Love Letters to Dead Architects: La Roi est Mort, Vive La Republique

Dear Claude Nicolas Ledoux,

Thank you, I haven’t felt this way in forever. “What way?” You may well ask. The answer is fearful. I’m afraid of you and how you make me feel. It’s been a long time since I have not been in control of a situation. But that’s how you roll in Sublime isn’t it?

Though I may not show it, my years are not so long to recite the world-weary sighs I have often taken to. But you! You can see past all the frills and pomp of court to a surreal world of the mind. You are a man of the enlightenment, and I don’t mean that in the sense that you go around quoting Ovid or Martial or whoever, I mean that you understand the world as both a logical system of parts and also a living, breathing animal and it makes my heart cry. You keep calling yourself a moral neo-classicist. You’re not, and you know it.

Now, I know that you know that I know that you know where the money is coming from. You certainly can’t go throwing away a patron, but really? Madame DuBarry? The Dead King’s whore? Man’s got to do, I suppose, just promise that you will always come back to me.

With Love,
Retly Corm

I thought this one was especially vague: So let me clarify Tony Garnier basically invented the system of Zoning we still use today as well as being the inspiration for the famous/infamous CIAM or Congres International d'Architecture Moderne

Dear Tony Garnier,

J’ACCUSE!

That’s RIGHT! I accuse you! Of being too into your hometown of Lyon.

What? You thought it was something else? No.

But seriously, Lyon. I get it, it’s pretty amazing, but do you have to go so far as to compare it to a utopian society? I refuse to believe that Lyon has any less significant problems then Paris, or Chartes for that matter.

Now I know based off the layout of that city, you were able to compartmentalize the elements into what we’ll call…oh what is that word? Oh! Zoning. But to assume that all is well when it most certainly is not is a mark of, if not unflinching affection and patriotism, then foolishness. Just don’t let it go to your head.

In the mean time, why don’t you take care of those young people who have started to follow you around, tell them to start a club. You can call it: Care for an Immensely Amazing Man, or CIAM for short. The amazing man, will, of course, be you.

With Love,
Retly Corm

Dude, Where's my IDP?

IDP, the cruel mistress, like the Spynx she is: a vile monster from the bowels of Tartarus. She decides your fate, you either fail and get eaten and digested for six months or pass the trial and go on to kick-ass in Thebes.

Right now, I'm looking into the next step now that the hours situation has been more or less figured out (not finished, but not as confusing as it had been previously): So, according to the scuttle-butt, depending on what state you are in, you can start taking parts of the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) early.

But I've been searching and there's no clear list stating in which states that method is kosher.
So far the only concrete answer I've gotten is "consult your state ARE council". This emphasis on confederacy seems like a shady deal or two is being done. Which, don't get me wrong, makes this process much more interesting, but still how hard would it be to put the list up NCARB?

Anyway, below are some FAQs regarding the ARE from their website:


Who Writes the ARE?A committee of architects made up of representative members from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), Committee of Canadian Arcthitectural Councils (CACC), consulting engineers and code officials.

How do I register for the exam?You register for the exam with your state. Contact your state board for application requirements.

Is the exam the same in every state?Yes. Every state gives the same examination.

When is the exam given?You can take the exam whenever you want. The exam is administered year-round six days a week Monday - Saturday at authorized test centers around the country. Hours of operation vary so contact your test center of choice to verify business hours.

Where are the test centers located? There are more than 350 standardized test centers across North America. Once your application has been processed, you will receive a list of test centers with your approval notification.

Do I have to take the exam at a test center located within the state/province where I am seeking my registration?No. The computer based format of the exam allows candidates to take any portion of the test at any test center. However if you do relocate to another area before completing the exam, you will need to make sure that your scores are forwarded to the initial state jurisdiction where you initially began registration.

What is the exam format? The exam is given on computer. There are nine different divisions of the exam. Site Planning, Building Planning, and Building Technology are graphic tests. The remaining six divisions Pre-Design, General Structures, Lateral Forces, Building Design/Materials & Methods, Mechanical & Electrical Systems and Construction Documents & Services are muliple-choice tests. See exam information for complete details on ARE format.

Is the exam open or closed book? The examination is closed book, that is, no reference material is permitted. For some exam divisions, reference material can be accessed electronically. This material may contain excerpts from sources such as the AISC Manual of Steel Construction and the UBC. Candidates should therefore obtain copies of these books prior to the exam in order to become familiar with their scope and format.

Which part of the exam should I take first?Since candidates must pass all divisions of the ARE to become registered, you may start with any of the nine divisions. It is generally beneficial to take the three graphic divisions successively, since all use similar graphic tools. It may also be beneficial to take Pre-Design last, since this division includes material covered by other divisions, such as Building Design / Materials & Methods and Construction Documents and Services.

What if I fail a division of the exam?If you fail a division, you will have to retake it. However you will not be allowed to retake the same exam until at least six months has passed from the time of the first administration.

Doors Open

Arch Record's April issue had a small article highlighting this free service provided by a handful of cities around the globe, where you have the "opportunity to explore buildings that are either closed to the public or normally charge an entrance fee."

It's called Doors Open Denver, or Doors Open Toronto, etc.

I'm thinking this would be an excellent opportunity for us recent grads to saddle up for some architectural exploration! This website contains links to each of the known Doors Open locations.

I'm struggling to find the dates for the events, but I do believe the Denver one has already passed. And the Lowell one is the weekend I am hosting a bridal shower. Therefore, this year tanks for me - but there's always next year - I am jotting that down in my planner, fo' sho'.

Sketch Contest

So I just now opened April's issue of Architectural Record and discovered this quaint little contest. I'm not sure if we are "eligible" to participate, since we are not yet registered architects and we are not quite fully "trained as one," but perhaps they will let that slide. Check it out and see if it peaks your interest. I don't' think I have any such napkins around, but if I encounter some in the coming months I shall surely put them to good use!

Receive IDP Credit for Architectural Record Articles

I believe I introduced this topic a few weeks ago, when I was officially accepted into the AIA as an associate member. For any article in Architectural Record that is accompanied by the AIA/Continuing Education logo, you can obtain IDP credit. Each article has an expiration date, though, so be sure to complete it before that date passes.

Luckily the AIA, McGraw Hill and IDP have their ducks in a row for this task, because once you complete the quiz online your just sit tight! McGraw Hill submits your score to the AIA who then approves the specified Learning Unit. This approval process, however, takes at least 30 days (again, this is 2010 and digital submissions take weeks to validate?). Once your quizzes are approved by the AIA, the credit is added to your AIA transcript. You can then download the transcript and post it to your NCARB account.

This whole process takes weeks... all for an article/quiz that probably took 45 minutes to read/answer.

In fact, at this moment I am yet to see my credits approved by the AIA for quizzes I took as far back as March 20. Hmmm... I'll keep you posted as to whether this process is accurate, but it seems like (to reiterate) the only things you do are...

1.) Complete the quiz online

2.) Download your AIA transcript (after AIA approves credits submitted to them by ArchRecord)

3.) Post your AIA transcript to NCARB

Today I received my official AIA associate membership card, certificate, key phob and lapel pin in the mail! Now I can be cool and sly like the other members at the office, and whip out my card when I need to reference my number... hehehe.

Love Letters to Dead Architects: Demo-cracy

Dear (INSERT NAME HERE) ___William Levitt_____,

Congratulations! You have made it to the Love Letters to Dead Architects. I am personally excited about your addition(s) to the architectural world. Surely your work in standard, modular design will live forever in our minds and hearts. Through your innovation (s) in creating a/an available and easily constructible home standard for veterans returning from WWII that could be customized in small ways like, for instance, color you have really made a difference. Nevertheless, as is standard, there must be some criticism; we here at Retly Corm have found a few issues with your design which are listed below:

- How does this address natural landscape? Like, AT ALL?
- There is now an overwhelming dependence on cars
- Why is it just white people? The lack of diversity seems highly suspicious.

Despite the obvious flaws however, you did create/change the face of the American suburb, and in many ways set into motion the social revolutions of the 20th c. you have one of the few instances in which architecture is capable of actually changing the world, the field expects revolutions to come frequently but they rarely do, the movement that you began cannot be ignored as legitimate architecture.

Again, congratulations on your Love-letter,

Sincerely,

Retly Corm

Dear Charles Bullfinch,

You know what you are Chuck? You are a Faberge Egg Repair man. Big, pompous, delicate structures that, for some reason, have fallen into your hands and for that I’m sure no one has ever apologized. They should have, you deserved better.

The best example? The US Capitol building, what a nightmare THAT is. That project is the village bicycle, everyone has had a ride. I hope you know that now that you’ve been in that building, you’ve been with every architect it’s ever been with. Gross. Good work finally getting a roof on there though, surely this will be the only example of politics messing up art architecture. Ever. EVER.

Some people later may call your structures plain and so mired in enlightenment thinking that it does not become anything more than a pedantic fill in the blank solution. I think you’re more than that. I think you care about your country, I think you care about how they’re perceived by the international scene, if that means playing by their rules, so be it.

Yours ever,

Retly Corm

Mon Cher, Francois Mansart,

I saw your roof through the trees yesterday, and my heart stopped. Something so structurally practical and yet so beautiful has not been available since the tri-beam truss. Oh those Etruscans. While I can see the influence of your master, Solomon de Brosse, pretty clearly through the forms, they are clumsy first attempt at a post renaissance French style, waiting to be perfected by your hand.

Truly you are the best of your age, wrapped in baroque, but never stagnant, always moving towards the next idea.

However, why must you be so exclusive? Isn’t it possible that your search for perfection in architecture will set up a visual divide between the rich and poor of France so drastically that people will begin to question the use of their tax funds? Not only that, you may be setting a precedent for others to follow. Oh! Don’t look so serious! I’m sure that’s not exactly what’s going to happen, in like, a century. Après vous, la deluge arrive pas,
Avec amour,

Retly Corm

She Stoops to Conquer

So I was going to write a “Love Letter to Dead Architect” today and then I realized that my letters generally lack subjects of the female persuasion and I felt I should address the issue.

Women and Architecture, it’s always a tough subject. As far as I can tell in the world of construction there are two kinds of negative male to female relationships.

Option #1: Listen Girly, I may want to bang you, but I’m certainly not going to take your advice seriously.

Option #2: Aww, look at you, all cute and build-y.

There are of course many different variations on this theme but it’s hard when you want to be taken seriously and you have to navigate the waters in-between objectification and patronizing advice. If we look at fields in which women have been involved a little longer, for example, Law. The solution to this problem presents itself in a two-fold process.

Step 1: Just be better than those who would judge you. Stay sharp and if you can’t beat someone with experience or technical knowledge, beat them with desire and energy. You can never expect someone to see you differently until you give them reason to. Whatever you do, try not to play into the stereotypes of either “bitch” or “bimbo”. Not to be too Machiavellian, but if you have to choose whether to be feared or loved, pick fear, pick respect. This does not mean going out of your way to act tough, real inner strength is much harder to come by and much kinder to those around them.

Step 2: Wait. Just wait. This may be harder to withstand, but attitudes and cultures are fluid and with Step 1 firmly in place, the mortal coil will be shed and the environment will change. It just takes time.

Step 2 may be really irritating but let’s remember; Women have only been in the field officially for about 40 years, so I think the biggest hurdle we have to overcome is not the attitude of the people we work with, as much is it our gender’s lack of precedent. Without any laurels to rest on, that means having a lot of work to do. Starting from scratch has both benefits and pitfalls. On the plus side, women can define themselves not as accessories to male architects, but as their own embodiments. On the downside, there’s going to be a lot of Gina Davis in “Fletch”-type branding. Women can be there, but they can’t be the star. The best to expect: a token example of diversity. The novelty of a female architect will fade only when they are equal in number to their male counterparts. But until then, the perception of strangeness has to tolerated, an extreme example of this is in Zaha Hadid.

Zaha has brought a lot positive strength to aspiring female architects, but I have to wonder: would she be the driving force she is if she was a man? Like many starchitects she relies too heavily on her own style until it’s almost self parody, and yet she remains unscathed from the kind of criticism that in continuously chucked at Frank Ghery, who does basically the same thing. Not that she doesn’t receive that kind of criticism, but it has a tendency to be played down.

When does being a woman, designing like a woman or thinking like a woman become a shield or a crutch?

Personally, while I think that women and men are wired differently from one another, I don’t think it changes how a building gets put together. Steel is still steel and brick is still brick. Men and women will do different things with them, and I’ve heard arguments that state there are clear differences in how the two genders design and it could be my own ignorance, but I just don’t see it.

Finally, there’s one more part I want to discuss for female architects, and that’s how to balance biological instinct vs. career. I hate to say it, but most of the female architects I respect are either woefully unmarried or defiantly single and don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. Maybe something about buildings kills the desire to reproduce and that’s why there is so little desire to marry. Buildings, after all, are meant to last forever as a testament to human endeavor; children are less reliable and may just wind up hating you. Unfortunately, one thing is clear; neither of them calls as often as they should.

Point is, I don’t have an answer to any of these questions, but I think it’s an interesting couple of trends.


alternate title for this post:
All the Single Ladies. (Put a Roof On It)