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Bob Borson, FAIA  | 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.

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Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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 

Bob Borson, FAIA | 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.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 6, 2020

Changing Jobs

Changing jobs is exciting and terrifying at the same time, particularly if you are making a drastic change either in the type of work or the size of the firm–something I am experiencing at the moment. Today, we are talking about changing jobs, a topic that seems somewhat fitting given that it is the first podcast episode of 2020 and both Andrew and I have changed jobs. 

Bob Borson, FAIA | Dec 9, 2019

The Hypothetical Show

Consider this the “Director’s Cut” of hypothetical questions. We decided to dig back through all of 2019 and pull out our three most favorite questions and present them here in all their full-length unedited glory.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Nov 25, 2019

What to Get an Architect for Christmas [2019]

It’s that holiday time of the year. If you are lucky enough to have an architect in your life, and you are wondering what to get this special someone for Christmas, you’ve come to the right place.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Nov 11, 2019

Ask the Show

What music do you listen to? What’s your design process? What is your favorite building and why? What do you eat for breakfast? All this and more as Andrew and I answer your burning questions where almost nothing is off-limits. Episode sponsor: The Forge Prize 2020

Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 28, 2019

Labor is Cheap, Skill is Not

Architecture and skilled craft go hand in hand, but you may not be aware that the number of skilled individuals that are required to bring an architect’s ideas to reality. In today’s episode, Andrew and I are talking about the state of skilled labor in the construction industry. This is not a subject that receives a ton of attention, but one that can have a big impact on the work of an architect. Episode sponsor: CONSTRUCT

Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 14, 2019

Architecture and Math

If you ever thought about being an architect but thought you couldn’t handle the math, you aren’t alone. At parties across the land, as soon as someone finds out there is an architect in the crowd, there is a story being told about how they wanted to be an architect but since they couldn’t draw or weren’t very good at math they decided to do something else. Episode sponsor: CENTRIA

Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 30, 2019

Let’s Get Physical

Architectural models are clearly within the architect’s domain, but are you within the “physical models are better” or “digital models are better” camp? That’s the subject matter today as we discuss architectural models and their role in the creative process in a modern architectural office. Episode sponsor: Petersen Aluminum

Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 16, 2019

Taking the Architectural Registration Exam

Since Andrew and I completed our architectural registration exams in a previous decade than the one we are currently in, we brought in someone a bit younger to assist us with today’s topic, someone who has just recently gone through the process of taking the ARE. Welcome back to the show, my former podcast co-conspirator, Landon Williams. Episode sponsor: Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings

Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 3, 2019

Projects in Architecture School are Silly

The projects that architects-in-training work on while in school are rarely about solving practical problems and issues—the real objectives are almost always lurking just below the surface. Your projects from architecture school are silly, but for good reasons. Episode sponsor: CONSTRUCT

Bob Borson, FAIA | Aug 19, 2019

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? Episode sponsor: NUDURA

Bob Borson, FAIA | Aug 5, 2019

Starting Your Own Architecture 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. Episode sponsor: Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jul 21, 2019

Architects Should Work Construction

If I have one regret during my college education is that I never worked on a construction site. Once I graduated from college, I went straight to work in an architectural office, drawing up all sorts of stuff that I had literally never seen before in my life. I managed to get along, but I was acutely aware of my lack of practical knowledge and I have been trying to make up for it over the last 20+ years. Episode sponsor: Huber Engineered Woods

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jul 8, 2019

Social Media for Architects

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. Episode sponsor: CENTRIA

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jun 24, 2019

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. Episode sponsor: AIA Contract Documents