Love Letters to Dead Architects: The Rapture

That's right! After much slumping out on my part, It's back! Love Letters to Dead Architects. This week's special guest stars: The Post-Modernist, The Engineer, The Gentlemen, The Professor and Mary-Ann.

Dear Jorn Utzon,
Those stupid politicians, I still can’t believe it. There they are, forcing you to compromise your design so substantially that the interior becomes a pathetic accessory to an almost perfect exterior. Just say the word and they will be boomeranged faster than you can say “A dingo ate my ceilings”.

You might well wonder at my knowledge of your personal politics. All I can say is that it’s no secret. Everyone all over Sydney is talking about it. It is a terrible day indeed when mediocrity conquers genius. That’s what your building is my darling, my tan-faced, dearest, sweetest man.

Don’t worry my love, you know, I know, and anyone with any sense knows that the Opera-house will stand long after those men are dead. There will come a day when your vision will be restored to its proper place.

I once knew your master, Alvar Aalto very well. He and I were strange allies with warring hearts. Between our bickering arguments He always took time to speak well of you, and I can see that the praise was very well deserved.

Though you know him well enough that he will never admit it, I am sure he is so proud of how hard you fought for the design. You did not retreat because of selfish reasons; I know that you would have stayed to the bitter end. You left because you had to pay your workers. You could take the hit, they could not. It takes a real man to recognize that.

You are more man than the entire parliament put together.

With Love,
Retly Corm


My Dearest Isambard Kingdom Brunel,

I knew you from the moment I saw you. That handsome face, the cigar firmly placed in-between your lips, that confident swagger and that ridiculously oversized hat. I said “That, that is what a great engineer looks like.” Then you coughed a coin out of your mouth and I was officially smitten.

Totally sweet name by the way.

I had heard of your work from time to time, that it had revolutionized this or that, never really knowing much about it. Recently I finally saw Paddington station and the Great Western railway. Such form and power, simply through structure, it’s no wonder all those impressionists have taken such a liking to that kind of architecture. However it was not there where my admiration of you blossomed.

As you may or may not know, I have always had a fascination with modular traveling architecture, so imagine my surprise when I found that you had beaten me to it. “A modular Crimean War hospital?” I asked, disbelieving. “Naturally” They replied.

Imagine my surprise. I am sure that there is nothing you cannot do Isambard.

All my love,

Retly Corm

Dear Christopher Wren,
So what is this to you? A joke? A hobby? I for one, sir, take architecture seriously. Now I know what you’ll say “Oh my dearest Retly, the architectural profession is simply different in the 15th century, it’s a different understanding of the art” well you can just tell it to the wall buddy because I’m tired of your excuses.

You have the formula for: intelligence, charisma, independent funds, connections, all of that. What you lack is commitment. Just look at your design for St. Paul’s. You can’t tell me that that dome made you really happy.
And your 50 churches after the great fire? You could have made London greater than Rome in it’s tourist revitalization, but you just gave up. YOU JUST GAVE UP.

If you want to find me, I’ll be in my chambers. Crying over what we could have had.

Retly Corm


Dear Bernard Maybeck,

Oh darling, please believe me, I didn’t mean to do you any harm.
When I said that you never discovered your own style, I meant it in a good way. You have a great talent for criticism and interpretation. It’s just that…how can I say this, it just isn’t relevant anymore.

Grecian Palaces, Ski Chalets, Old English Mansions? They just seem silly in California. I won’t mention those two gentlemen of the viridian persuasion because I know how much you hate that but I don’t see why you don’t see.

Your talent is wasted on lazy clients, quit them, and go rogue with me we could do such marvelous things together if we gave up on the rules.

I’ll wait, but not forever,

Retly Corm

Dear Thomas Jefferson,

I get it alright! You’re a genius. I mean you’re already one of the best writers of the 18th century, a brilliant inventor and one of the greatest politicians of all time. And FINE, you’re also a great patron, pushing needy losers to be legendary. (That’s right, I know ALL about Meriwether Lewis) But did you have to take architecture too? I mean, Benjamin LaTrobe is just begging to be considered America’s first architect and you just won’t let him have it. Can you please spare a little bit of glory for someone else?

I mean, honestly, did Monticello have to be so perfect? So like you? Seemingly open but deeply secretive. That place, so strangely important to its viewer and yet so indifferent as to their opinion. More so than anything else that exists in this infant country, Monticello is in permanent congress with the land, clearly in love with the land you fought for. Harmonious, elegantly crafted, and intellectually deep. GAH! Now, I’m doing it. I hate you Thomas Jefferson! You’re too damn good! Leave me alone!

Love,

Retly Corm

Converting Continuing Education into IDP hours

So, I was very excited about getting my AIA number, I completed a whole slew of CE credits from my previous issues of Architectural Record. When you complete these tests online, McGraw-Hill presents you with a certificate. I thought this certificate was what I should submit to validate my IDP hours. Turns out I was wrong. After submitting them all over the past few days I received this comment in my NCARB Records:

3/23/2010 2:41:58 PM
NCARB Staff rejects supplementary experience with possibility for revision
NCARB Staff comments: To receive the supplementary education hours you must submit the official AIA transcript. You can submit the certificate to the University of Oklahoma, they evaluate courses for AIA. After Oklahoma approves the credits AIA will add the course to your transcript. This website contains some of the information. Additionally below I pasted the information that states where to send your certificates to. http://www.aia.org/professionals/groups/epn/AIAS075010#P34_14869 If you received a certificate with an AIA CES logo on it you can fax it to the AIA CES Records Department at 405-325-6965

After some scanning on the AIA's website, I also found this nugget:

How do I submit AIA Continuing Education work for IDP supplementary education credit?

Get an AIA number.
If you are an AIA member, use your AIA member number. If you are not an AIA member, see the instructions below.

Attend a sponsored event or complete a self-designed activity.
AIA components and AIA CES registered providers sponsor continuing education events. When you attend an event, follow the AIA registered architects lead by signing in with your name and AIA number. The event provider is responsible for submitting your information to the University of Oklahoma, which maintains CES records.

If the activity was performed on your own, such as completing the questions for a continuing education article from Architectural Record, then you are responsible for submitting a self-report form online to the University of Oklahoma with your AIA number.

Download your transcript.
You can download a copy of your transcript from the University of Oklahoma Web site at any time (or request a transcript in writing, one free each year).

Report your work on the e-EVR.
Report your work through the e-EVR in "My Supplementary Education" tab. The transcript documenting completion of AIA-approved resources must be uploaded to the e-EVR at that time.

As it turns out, completing those quick and easy CES quizzes in Arch Record was not as quick and easy as once thought. Perhaps this is a lesson in the extensive paperworking that the profession entails.

To continue the saga, I went to the CES website. I entered my new AIA number. And what would you know, they don't recognize it! Now what!? I guess I have to wait a while until I'm completely in the system?

Yeah this is mildly frustrating, as it is 2010 and I don't quite see how one server can be updated and another cannot. It's been almost a week since my account was created. I can understand it taking some time to process my account's creation, but I would think that once it's up, it's up.

I guess I'll keep trying to log into that CES system. If I can't get in by next week, maybe I make some calls.

Archi-Title: "Interns" or "Architects-in-Training"?

First, the portmanteau "Archi-Title" is a playful jar at the tendency to synthesize the term "architecture" with others - hey, I am guilty, too!

Anyway, I recently stumbled upon a fossil of a blog post debating this title quandary.

Should the term "intern" refer to STUDENT interns? Should professional interns go by a more definitive title? Perhaps, "Architects in Training?" I think the general public does not understand the degrees of interns within the profession. Whenever I tell someone my position, they ask what is it that I DO. Well, I do pretty much the things an architect does, but for a fraction of the price (and responsibility). I'll save you the reiteration, just check out the post yourself and let me know what you think!

I think there needs to be some distinction between a freshman student intern and a 45-year-old with 20 years experience and who has completed 8 of his/her AREs.

Official AIA Assoc Member!

Today I received my official AIA Associate Member ID #. Holler! Now I can see about plugging in some of those luncheon credits... Evidently you get a membership card as well as a lapel pin (!??!) - which I totally plan to sport at work as soon as they arrive. Man, I haven't received a membership card in the mail since I joined the Art Stuff club at Bath & Body Works. I wonder if I should tag "AIA Assoc." onto my email signature at work. Might make me look kind of badass.

Shamless Shilling

http://www.amazon.com/101-Things-Learned-Architecture-School/dp/0262062666#noop

I wish I could have saved the money on all that fancy skoolin', but what are you going to do.

You could have the Car or THE MYSTERY BOX

I decided to post a mixed bag of things I have been trolling away for an event such as this:

"What is architecture anyway? Is it the vast collection of the various buildings which have been built to please the varying taste of the various lords of mankind? I think not.
...
Architecture is that great living creative spirit which from generation to generation, from age to age, proceeds, persists, creates, according to the nature of man, and his circumstances as they change. That is really architecture." - Frank Lloyd Wright

"All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space." - Philip Johnson

"Any architectural project we do takes at least four or five years, so increasingly there is a discrepancy between the acceleration of culture and the continuing slowness of architecture." - Rem Koolhaas

"The dialogue of architecture has been centered too long around the idea of truth." - Michael Graves



Finally this quote actually goes:

"Architecture arouses sentiments in men. The architect's task therefore, is to make those sentiments more precise." - Adolph Loos

but I really wanted it to be:

"Architecture arouses...men" - Adolph Loos


Also I found this one the other day and thought you might enjoy:

Dear Architect:

Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure of what I need, so you should use your discretion.

My house should have between two and forty-five bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.

Keep in mind that the house I ultimately choose must cost less than the one I am currently living in. Make sure, however, that you correct all the deficiencies that exist in my current house (the floor of my kitchen vibrates when I walk across it, and the walls don't have nearly enough insulation in them).

As you design, also keep in mind that I want to keep yearly maintenance costs as low as possible. This should mean the incorporation of extra-cost features like aluminium, vinyl or composite siding. (If you choose not to specify aluminium, be prepared to explain your decision in detail.)
Please take care that modern design practices and the latest materials are used in construction of the house, as I want it to be a showplace for the most up-to-date ideas and methods. Be alerted, however, that the kitchen should be designed to accommodate, among other things, my 1952 Gibson refigerator.

To ensure that you are building the correct house for our entire family, make certain that you contact each of our children, and also our in- laws. My mother-in-law will have very strong feelings about how the house should be designed, since she visits us at least once a year. Make sure that you weigh all of these options carefully and come to the right decision. I, however, retain the right to overrule any choices that you make.

Please don't bother me with small details right now. Your job is to develop the overall plans for the house: get the big picture. At this time, for example, it is not appropriate to be choosing the colour of the carpet. However, keep in mind that my wife likes blue.

Also, do not worry at this time about acquiring the resources to build the house itself. Your first priority is to develop detailed plans and specifications. Once I approve these plans, however, I would expect the house to be under roof within 48 hours.

While you are designing this house specifically for me, keep in mind that sooner or later I will have to sell it to someone else. It therefore should have appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers. Please make sure before you finalize the plans that there is a consensus of the population in my area that they like the features this house has.

I advise you to run up and look at my neighbour's house that he constructed last year. We like it a great deal. It has many features that we would also like in our new home, particularly the 25 meter swimming pool. With careful engineering, I believe that you can design this into our new home without impacting the final cost.

Please prepare a complete set of blueprints. It is not necessary at this time to do the real design, since they will be used only for construction bids. Be advised, however, that you will be held accountable for any increase of construction costs as a result of later design changes.
You must be thrilled to be working on as interesting a project as this! To be able to use the latest techniques and materials and to be given such freedom in your designs is something that can't happen very often. Contact me as soon as possible with your complete ideas and plans.

P.S.: My wife has just told me that she disagrees with many of the instructions that I've given you in this letter. As architect, it is your responsibility to resolve these differences. I have tried in the past and have been unable to accomplish this. If you can't handle this responsibility, I will have to find another architect.

P.P.S.: Perhaps what I need is not a house at all, but a travel trailer. Please advise me as soon as possible if this is the case.

Making the Switch

So I MANUALLY migrated all my posts over to this blog - granted I only had 15 so it took like 7 minutes. HOWEVER, I did this migration before setting the correct time zone so some of the times have become exaggerated - i.e. the previous post at 12:30 AM. No bother as I doubt most people concern themselves with such things.

However, now I must find a way to get the Corm dog's posts over here - as the LJ to Blogger migration is more complicated with "Community" blogs - i.e. multiple authors.

Stay tuned, though I think this blog will turn out nice!

Taxes

I have two items to discuss here.

First, I wish I had realized that I could include such tax deductible items in my tax returns, and thus saved the receipts for them and/or applied them in the correct years:

1.) signing up for IDP (I think this was like $250??)
2.) printing resumes, portfolios, and any necessary documents for acquiring a job
I did realize, and have the documentation for, such job-related non-reimbursable expenses, such as my subscription to Architectural Record (I got a 3-yr subscription last year for the student rate of $83 - I know, it sounds like a ridiculous price for a monthly journal whose content is 85% advertisements, but trust me it was a good deal!).

Second, it has been rumored in my office that the governor of Pennsylvania will be issuing a sales tax to architectural services. That means that we will have to charge clients an extra 6%... this may deter clients, as bordering states like New Jersey do not have such a tax. I wonder, however, how the tax works exactly, because if the service is being performed in PA, shouldn't the NJ architects still have to pay it? Plus they'd have to be licensed in PA. That is how traditional sales taxes apply - though I am unfamiliar with service sales taxes. Anyone have any inside information? I may have to just google that and hope to stumble upon a clear concise explanation in laymen's terms.

Having done my taxes myself this year, I think I now know how to properly file my purchases and such things in order to have all the proper documentation for next year's taxes.

Drafting: The Pen vs. the Pointer

Today, as I was trying to coordinate my RCPs with updated floorplans, mechanical plans and area plans, pondered to myself... how was this all done before the computer? When I think about how many time we send out drawings to clients and consultants, and how many times we have to make changes, or try a different layout or something, I wonder how in the world they were able to do such things in the past by hand?

But then I thought, in the past people didn't have email. They didn't have cellphones. Shoot, they may not have had fax machines. Drawings were probably hand delivered or mailed. While in some cases that is still done today, a lot of these little changes I mentioned above are handled through emails and FTP-style uploads. I truly wonder how it worked, because even as I try to think how things could have been simpler - like maybe not trying to design all the mechanical systems before the design is finalized - the conception of architecture is not a linear process. You have to be developing the overall design, while designing the systems within it, otherwise you could entire scheme could be thwarted by a duct that is twice the size of the space you have alloted for it.

Then again, architects were much more well-rounded back then. They didn't just solve a few load problems in their schooling. They designed ductwork. What they'd consider rule-of-thumb, us CADmonkeys would consider Calculus. No wonder they think we're slackers with all our computer wizardry and keyboard hocus pocus.

I guess the question is - how were multiple architects and interns able to collaborate on a single project at the same time? For example, I can update the RCPs as someone else is making changes in the floorplans, and I can simply reload that XREF. Would you have to draw something in the floorplan and then pass the sheet down the table to someone so they could trace in the new wall on the RCP? Maybe they were better communicators back then. If I'm not CC'd on an email, I won't find out about something until weeks later. I pretty much have to ask around every couple days to see if there are any new sketches or design elements or details that I should be aware of.

In some ways the computer seems to expedite things, but in other ways it seems to impede. I think I prefer the computer method, but sometimes when that plotter gets on the fritz I think to myself, "man I could freakin' hand draft this in less time!"