Sometimes it doesn't take much to change our outcome. Could this be you?

For more on Corey and to see a playlist he has compiled check out this link: Alan's Playlist

How Not to Sell

How Not to Sell

via FOXBusiness.com by Nancy Colasurdo on 4/8/09

For your own sake, if your work involves selling a product or service, maximize your chance for success by listening better.

My bucket list starts with: Become a Private Pilot

Become a Private Pilot
Ever since my first flight at eleven years old, I have known I want to be at the controls of an aircraft. To have the credentials to fly and go where I want, when I want, would be the ultimate freedom.

Visit the Parthenon
The Parthenon at the Acropolis is an incredible structure. To be on what others considered hallowed ground and experience the awe inspiring vistas is a must see for me.

Scuba Dive
The underwater world is an amazing environment to visit. To have the ability to travel on 3 axis and experience the vibrancy of life contained in coral reefs would be humbling.

Learn to sail
To harness the incredible kinetic energy rushing across the water and believe I have some sort of control over that power would be an invigorating experience.

Mentor others willing to share in my bucket list
Without sharing the passion with others, there is no reason to participate in the experiences. It is through the combined mentor student relationship that the line between the two becomes blurred and the mentor becomes the student and the student shares the passion.

AIAS Collaborates with AIA in Rebuild and Renew Advocacy Efforts

The AIA has taken the initiative to establish Architects as a resource for legislators to utilize during the process of crafting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Through the Rebuild and Renew campaign and in partnership with the alliances the AIA built, we have a piece of legislation that has the promise of getting the U.S. economy moving by putting in place infrastructure for more healthy, vibrant, and sustainable communities. AIAS have been asked to assist AIA members in their advocacy efforts. As emerging professionals we represent communities from all over the country in our different programs and we are aware of the challenges our communities, from small towns to large cities, face on a first hand basis. It is this knowldege students and emerging professionals can contribute to the debate.

Students Take the Lead

Hundreds of design students from architecture schools across the southeast will meet in Atlanta next week for South Quad 2009: SEE. SPEAK. DESIGN. The event, the annual spring regional meeting of the American Institute of Architecture Students, is co-hosted by the local AIAS chapters at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Southern Polytechnic State University.

AIAS News Alert (South Quad Conference)

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Periodicals & Report news conference

The Energy of Architecture

Students from around the world converge upon Denver to explore design and sustainability.

Denver, Colorado (December 5, 2008) — FORUM, the global gathering of architecture and design students, will be held in Denver beginning December 29, 2008 through January 1, 2009. This educational event, the annual convention of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), offers students the opportunity to learn about issues facing architectural education and the profession, to meet other students and professionals with common interests and to interact with today's leading architects, designers and those making a difference in the world through architecture.

Hosted by the AIAS Chapter at the University of Colorado Denver, FORUM 2008: ENERGY will explore not just issues related to sustainability and “green” design, but also the “energy” of great architecture. Denver will be their playground as students and emerging professionals are invited to join in a conversation of “unprecedented collaboration,”says organization President JW Blacnhard. “Educational leaders, product manufacturers and local design firms have teamed up to serve as catalysts for the over 600 architecture and design students who are expected to participate this year. And with all Denver has done to lead the architecture world in energy and conservation, we can think of no better city to host this event.” Evening keynote presentations, daily seminars and workshops and the Architecture College + Career Expo will be complimented by local activities and tours throughout the week, including a Firm Crawl through some of Denver’s leading studios, all leading up to the Beaux Arts Ball on New Year's Eve.

Student Chair Andrew Atchley, in conjunction with the Denver host committee and countless sponsors and supporters, has assembled some of the leading architecture and design experts to serve as thought leaders, catalysts and mentors. Andrew and his colleagues recognize the inherent challenges those in the design world face as they try to create structures that not only minimize environmental impacts but also provide form, function and sense of place. “In theory, sustainable design makes complete sense,” says Atchley. “But putting that theory into practice and allowing a design to stand the test of time—that is an entirely different challenge.”

For more information about FORUM 2008 or to learn about press or sponsorship opportunities visit aias.org/forum or contact the AIAS office.

# # #

About the AIAS: Headquartered in Washington, DC, the American Institute of Architecture Students was established in 1956 and is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, student-run organization. The mission of the AIAS is to promote excellence in architecture education, training and practice, foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines, enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration and organize students to combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture. With almost 7,000 subscribing members on more than 130 college and high school campuses throughout North America and several other countries, the AIAS represents the interests of and connects the 20,000-plus students studying architecture. You can learn more about the organization at www.aias.org.

World Golf Tour

For all of us that wish we were out on the golf course, here is a golf game in High Definition just waiting to be played. Check it out! An incredible way to use Flash. 

World Golf Tour

Posted using ShareThis

In the event you are unable to find an internship in this economic slow down, will you continue along the path to licensure?

For most of the 54 jurisdictions protecting the profession of architecture there is a three step process to become a licensed architect. A professional NAAB-accredited degree, completion of the NCARB Intern Development Program, and the successful completion of the Architectural Registration Examination are the minimum requirements for licensure. This process is a rigorous one to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the American public. However, the process may be too rigorous.

As the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Board work to improve the experience for architectural interns through mentorship, the current economic slowdown may present a devastating unintended consequence on the future of the profession—a shortage of qualified licensed architects.

With the current challenge of successfully moving intern architects through the process of IDP, as firms slow down with the quantity of work there will be less opportunity for architectural interns to gain experience required to complete the intern development program. This will require interns to find creative methods in which they are successful pursuing their goal to obtain licensure and may discourage some intern architects from completing the process.

Fortunately each of the steps are now attainable independently from each other with the recent adoption of the concurrent timing, which allows intern architects the ability to begin the examination portion in more than 25 jurisdictions.

ARE Eligibility by Jurisdiction – NCARB.org 

This will allow some architectural interns the opportunity to take the exams if they are unable to document hours due to unemployment or employment in an alternative field. However, once the exam is passed, what will become of the intern architect who never completes the development program? Large organizations in business, finance, and manufacturing are attracted to the recent graduates from design studio education for the problem solving skills that are developed in that environment. If talented individuals leave the profession, there will be a severe gap in qualified architects in the coming decades. This combined with the population cycle of the baby boomers headed to retirement will challenge firms to develop new, innovative ways, to attract and retain the talent that is currently pursing licensure.

For individuals pursing a license in architecture, at this time it is important to stay informed of the process and be familiar with the situation that will help them attain their goals. As for the profession, it will be important to have the support of the licensed architects for the process to be reasonable and attainable for architectural interns. Through mentorship and communication this profession can survive this recession to be ready to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public when wheels begin to turn.

Why should you join an association like the American Institute of Architecture Students?

I am preparing to head out to the Fall Midwest Quad Conference of the AIAS in Kansas City, Missouri to join more than 315 students of architecture for a weekend of touring, learning, and comradere. The highest regestration for a quad conference in recent history and well above the individual totals of the other three conferences at locations around the northern hemisphere, including 180 registered for the Northeast Quad Conference in Toronto, Ontario. Both of these conferences held simultaneously account for over 500 chapter members gathering around architecture. Are you one of them?

This year over 700 students made the decision to take one weekend of their busy school semester to travel and particpate in a conference hosted by a peer. This represents more than 10% of the total membership of AIAS the previous year. As the leadership welcomes this spectacular turnout, the real cause for the participation is difficult to identify. Historically the conferences are where the membership find some of the greatest value in their benefits. FORUM holds the most exciting time for students as they celebrate the New Year in a different city each event. Are those then the benefits that convince members to join?

One of the many questions asked of the AIAS president in their travels is, what benefits are there for joining the AIAS? This question starts the dialog between two people to narrow down the individual benefits attractive to the inquirer, however I would argue the question that should be asked is, what am I missing by not being a part of the AIAS?

When phrased in this manner, the future member shifts from being an individual to being a part of the whole. As the GenYers demonstrate, it is with the group an individual finds his or her power. No longer is the person dependent on meeting their own needs but recognizes the group will help them attain their goal. What then does the group offer to the individual they cannot find on their own?

A voice. The group offers the opportunity to be heard. Not as the last generation did, through protests and rallys, but subtly, quietly, as the individual. It is this voice and the ideas behind it that are strenghthened in the group. It starts small, a simple thought shared between two individuals, yet grows as people are introduced to the idea. From this genesis the idea and the individual are strengthened and the group supports the member.

And so it starts with the individual, yet becomes not about the individual, instead takes the group to propel the individual forward and ultimately the group is elevated through the members. This is a very powerful understanding for anyone who desires to make a difference. Recognizing it no longer becomes who you know, it has always been about who knows you. Who do you allow to meet you, get to know you, introduce your ideas, understand your strengths, and share you passions. Maybe those are the benefits the 300+ members gathering in Kansas City have recognized as important enough to join the organization and spend the weekend together.

As I land in Kansas City I am looking forward to meeting and introducing myself to all of the new individuals who are interested and excited about architecture. This raises the question that is asked repeatedly, why should I join an organization? How do I justify the dues? In this economic climate can you risk not taking the opportunity to be in the organization? Now more than ever, it is imparative to have others speaking about you. With the group comes recognition and strength, a reassurance that you belong, and that your ideas matter. Simply stated the greatest member benefit in joining is, you.

Air travel is amazing

I have spent a lot of time on airplanes this year and having moved away from Atlanta I catch myself every time I fly through with my final destination being somewhere other than Hartsfield-Jackson that I am one of those that has made Atlanta what it is known for, passangers. All those temporary residents whose tax revnues from purchases are necessary for the lifeblood of Atlanta. Each one promised they will only be here for a brief stay, hopeful the system does not fail them and strand them indefinately. Well here we go, off again. This time Atlanta did not let me down, 4 minutes left and it is an ontime departure.