Life of an Architect

DECEMBER 28, 2014

The soil in my area of practice tends to be expansive because it contains a healthy dose of clay, which expands and contracts as moisture enters the equation. Remove water due to hot and dry conditions, and the soil contracts. This doesn’t mean that everyone who graduated in my era could sketch – far from it.

Sketching 88

Sketching Architect Foundation Technique 88

Shades of Grey

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Sometimes I'm involved all the way through to contract documents but more often I will move on to a new project around the end of Schematic. Not sure what to say about this sketch, which I think I captured with my first digital camera when I was preparing to move to Dubai. I understand why, but doesn't mean I think it's the best way.

Sketching 52

Sketching Contract Concept Architecture Student 52

Architizer

MARCH 3, 2022

While her industry accolades include Contract Magazine’s 2017 Designer of the Year, Suzette believes that life beyond the design industry, especially motherhood, has transformed her career. Left: ARE Sketches Volume I; right: Lora Teagarden. Right: Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia; images via Yale School of Architecture and ANTIQUES.

Architecture 101

Architecture Firms Inspiration Education 101

Community Architect

DECEMBER 30, 2021

As a step towards the schematic design refinements, my boss had prepared 6' long pencil-drawn and marker-colored large-scale wall sections on narrow sketch paper strips that showed how everything should fit together. Such sketches are what I recommend my students to prepare if they want to test if they really understand their own design.

Project 80

Project Architect Sketching Roofing 80