Architects Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, LEED AP, produced 25 episodes of the Life of an Architect podcast in 2019. That's more than 28 hours of content on everything from the legal side of architecture, to presentation tips and techniques, to the construction bid process.
Here are the five most popular episodes of Life of an Architect based on the number of downloads by readers of Life of an Architect, Building Design+Construction, and Professional Builder. Enjoy!
1. Episode 30: Start Your Own Architectural Firm
Is it the dream of every architect to have their own firm one day? I can recall hours and hours of conversations that I’ve had with other architects throughout my career where this topic was front and center of our discussions. When I sat down and started to come up with potential topics to discuss on the podcast, “Starting Your Own Firm” was one of the very first topics that I wrote down. It has taken me 29 previous episodes before we finally made it around to this topic because I wanted to get the right guest for this episode. Listen to this episode.
2. Episode 28: Social Media for Small Firms
The thing with social media is that there are a lot of people out there that hold themselves out as experts, and if I am being forthright, a lot of those people drive me crazy. There is a big difference between knowing what you should do and then actually being able to do it. Just because I know how to deadlift 400 lbs doesn’t mean that I can actually do it [for the record, I can’t], or that you should be listening to somebody just because they hold themselves out as an expert. Listen to this episode.
3. Episode 26: First Jobs
Pretty simple and straightforward sentence: “Your first architectural job is important.” Let me clarify that I’m not talking about summer jobs or internships. Those don’t really count because they have a known shelf-life associated with them. What I’m talking about is the first real job a person takes once they’ve graduated from college–the job that signals the beginning of their professional career and more times than not is a predictor for the path your career will follow. Listen to this episode.
4. Episode 31: Obsession
Do architects have obsessive personalities? I tend to think so, and only partially based on my own behavior. I should throw out the caveat that I don’t think you should have to explain why you obsess over something. Isn’t that the nature of any obsession—that there is some level of irrationality associated behind it? Listen to this episode.
5. Episode 27: Is That Even Legal?
How much time have you spent thinking about the legal side of architecture? If you are like most architects, you probably haven’t spent enough time thinking about it. While it may not be the sexiest part of the architectural profession, it is something that every licensed architect must consider on every single project. Listen to this episode.
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Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 23, 2021
The Side Hustle
It seems that everybody these days has a side hustle—a means in which you can leverage your creative genius into an additional stream of revenue to help you makes ends meet between paychecks. Thanks to our episode sponsor, BQE CORE ARCHITECT.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jun 1, 2021
Critical Skills of an Architect
Architects are expected to have a working mastery of building science and technology, construction techniques, and methodologies, all while bringing everything together in a visually pleasing manner. In Episode 76, we discuss the critical skills of an architect. Thanks to our episode sponsor, BQE CORE ARCHITECT.
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 17, 2021
Should Architects Do It All?
Architects come out of school with a ton of knowledge, except most don’t actually know how to be an architect. What does that even mean? That is the focus of Episode 75, where we discuss what it takes to “build an architect.” Thanks to our episode sponsor: The BILCO Company
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 3, 2021
Architectural Memories that Matter
There are a handful of moments in a person’s professional life that really matter, and sometimes we don’t recognize how important those moments are until several years later. I know that I have a specific few that I frequently think back on and recognize them for what they really are. Welcome to Episode 74, “Architectural Memories That Matter.”
Life of an Architect Podcast | Apr 19, 2021
The Pros and Cons of Being Your Own Boss in Architecture
At one time or another, most architects think about opening their own architectural office. There are all sorts of reasons why this makes sense, but it obviously isn’t the right path for everyone. Thanks to our episode sponsor, BQE CORE ARCHITECT.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Apr 5, 2021
Architectural Disconnect
How old were you before you learned that architects exist? Do you remember that class you took in elementary school that talked about architects and architecture? Of course, you don’t, because for 99% of us, that class didn’t exist. Today we are going to be talking about the fantasy of being an architect versus reality. Welcome to Episode 72, “Architectural Disconnect.”
Life of an Architect Podcast | Mar 22, 2021
Architects on the Jobsite
For some architects, being on the jobsite is a vital part of their work process, while for others, they see jobsite visits as a series of obligations fraught with increased liability.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Mar 8, 2021
The Dirty Side to Clean Buildings
In this episode, we're talking about Material Health and Transparency as it pertains to the practice of architecture: what it's all about, why it's important, and the architect’s professional obligation related to building products.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Feb 22, 2021
Better Faster Cheaper
We have all heard the phrase “Better, Faster, Cheaper, you can have any 2.” Is it actually true? Yes, of course, it’s true, but we are going to talk about it anyways because this is really a conversation about quantity and quality, which is ultimately a conversation about value.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Feb 10, 2021
Where is the Finish Line?
Becoming an architect is hard, but we all know that. You go to school for a long time and work and study, but upon graduation you are not an architect. So when does that moment happen? Welcome to Episode 68: “Where is the Finish Line?”