The business of architecture
This is the 12th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 12. Learning is a two way street Masters level design studios involve two 3 hour sessions of contact time per week. Across the 12 weeks of... Continue Reading →
This is the 11th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 11. Sweat the small stuff In the architecture studio I run with my wife, we believe that design doesn't stop until the builder hands over the keys. I... Continue Reading →
This is the 10th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 10. Design does not happen in a bubble As you design, it's tempting to wrap yourself in a protective bubble, to block off all the information... Continue Reading →
This is the 9th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 9. The teacup principle Today is not the first time I've written about this principle here. I first discussed it four years ago, within an article inspired... Continue Reading →
This is the 5th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 5. Develop a tree of ideas I have to confess that I've forgotten many of the discussions I had with design tutors during my years of... Continue Reading →
This is the 4th of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 4. Jaws in space It is rumoured that big Hollywood film studios have the attention spans of goldfish. When pitching a film therefore, a director is required to... Continue Reading →
This is the 3rd of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 3. Site analysis uses the language of your ideas You site down with a site plan spread out in front of you. You draw in... Continue Reading →
This is the 2nd of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 2. Good research is essential At the beginning of your project, you are eager to begin designing. Some of you might sketch in the obligatory solar paths and... Continue Reading →
This is the 1st of twenty-one lessons for design students, gathered from the combined experience of being a student, and teaching students. I will published one lesson each weekday until they're done. 1. Be open to the unexpected Getting started on a design project is an intoxicating experience. You are excited and restless, both inspired and daunted by... Continue Reading →
Dear design students, Let me share with you an important piece of hard truth: most of you will not produce a great design project this semester. While I hope that you will all begin with aspirations of greatness, I know that many of you will stumble somewhere along the way. In the past four years of teaching a... Continue Reading →