Did you know that I wrote and published 66 articles this year on Life of an Architect? While that’s a bit off my pace from the previous years, statistically speaking, there’s still bound to be a few that are worth checking out. Unless you’re me, or a psychic, how would you know which ones were worth reading? Since I know you’re a busy person, I’ve taken the liberty of going through and figuring out which posts were the best ones from this last year – I have collected and arranged then according to their popularity here just for you.
In reverse order (based on view count, not awesomeness):
#10 Architecture in the Real World … Sorta
Published: 23 February 2015
Views: 15,721
Why You Should Read it: What is it like to be an architect? Architecture in the real world is a lot different from people think. Does school prepare you for being an architect? The reality of being an architect is that a vast majority of the time spent – for a vast majority of the people who practice architecture involve doing something that doesn’t even come close to resembling design – but – since I am an upbeat and positive guy, I like to think attitude plays a role in whether or not you view this as misery or something else altogether.
#9 Architectural Sketches – Keep or Throw Away?
Published: 12 January 2015
Views: 17,486
Why You Should Read it: Do Architects hang on to their sketches? I generate a lot of sketches in the process of being an architect and historically speaking, I throw them away. A vast majority of the sketches I create aren’t worth hanging on to for any sort of extended period of time, it would be nice to be able to look back at them after a chunk of time has passed … or am I crazy?
Published: 10 August 2015
Views: 17,930
Why You Should Read it: Is it important for an architect to sketch well? What if they can sketch “well enough”? While I have developed my own sort of sketching style, it isn’t art. However, I can’t imagine the design process occurring without picking up a pen and sketching. This post looks at a series of sketches that show the design evolution of the exterior elevations of a cabin project.
Published: 16 February 2015
Views: 18,218
Why You Should Read it: Redlines … it’s just a word but if you are in certain circles, it’s a powerful word. “Redlines” is all you have to say to either send some into some form of post traumatic stress disorder. I fall somewhere in the middle. Love ’em or hate ’em, redlines serve a purpose.
#6 Happiness and Being an Architect
Published: 16 March 2015
Views: 19,975
Why You Should Read it: Making the decision to be an architect is hard but making the decision to not be an architect might be even harder. For some people, letting go of a dream is the hardest thing you can do … but might be the right decision.
#5 Master Bathroom Prison Toilets
Published: 3 February 2015
Views: 21,284
Why You Should Read it: I seem to talk about toilets a lot here at Life of an Architect. I typed “master bathroom layout designs” in to Google and what I found is alarming … and horrifying. Master bathroom layouts from an architect should all have the same components to them – sinks, tub, shower and a private toilet room. What they should’t have is the toilet room sitting out in the main space – just like you would find if you were in prison.
Consider this an online intervention from me to you … don’t have a prison toilet master bathroom.
Published: 28 September 2015
Views: 21,607
Why You Should Read it: Shadows on construction drawings … who would do such a thing?!? As it turns out, I would. I thought adding shadows to these elevations would help convey some additional information and despite the fact that I know you should never add shadows to construction drawings, I’m doing it anyways. Why? Because there are a lot of things that I am willing to try in an effort to get a better built project. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not afraid to branch out and try new things.
#3 How to Survive Architectural School Juries
Published: 31 August 2015
Views: 24,442
Why You Should Read it: What would I tell myself when I was a freshman in architecture school? Easy … I would start with tips on how to survive an architectural jury presentation. Architectural juries are tough and this article will explain how to get present your project with success with just a handful of need to know pieces of information.
#2 I am an Architect and I Draw for a Living
Published: 9 March 2015
Views: 29,320
Why You Should Read it: The need for an architect to draw well is very important. An architect’s drawings conveys more than just how to build a building, it conveys the importance of a drawing. Architectural drawings do more than tell someone how to build something – when done correctly, they provide clarity. they are not just pretty drawings.
Published: 29 June 2015
Views: 77,157
Why You Should Read it: Being an architect has its up’s and down’s … and the skill set we develop in an effort to become better architects can actually make every day adventures out of the most mundane activities … like taking a shower, a slice of living hell.
There it is – the top ten posts from 2015 according to you. Now, it’s only fair to admit that I don’t truly think these are the best, they were only the most popular. One consideration for the posts making this list was that (in theory) the older a post is, the more times it has for people to read. That means that the more recent posts aren’t getting their fair shake.
That’s life.
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Keep up the good work!
Thanks Gang!
Bob,
Keep up with the good work. Keep blogging.
Thanks for the 66 this year – and best wishes for a wonderful new year. Keep up the good – and highly appreciated – work. :o)
Thanks Erik – cheers
You’re welcome. An by the way – and before I forget: the Playhouse Award arrived yesterday. Woo-hoo! I’m now the proud owner of a mahogany specimen, and it’s freakin’ gorgeous! Will try to come up with a tolerable mugshot at some point (soon), with the award in view and, if possible, some typical Danish scenery and/or architecture as a backdrop.
perfect … and if you don’t want to include your mug, your hand will also work. Ultimately the post I will assemble will hopefully spotlight the locations where all these awards went (gives you some pressure to represent!)
Nice wrap up, but I had finally gotten over that misaligned tile and now it’s stuck in my head. I hope you don’t sleep tonight either dreaming of your next client demanding a glass block house.
Pretty sure that will never happen. Luckily, most people have learned of my aversion to the product and it only gets brought up as a threat.
I hope you had a wonderful 2015 and I look forward to reading about your on-going adventures in 2016 – maybe this is the year that you’ll finally make it to a National AIA convention!
The same warm wishes to you too Bob. I’ve been told by several of our architect friends that I had better be there. I’d better check the calendar. It would be great to finally meet everyone in person.
indeed – with a little planning, it’s achievable and I think after all this time, it will be expected.
Wow, 66 articles. I’m not sure I could produce that much coherent writing in my own field, which is education – so color me impressed. And looking forward to more. BTW – my fave 2015 post is not in your list – I liked your photos from England post. That was THIS year, right? A very happy and healthy 2016 to everyone here – sincerely hope you and yours are safe and unaffected by the tornados.
My high-water post mark was 186 articles in 2010.
You are starting to become a long-time reader – those England posts were back in March of 2014 (just 3 months shy of being 2 years old!) I’m glad you liked them, that was a great trip and my daughter Kate still talks about it as one of her more favorite excursions. Of course, this March we will be heading to the island of Exuma (Bahamas) where we will be hanging out with the swimming pigs (I’ll probably get a picture of that as well!) Hopefully that will be an equally memorable adventure!
Than you for participating this year on site – having a non-architect involved and active is more gratifying than you can possibly imagine.
Cheers!
No kidding? Your UK trip was 2014? Good grief. I truly thought it was just this year. Oh well. I’m glad being a clueless non-architect is useful here in some way too. I’ve looked at buildings of all kinds with a critical eye all my life, but thanks to your blog, I look with two much- better educated eyes now. ⭐️
77, 157 people read the one about the hotel bathrooms, lol??? I can’t believe I missed reading the one about prison toilets!!! I don’t like to quote client’s in my responses or in my blog but here’s one that I think absolutely shows how intimate the conversations get with residential work and how stubborn some of those clients are, here’s what a wife said to me when I suggested that the toilet be in its own room, “it doesn’t bother us to see each other on the toilet…” Good job Bob!
Prison toilets – I debated that with one of my clients literally for weeks! They simply don’t care enough to let me dedicated small room to the toilet. In their defense, there are medical reasons why they don’t want to have the toilet in a small room – so I conceded gracefully.
Yes, for medical reasons I would steer them towards the hospital room bathroom plan, plenty of room for a person and a lot of friends. I guess I’m going to have to start writing about hotel bathrooms… 77, 157…
Thanks for all 66 this year. I don’t recall when I found LOAA, but not from the beginning like many others. So it is 66+ x __ years = ___. Could I make a suggestion that you publish a list of all the blogs by title and date so we could go looking for things that might interest us. This would get you out of one week of writing a new useful and coherent blog ;-). Looking forward to the next 66+. Have a good 2016 in this and your real Life as an Architect.
As the years have gone by, I’ve discovered that I am generally talking about current observances and as a result, the article count has generally dwindled every year since 2010. I think I wrote 186 articles that year!
Hope you have an adventurous 2016! Look forward to having your continued involvement on the site here – it’s the addition of many voices and opinions that truly make this site worth reading. Thanks for that.
…and so much fun was had by all. And here is to a 2015, a year that went by quick. who knew what it would bring? and here is to 2016, hoping it brings great things.
thanks Bob.
There are always adventures to be found – I know that the beginning part of 2016 is going to be busy. Since nothing ever seems to go exactly to plan, I am just mentally gearing up so I can roll with what comes my way.
Hope to see you soon – have a terrific new year!
Nice wrap up! Have a Great New Year.
Thanks Robert – trying to enjoy a little down time over the next week before I get back at it (2016!)
I hope you had a wonderful 2015 as well.