As this is a holiday week, I thought I’d take a break from the galaxy far, far away and dash off a quick post to answer a few more questions I’ve received.
HEROES
Who are your architectural heroes?
I’m not sure I have any that I’d call “heroes,” but there are a few that I've admired over the years.
- I admire Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Kahn for their use of geometry.
- I admire Richard Neutra, Rudolf Schindler, and John Lautner for being able to carve out their own identities after their stints as Frank Lloyd Wright apprentices.
- I admire Bart Prince, Wallace Cunningham, and Robert Harvey Oshatz for their pursuit of “organic architecture.”
- I admire Renzo Piano and Santiago Callitrava for their engineering prowess.
- I admire Balance Associates for their Pacific Northwest aesthetic
- And I admire Jones Studio as much for their design ability as I admire the way their partners balance and compliment each other.
MYTHS
Are all architects coffee snobs?
I wouldn’t know. I don’t drink coffee.
Do all architects wear black?
No. While I’m sure there are those that do, the vast majority I’ve encountered do not.
Do all architects wear designer glasses?
I can’t say definitively. I’ve encountered a few that do, but most I’ve met don’t. I will admit that I have a pair of Gunnar glasses that I try to remember to put on when I’m doing computer work. However, truth be told the only glasses I enjoy wearing are sunglasses. I’ve tried a number of different brands and styles over the years, but I keep returning to the 3M Protective Eyewear I find at Home Depot or Lowes, because they are inexpensive, durable, frameless, light as a feather, and they don’t impart a noticeable colorcast to my view. They also make me feel a bit like Bono.
Why do all architects speak like that?
Ah yes! In school, myself and a few friends termed it the “Pretentious Architectural Vocabulary” after we noticed too many of our classmates over-using words like “contextualization,” “dichotomy,” and “pluricentered” as well as phrases such as “late Miesian idea,” “tripartite development,” and “architectural finger exercises.” I didn’t care for it then and I don’t care for it now. I find it elitest and off-putting - as well as pretentious. And if you insist on speaking that way, I might just find an “architectural finger exercise” for you!
Are all architects assholes?
I have encountered more than a few individuals in the course of my career who aspire to that description, but I'd say that most do not. The vast majority of architects I have met or worked with are creative people who genuinely enjoy designing for and with others.
Are all architects egomaniacs?
I have found that ego and talent go hand in hand. Any talented architect will have a equally healthy ego to match. Note that I said “healthy.” There is a world of difference between confidence and arrogance. You WANT to work with the former and want to AVOID the latter.