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Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 21, 2024Some 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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 7, 2024
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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 23, 2024
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?
Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 9, 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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Aug 26, 2024
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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Aug 12, 2024
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?
Bob Borson, FAIA | Aug 8, 2024
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!
Bob Borson, FAIA | Jul 1, 2024
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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Jun 17, 2024
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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Jun 3, 2024
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.
Bob Borson, FAIA | May 20, 2024
We are finally conceding to a request that’s been made a thousand times–-do an episode on starting an architectural business-–a topic that I have resisted for essentially six years, and I think I’ve finally broken. This is not as easy of a topic to discuss as you might think because there are a million different ways you could answer a question this broad. In an attempt to make this conversation of value, we are going to start at the beginning, and we are going to eat this whale one bit at a time.
Bob Borson, FAIA | May 6, 2024
Today we are going to be talking about “drawing stuff.” If you are wondering what that really means, you are in the right place, because that’s what Andrew and I are going to try and figure out. Welcome to EP 150: Drawing Stuff!
Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 22, 2024
This will be the 5th time in 5,209 days that I have put my opinions about taking on extra work outside of your normal job and typically during ridiculous hours of the day and night. This practice has come to be known as “moonlighting” and depending on your age and where you are at in your career, it is either the light at the end of the tunnel or an oncoming train. Andrew and I originally had something else scheduled for today’s show but this topic has been forcing itself into my brain over the past month or so and I want to talk about it.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 8, 2024
You check the time and realize that you have four minutes before your next meeting. Maybe it’s an internal meeting, maybe clients are coming in. Is it in person or online? Depending on how you answer those questions, time to start scrambling so that you are where you need to be and have the information required to make this meeting a good use of your time. But guess what? I promise that you will end up waiting on someone (maybe you are that someone). Either way, you aren’t getting that time back and you haven’t even started yet. Welcome to Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 148: Meetings are a Waste of Time.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 5, 2024
How good do you need to be at drawing if you want to become an architect? What if you can't draw? Can you still become an architect? These are questions I hear a lot, especially from people my age who became accountants and consultants. Is there an easy answer to these questions? Of course there is, but that doesn’t mean the answer is easy. Welcome to Life of an Architect Episode 147: Draw Like an Architect!
Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 18, 2024
We get asked a lot of good questions here on the show. They come up in the comment section, they are sent into our email inboxes, and some slide into our DM’s. Sometimes we reach out and ask people what they would like us to discuss, which is what’s happening on this episode. We started with 10 questions and made our way through seven of them before we hit our time limit. One of these days I think a fireside chat done in real time would be an interesting way to work through these questions. In the meantime, welcome to episode 146: Ask the Show Spring 2024!
Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 26, 2024
In the architecture and construction industry, delegated design refers to the process where certain design responsibilities are transferred from architects to contractors during the construction phase. This collaboration is considered crucial in ensuring that the project progresses smoothly from design to implementation.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 13, 2024
From a design standpoint, some things are just cooler than other things. And these things don’t need to be justified to anyone, because people either understand it or they don’t. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t an amazing story behind these objects that might contribute to their coolness in a meaningful way.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 29, 2024
In this episode of Life of an Architect, we are focusing on drawings. The question that first comes to mind is to talk about what we draw, why we draw it, who we draw it for, and why that impacts all other considerations. With all of that on the table for consideration, the real conversation is centered around how much we draw, and why the answer to that question is complicated. Welcome to episode 143: Architectural Drawings: Excessive or Essential.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 15, 2024
Astronaut, fireman, ballerina, pilot, builder, dump truck driver – these are all things that children consider as a profession, even before they know the word “profession.” For a lot of architects (but not all), they decide they want to be an architect pretty early in their childhood development. How does that work out? What does it look like? And does it change as you move through the process? Andrew and I are going to make it personal in this episode. Welcome to EP 142: When I Grow Up.
Bob Borson, FAIA | Dec 18, 2023
It's December 2023, and Andrew and I find ourselves in front of the microphone for the final time until 2024. It is the annual state of the state address where we look back at all the interesting bits and pieces covered over the last 12 months while providing a sneak peak at the adventures to come in 2024. Welcome to EP 141: 2023 Yearapalooza!
