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 | May 26, 2020
Talking Shop with Marlon Blackwell
We have a special guest, Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, on the podcast. If you are not intimately familiar with his work, I am excited to be in a position to share it with you. I first met Marlon almost 30 years ago, just as his career started to take off. Episode sponsor: PAC-CLAD by Petersen Aluminum
Life of an Architect Podcast | May 14, 2020
Objects of Design
For every architect and designer, there are objects out there that resonate for them in a profound manner and can even shape their design philosophies. These can be buildings, products – even materials – but no matter what you call them, they are “Objects of Design.”
Life of an Architect Podcast | Apr 27, 2020
Big Design, Small Details
Just about every architect worth their measure develops a design process that works for them - it’s almost like a fingerprint, it’s that unique. In today’s episode, Andrew and I are going to talk about design, and we are going to do it in a manner that’s proper to the sort of design conversation that you might hear if you were sitting next to two architects at a bar. Episode sponsor: Sierra Pacific Windows
Life of an Architect Podcast | Apr 13, 2020
Apps for Architects
Architects are using technology more and more, and with each passing day, more of this technology is available from the comforts of your cellphone or smart tablet. Are there applications out there that you should know about? Of course there are! In episode 47, Apps for Architects, we are talking about mobile applications that allow architects to do their jobs while on the go. Episode sponsor: BQE Software
Life of an Architect Podcast | Mar 30, 2020
Working from home
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, business as usual is anything but. Andrew and I felt like we should interrupt our regularly scheduled podcast to take some time and talk about working from home—something that we all are going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Mar 20, 2020
Documenting Architecture
So you're sitting at your desk, you’ve got your project up on the monitor and you are in the zone and crushing it, but what does that even look like? The process of preparing drawings has evolved from “What do we need to do?” to “What can’t we do?” In today’s episode, we are going to talk about documenting architecture best practices in what is essentially creating the graphic instruction manual of constructing a building.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Mar 2, 2020
Architectural Technology
Architectural technology is changing how architects work, and what’s "in" today might be irrelevant by next week—but ignore these developments at your own peril. Even for your average, run-of-the-mill architect, technology is a way of life. But despite knowing this information, I am frequently amazed by just how amazing technology actually is and the role it plays daily in my work and my office. Episode sponsor: BQE Software
Life of an Architect Podcast | Feb 17, 2020
Inside the Firm
So you’ve graduated from architecture school and received a university degree in architecture—so what happens next? What exactly does an architect do? What if you don’t want to be a designer, maybe you have interests in how buildings are detailed and built, the selection of materials and finishes, firm management... so many directions you could go. Today we are going to talk about a bunch of them and take you Inside the Firm! Episode sponsor: BQE Software
Life of an Architect Podcast | Feb 3, 2020
Mentorship
Finding the right sort of person who can help guide you through the various stages of your career can be incredibly valuable and beneficial. Today, Andrew and I are talking about mentorship and what that means, what can make it great, why it doesn’t necessarily work, what you can do so that you might actually benefit from the experience, and what sort of relationship can make a mentor a great fit for you. Episode sponsor: PAC-CLAD by Petersen
Life of an Architect Podcast | Jan 20, 2020
Talking Shop With Omar Gandhi
Today is a special episode because we are sitting down with my very close and personal friend, even though we have never actually met, Canadian architectural rock star Omar Gandhi.
