A lot of people think that architects spend all of their time drawing. I think architects actually spend a lot more time writing. Emails, specifications, meeting notes, contracts, submittal reviews, redline comments, and more.
It is critical that architects hone the craft of writing. Spend time reviewing your written word and look for areas where you can improve clarity or make a sentence shorter. A clear and concise email will make life easier for the recipient, which means you will get a helpful response quicker.
There are a few guides that can help:
- The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (Amazon Link)
- On Writing Well by William Zinsser (Amazon Link)
- The Architect’s Guide to Writing by Bill Schmalz (Amazon Link)
Architects should spend as much time developing their writing skills as they do developing their drawing skills.
-Michael
January Billings Continue Slump But Contracts Improve
The Architecture Billings Index was down slightly in January with a value of 49.3. This is the second month in a row where firm owners indicate the pace of declining earnings has improved. The data also shows an increase in project inquiries and healthy growth in firms signing new design contracts.
This month’s commentary covers international projects and the anticipation of more interest rate hikes.
January: 49.3, December: 47.5, November: 46.6, October: 47.7, September: 51.7, August: 53.3
ABI January 2023: Architecture firm billings decline at slower pace
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Alternative Plant-Based Building Materials
We’ve been building with wood forever. Now some manufacturers are looking at other fast-growing plants that are suitable for developing sustainable construction materials including straw, hemp, cork, and more.
In Search for Sustainable Materials, Developers Turn to Hemp
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NCARB Eliminates the ARE Rolling Clock
All passed exams for ARE 4.0 and ARE 5.0 remain valid and the 5-year timeframe to complete all exam sections will be eliminated as of May 1, 2023. NCARB will work will all states to also transition local rules.
NCARB Eliminates the ARE Rolling Clock Policy
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Every Firm Has THAT Architect
The title of the article alone should get your attention, but I found this quote compelling: “The architect, it seems to me, must be a formidable professional, but also, an even more exceptional human.”
Considering the God Complex in Architecture
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AI and AR Should Combine All The Data We Generate
The design and construction process combines huge amounts of data that would be incredibly useful in the operations of a building long after we are gone. This article touches on my opinion of where Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality will take us one day.
