Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 148: Meetings are a Waste of Time

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. 

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.”