Forgetful

I write things down so that I don't have to remember too many items. I think my downfall this weekend was having either too much time or too many places to visit. I lost a piece of paper that had several ideas. They will return to me, I am sure.

Baroque Traditionalism?

I was thinking this might be a term for what I see with "traditional" architecture in America. We take all of the shapes, forms, finials, cupolas, bays, gabling, from past architecture styles and ply them on everything. This is when "less is more" is appropriate, not "less is a bore." Knowing to not overload the visual presentation of a building is key and artful. Restraint could be what is wrong with the American personality, spending too much, owning too much, eating too much, and by association, applying too much to our built environment. Paring back can simplify the look, unify design, and create more affordable and more palatable architecture.

Cards, etc.

Business cards are done and I am excited. They will be here next week along with preliminaries on a new website. Can't wait to get more logo stuff, maybe some t-shirts, etc.!

Lent

After having a hamburger for lunch, during the first day of Lent, I have sworn off beef and pork for as long as possible, probably past Easter. After cutting back for the past year due to the economy, I feel this will be a benefit for my wallet and health. Being Lutheran, I don't need to give up anything, but why not?

One Year

Full time job has been down 1 day for a year! woo. I feel as though I have used the time well, making contacts, drawing houses, reading, volunteering for the township, and more stuff around our house. Not a great event to celebrate, but by this time next year, we should be boiling hot, instead of tap water.

Cities

Traveled with the family to Easton to visit the Crayola Crayon factory for a decent trip and getting out of the house before another snowstorm. Taking the highway there is great, fast trip. Easton reminds me of several Western PA cities, such as Greensburg and Washington, due to the hills. But a downtown core that seems to be working on revitalization. Looked like some great restaurants and bars, small shops, and civic institutions to make it an active downtown. There is something that I just love about the energy that can be in a city.

Quiet Days

Recently very quiet, after reading, back to drafting, some networking. So much snow that slowed down life for a few days. New cards are coming soon, redesign of website after that.

Networking III

I continue to enjoy meeting so many new people on my jaunts out to networking events in Chester County. I am invigorated to know that once the economy begins to turn that I have done the leg work to make connections that people will know to turn to an architect, me.

End of the Book

Wow, I am just awestruck by how well "Why Architecture Matters," was written. I am also amazed at how well Paul Goldberger crafts the thoughts and beliefs about architecture that I happen to have stuck in my head. I often wonder what is the right critique about developments that disturb me, he sums it up like this, "Indeed, the truly defining characteristic of this time might be said to be the privatization of the public realm, and it has come to affect our culture's very notions of urbanism." Then this, "They (developments, etc.) exist to exclude, whereas traditional cities existed to include or at least had the effect of inclusion." This is very noticeable when major snow events happen in this area, cities and their denizens work together to help neighbors, suburbanites dig out only their walks, cars, and relegated spaces. I am not complaining, just observing, wanting to change the future of growth in our county, state, nation, and planet.

Blog about Blogging

Reading a review of two new books about architects, Gehry and Liebskind, the author of the article mentioned that the tradition of keeping a diary or written letters has passed. These eras have passed, but the blog is a great way to supplant the older forms and have a record of what was happening and what people thought during their careers. This is the reason I started this blog, so that I can look back to see where I came from. Perhaps forty or fifty years from now a book will be written about my beginnings and early commissions. As of right now, there are very few commissions, but plenty to ponder!

Architects on TV!

Stephen Colbert was covering the recession and what the media has to say about it. Mostly nothing, but labelling it a "man-cession." Somewhere over 80% of people that have lost jobs in the recent recession have been men. Architects are one of the hardest hit fields. To be nearly full time employed and some side work means that there is a bunch of networking happening and good deals from us mouse jockeys. Nonetheless, that is twice in the last two months that Colbert has mentioned architects, Paul Goldberger and his fantastic book and now about us losing our jobs at a very high rate. Good publicity!

New look

A new look for BHA is on its way! Stu, the Visual Communicator, and I have finalized the new logo and cards. Website redesign will start later this month.

Selling myself

I have been taking pix of local houses to show what can be done to improve curb appeal. Just spending money on the exterior with right sized shutters, a single door, grills in windows, dormers, small porches, so many little items can be done. That does not mean that they all HAVE to be done.