Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 20, 2023

Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 121: Material Selection

When you think of a building – whatever scale or project type – the items that go into creating that building are most frequently associated with the materials that are selected that define the appearance of the building. Brick, glass, wood, and metal are all great choices. But the decision on what to clad your project in goes a long way toward deciding things beyond the appearance.

Bob Borson, FAIA | May 2, 2022

Mastering construction drawings

Fundamentally, drawings are at the core of what architects do. They allow architects to have a conversation with clients and colleagues without having to say a single word. But construction drawings are getting harder, say Life of an Architect's Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA. Welcome to Episode 99: Construction Drawings.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 21, 2022

How to master architecture presentations

Architects Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, share proven advice for creating and delivering top-notch architecture presentations.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 4, 2022

Burnout

In episode 97 of Life of an Architect, Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, discuss job burnout risk factors and how architects can handle stress and burnout in the deadline-driven business of design.

Andrew Hawkins, AIA | Mar 21, 2022

The Big Idea

In Episode 96 of the Life of an Architect podcast, Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, discuss what they mean by "The Big Idea" and offer examples of what it could look like. Special thanks to our sponsor Petersen, which manufactures PAC-CLAD architectural metal cladding systems.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 9, 2022

Schematic Design

Whenever an architect sits down with a client on a new project, the first thing that happens is a conversation about project goals and requirements. It is during this initial conversation that everyone tries to figure out what exactly it is that this project is supposed to accomplish. This phase of the work is widely referred to as “Schematic Design.” It is the focus of Episode 95.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 21, 2022

Ask the Show – 2022 Spring Edition

How hard is it to do work for your friends? How has shifting from employee to employer changed the way you approach projects? If you could drastically change one thing about architecture school, what would it be? All this and more on Episode 94 of Life of an Architect: Ask the Show – 2022 Spring Edition.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 7, 2022

The Top 10 Reasons NOT to be an Architect

Let’s admit it. Telling someone you are an architect is pretty cool, whether or not they understand what that means or what the job entails. But for those of us who have been at it a while, being an architect has its challenges and is definitely not for everyone. Welcome to Episode 93: The Top 10 Reasons NOT to Be an Architect.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 24, 2022

The Top 10 Reasons to be an Architect

The Top 10 Reasons to be an Architect is a good topic to discuss on an architecturally themed podcast and interestingly enough, this is the very topic that put the Life of an Architect website on the proverbial map. It’s been 11 years, 11 months, and 2 days since I initially wrote that article and I think it’s time we revisited the topic. Welcome to Episode 92: The Top 10 Reasons to be an Architect.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Dec 6, 2021

Holiday Gift Guide for Architects (2021)

It’s almost that gift-giving time of the year. If you have an architect in your life, you know that getting them a gift is not the most amazing experience since they are offensively specific. That’s why we’re here.

Andrew Hawkins, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB | Dec 6, 2021

Small Firm Mentality

The “Jack of all trades/master of none” vs. “The Specialist” -- conceptually, this is the idea that distinguishes the nuances between a small architecture firm and a large architecture firm. But is that really true?

Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 5, 2021

Design and fabrication: A conversation with architect Matthew Hufft

Learn how architect Matthew Hufft built fabrication into his creative process.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 6, 2021

Ask the Show

Bringing work home with you, talking to your boss about a raise, what is your favorite beer. All this and more on today’s episode as Andrew and I answer your burning questions where almost nothing is off-limits. Thanks to our episode sponsor, BQE CORE ARCHITECT.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.”

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.”

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Tori Wickard | 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.