Architects Bob Borson, FAIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, LEED AP, produced 25 episodes of the Life of an Architect podcast in 2019. That's more than 28 hours of content on everything from the legal side of architecture, to presentation tips and techniques, to the construction bid process.
Here are the five most popular episodes of Life of an Architect based on the number of downloads by readers of Life of an Architect, Building Design+Construction, and Professional Builder. Enjoy!
1. Episode 30: Start Your Own Architectural Firm
Is it the dream of every architect to have their own firm one day? I can recall hours and hours of conversations that I’ve had with other architects throughout my career where this topic was front and center of our discussions. When I sat down and started to come up with potential topics to discuss on the podcast, “Starting Your Own Firm” was one of the very first topics that I wrote down. It has taken me 29 previous episodes before we finally made it around to this topic because I wanted to get the right guest for this episode. Listen to this episode.
2. Episode 28: Social Media for Small Firms
The thing with social media is that there are a lot of people out there that hold themselves out as experts, and if I am being forthright, a lot of those people drive me crazy. There is a big difference between knowing what you should do and then actually being able to do it. Just because I know how to deadlift 400 lbs doesn’t mean that I can actually do it [for the record, I can’t], or that you should be listening to somebody just because they hold themselves out as an expert. Listen to this episode.
3. Episode 26: First Jobs
Pretty simple and straightforward sentence: “Your first architectural job is important.” Let me clarify that I’m not talking about summer jobs or internships. Those don’t really count because they have a known shelf-life associated with them. What I’m talking about is the first real job a person takes once they’ve graduated from college–the job that signals the beginning of their professional career and more times than not is a predictor for the path your career will follow. Listen to this episode.
4. Episode 31: Obsession
Do architects have obsessive personalities? I tend to think so, and only partially based on my own behavior. I should throw out the caveat that I don’t think you should have to explain why you obsess over something. Isn’t that the nature of any obsession—that there is some level of irrationality associated behind it? Listen to this episode.
5. Episode 27: Is That Even Legal?
How much time have you spent thinking about the legal side of architecture? If you are like most architects, you probably haven’t spent enough time thinking about it. While it may not be the sexiest part of the architectural profession, it is something that every licensed architect must consider on every single project. Listen to this episode.
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Life of an Architect Podcast | Oct 21, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 162: Objects of Design
Some things are cool – even if you don’t know it yet. Andrew and I have prepared some stories today about some things you are probably familiar with but probably don’t actually know the whole story. We have each selected two things and we are going to share with you what we believe are some amazing stories.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Oct 7, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 161: Wow Moments
It happens on every project—sometimes you know exactly what it is because you had a hand in bring it into existence. Other times, you might be visiting the work of another architect … but if you look around, you can always find that something special that seemed to get just a little more attention than the rest of the project.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Sep 23, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 160: Determining Value
When I say the word “value”, the meaning that typically comes to mind is generated by that persons position or context. Andrew and I were having a chat about how employees think of value versus how employers think of value and is there a disconnect between these two groups that should be concerning?
Life of an Architect Podcast | Sep 9, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 159: Ask the Show Fall 2024
It is time for the second and last installment of the Life of an Architect “Ask the Show” episode for 2024. Once again, as is our practice we solicited questions to be submitted through our Instagram channels and selected as many as we thought we could reasonably get through in the time allocated for the show. All this and more on today’s episode as Andrew and I answer your burning questions.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 26, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 158: Architects and iPads
I am going to do at least two things on today’s show—eat a little crow and talk about how I use my iPad. I get asked this question often enough to where I have been meaning to talk about why you might want to use an iPad and what applications are actually worth your consideration and money. This will be a deep dive into a few applications that might very change how you go about your business.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 12, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 157: Blank Page Versus Project Constraints
You sit down at your desk, you turn your computer on, maybe you sharpen your pencils, you lay out your rolls of trace and your sharpie pens, and you are about to start work solving the problems at hand. But where do you start?
Life of an Architect Podcast | Aug 8, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 156: Build a Better House
This is a special show as we are discussing residential projects that focus on incorporating high-value building science techniques. The focus of the conversation centers around where to start, what strategies make the most sense and provide the most value, as well as providing guidance to residential architects and their clients who will be listening to this episode who are interested in learning more about incorporating building science strategies into their own projects. Welcome to EP 156: Build a Better House!
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jul 1, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 154: Networking
Today we are tackling a topic that we have never covered before, not even a little. Imagine walking into a crowded room and not knowing who to talk to or what to say, a situation I have found myself uncomfortably in more times that my therapist can ignore. The ability to build meaningful relationships and strategic alliances is a critical part of the success of any business. Today, Andrew and I will discuss a topic that at least from my side of things, have zero training in but is nonetheless a part of my job description and responsibilities in the office. Time to have a frank conversation about the indispensable practice of turning professional interactions into valuable assets. Welcome to EP 154: Networking.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jun 17, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 153: Inspiration
Whether your interests or skills lend themselves to design or technology, I think it is safe to say that creativity plays a role in the day-to-day experience of an architect. Sometimes you aren’t feeling it and the ideas don’t flow – which is bad. Sometimes the ideas are flowing too much, which can be worse. Either way you have to start somewhere. Welcome to EP 153: Inspiration.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jun 3, 2024
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 152: Starting a New Job
All around the country, new architecture school graduates are rolling up their sleeves to start their professional journey with their first “this time it counts” job. Some will be excited for this moment, some will be optimistically cautious, and then there are those who realize that this is the beginning of the end and the longest holiday they will take for the next 30 years is two weeks maximum. Andrew and I thought we could help these people ease into this phase of their lives with insightful and relevant information that could profoundly impact the trajectory of their entire lives. Welcome to EP 152: Tips for Starting a New Job.
