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 31, 2020
Renovating your House
Leaving your mark on the place where you live is built into the DNA of most architects and designers. This can manifest itself in many different ways, but for many of us, working on the place where we live is the most obvious choice.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 17, 2020
Starting a Design Firm
In today’s episode, we are talking about starting your own design firm—something that I think every architect walking the planet has thought about at various times throughout their career. I know I have. Episode sponsor: Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings
Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 3, 2020
Scale This!
How does scale factor into the practice of architecture? For any architect, scale and proportion are two skills that appear to be the most challenging to master. Scale and proportion are also where a good architect makes their living.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jul 20, 2020
Leadership
What exactly is leadership and what does it mean to be a leader? Leadership is thrust upon those who, through the strength of conviction and moral character, lead through personal example.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jul 6, 2020
Culture of Design
Do you have a design culture in your office? Why is it that some firms have it and others don’t? A culture of design isn’t something that just happens. There has to be a plan, it needs to be cultivated, and even then, without the right sort of people in place, you might be fighting an uphill battle. Episode sponsor: Sherwin-Williams
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jun 22, 2020
Architectural Tools
All this working from home has made me rethink the tools that I need to effectively do my job. While we all have different roles and responsibilities, Andrew Hawkins, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, and I put together a few items that we just couldn't live without. I bet a few of these items would be on your list as well. Episode sponsor: BQE Software
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jun 17, 2020
Style over Substance
We are all familiar with the phrase “style over substance,” but those words might mean something else to architects. If I were to look at a project and describe it with this particular phrase, there is no question that this would reflect a negative opinion. But is it unnecessarily harsh, or does it have a place in any conversation where architecture is discussed? Let’s find out in today’s episode.
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 26, 2020
Talking Shop with Marlon Blackwell
We have a special guest, Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, on the podcast. If you are not intimately familiar with his work, I am excited to be in a position to share it with you. I first met Marlon almost 30 years ago, just as his career started to take off. Episode sponsor: PAC-CLAD by Petersen Aluminum
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 14, 2020
Objects of Design
For every architect and designer, there are objects out there that resonate for them in a profound manner and can even shape their design philosophies. These can be buildings, products – even materials – but no matter what you call them, they are “Objects of Design.”
Life of an Architect Podcast | Apr 27, 2020
Big Design, Small Details
Just about every architect worth their measure develops a design process that works for them - it’s almost like a fingerprint, it’s that unique. In today’s episode, Andrew and I are going to talk about design, and we are going to do it in a manner that’s proper to the sort of design conversation that you might hear if you were sitting next to two architects at a bar. Episode sponsor: Sierra Pacific Windows