Architectural Library

I like to say that Architecture is a "reference profession".  First, there is no way that any person can have the minutia and details of a respective building code committed to memory.  Second, there are countless material and design considerations that require specialized installation details or fixtures.  Third, sometimes I need inspiration!  So, I have established my own architectural library.

Puddles are fun...

...except when they end up in your basement!

This week has been crazy - I have had a lot going on at home and at work.  Some of it work-related, some of it sick-kid-related.  But, one great thing did get started this week: a new promotional campaign for Kannel Superior Agency, Inc.  We are working on some new ways to interact with our customers.  We'll see if it works.

Published!

When I worked in New York I had the opportunity to work with some very talented people.  I also worked on some extraordinary projects.  These are the types of projects that get published in magazines.

The project featured on this month's cover of Westchester Cottages & Gardens Magazine was the product of a great collaboration:  I was working for the firm of Richard Henry Behr Architect; interior design by Young Huh (who got the project published); Comstock Residential Contracting completed a masterful product.  For my part, I was the architect: I designed the building and layout for this AWESOME bathroom in Scarsdale, New York.

The art of the sketch

One of the pieces of the field of architecture that is wasting away is the "sketch".  I have observed, from my experience with students (interns from Cincinnati who came to work with us in New York), that architectural education lacks exposure to the fun and necessity of hand-drawing.  The result is that students don't even know that they need to draw and so they don't seek after it - they don't practice.

I can attest to this personally!  Even though I got into the field because I love to draw, I stopped drawing in college for a long time because I thought the computer could do it for me.  Finally, I had a faculty member FORCE me to draw free-hand for a crit.  I thought he was crazy.  It turns out that was exactly what my project needed - the freedom from a straight-edge to get the creative juices flowing.

Pep Talk: Get Involved!

Every once in a while I need a pep talk.

I know that I have the ability to convince myself that our society, my work, government...whatever your topic...is totally ruined.  "We are beyond recovery" or " There is nothing we can do about it NOW!" or "What can I do about it, anyway?!?!"  It seems that, in our current period of precarious economic conditions, these types of statements are very common.  HOWEVER(!) I know that these types of statements are also FALSE!  And I recently had an extraordinary venue to relate my perspective to a group of local community leaders.