The business of architecture
In various lectures I've given over the years, I often slip in recommendations for a few of my favourite business books for architects. What sets these books apart is that none of them are actually about or by architects. That's not to say there aren't some great books that merge business and architecture, but I believe strongly in... Continue Reading →
The Australian Institute of Architects' annual national conference, How Soon Is Now?, was held last month in Adelaide. Creatively directed by Cameron Bruhn, Sam Spurr and Ben Hewett, it explored the "agency of architecture to make real changes in the world."[1] The directors identified the expansive conversation of last year's conference, Risk, as a precursor, and proposed to... Continue Reading →
When we are first approached by prospective clients, we have found that few fully understand what an architect does. Many interview draftspeople and volume builders also, and find it difficult to distinguish between the various levels of expertise and design engagement on offer. Invariably, a large part of our first discussion is devoted to explaining how... Continue Reading →
The process of writing How to steal like an architect last year, a series of 10 articles based on Austin Kleon's How to steal like an artist, made me consider other lessons learned over the years. What further lessons would I teach my younger self, given the opportunity? 17. A building has six elevations There... Continue Reading →
The Model T Ford, the first vehicle mass-produced on an assembly line What is it? Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing is an approach to manufacturing that reduces the stockpiling of parts and products to an absolute minimum, instead fabricating them only as required. This methodology necessitates a tightly integrated workflow of all aspects of production, yet... Continue Reading →