selophane.blog

I’ve gone down to Atlanta for an extended weekend. While I’m here I’m just planning on relaxing, and maybe getting a little studying done for my Building Systems exam. In addition, I figured I’d see what the Job market looks like down here, not that I’m seriously thinking of relocating, but hey, I can’t argue with the housing prices. I could like in midtown in a 2 bedroom 2 bath for less than my month condo payments.

While I’m here, is there any new architecture that I should check out, besides the aquarium of course? In the same vein, is there any good mid-century modern developments in the Atlanta area?

I take the structural systems exam on Thursday and I am scared! I have no idea how to do earthquake or wind loading and just barely grasp the basic concepts, plus I’m still not sure how many formulas I’ll need memorized. My only real consolation is that the vignette seems really easy.

Add to all this that I haven’t gotten either of my previous tests results back, so I’m still in the dark as to how I’ve been doing.

On a side note, I’ve been busy working on freelance work trying to get new jobs. So maybe I’ll be able to pay my mortgage when my unemployment runs out in August. Here’s hoping.

Two colleagues of mine were let go a few weeks ago. Since then, the three of us have decided to pool our collective architectural resources and work towards developing a client base and a freelance design business. This sounds much easier than it actually is. The time it takes to find people to write or call is enormous, add that to my weekly writings for DC Metrocentric and my studying for my ARE exams, I am finding that I am busier than when I was working full time, or maybe it just feels that way.

So today I had my first solo freelance gig. I was going to consult a homeowner on whether a wall was structurally necessary and if not, provide some help with a bathroom design.

When I got there, I took a look at the space and went up into their attic to see how the roof was structured. The attic was mostly fiber fill insulation with a small plywood landing area. I could see that the roof trusses ran across the house and seemed to bear on the outer walls, but I was hoping to get a look at the ceiling framing to see the wall better. With so much downy snow-like insulation I had a hard time seeing the bottom of the trusses and on my first truss I missed the bottom chord and stepped through the ceiling. While trying to prevent myself from falling two stories to my death, I ended up making a big hole and cracking some more of their ceiling.

Needless to say not only was my leg bruised, but my pride was hurt as well. To add insult to injury (literally) in the rush of everything we never signed the letter of agreement. To make up for the damage I told the homeowner that would waive my fees and did some kitchen consulting in addition to the bathroom design.

I was hoping to use this opportunity to make a little money, but more to make a future good referral. In the end I just have to hope I don’t get sued.

I have been searching for an inexpensive way to visit my family in New York, and the express buses seem to be the best option. I haven’t taken Megabus yet, just Bolt (primarily for the use of wifi and outlets). So I have now taken three trips between NY and DC on the Bolt bus and while that is not a huge sample set, I have to say i have a 33% satisfaction rate. The first trip (from NY to DC) was great, it went fine and it wasn’t completely full (this is in my best interest, but not Bolt’s). The second trip (DC to NY) was packed and the air wasn’t working, but at least the bus stopped at a rest area for us to get food. Yesterday I took the bus (back from NY to DC) and it was again a mixed trip. I ended up alone in my row, but we didn’t make any rest area stop and the bus took almost 5 hours to make the trip. I have to say that as far as performance its been fine. I’ve gotten to my destination on time, I just haven’t been comfortable. There is just a huge difference in comfort between taking the train, plane, and taking the bus.

As far as waiting for the bus is concerned, the DC side has the NYC side beat. The Grand Hyatt at Metrocenter provides a convenient Starbucks and bathroom while you wait, and the parking lot with the sun-shaded “green walk” removes you from the general traffic. In NYC, there is a Sbarro, but the bathrooms are tiny and dirty, and they have a 30 minute eating/waiting policy. There’s always the Penn Station, but the bathrooms there are even shadier, and while there are lots of food options its really removed from the bus stop. Once you are outside you have to wait on the sidewalk in front of either the Sbarro or an adult bookstore; not the most comfortable options.

Financially, this is a vast improvement over the train. If I get a $25 bolt ticket plus $4 metro fare and $9 LIRR fate, it takes me less than $40 each way to visit my family. If I took Amtrak I would have the same metro/LIRR expenses but the ticket would be at least $90. On the other hand, if I can find air fare under $50 to NY from IAD the bus might not be such a good deal. The bus takes me about 8 hours of travel time, while an airplane would be around 3 (including my waiting in the airport). Of course it beats driving, which would cost me at least $30 in tolls not to mention gas.

I’ve been harboring a secret for the past few weeks and been dying to post about it but had to wait until it went live. I am now a weekly feature writer for the DC architecture and property blogDC Metrocentric. Its one of the reasons O haven’t posted on here very much, that and just plain laziness. I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to develop a writing identity for that site. I will be analyzing and criticizing local architecture within the beltway. If anyone has any suggestions I would welcome the input.

You can find my first post, a criticial analysis of the architecture of the Metro system, live on the site now. Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Image via The Washington Post.]

The Washington Post ran an article recently highlighting the human side of how this recession (depression?) is affecting architects in the DC area.

One of the people they interviewed is a former co-worker of mine from a few years back. I’m saddened to hear that she is also going through what I am dealing with. Like most of us unemployed architectural professionals, she is a hard worker and team player and does not deserve to be jobless. Unfortunately she is in a worse situation than I. She’s a foreign national and when she lost her job she lost her work visa. I can’t imagine having to deal with the pressure of knowing that not only do you need a job to pay the bills, but also to keep living here.

In a time such as this, when illegal immigration has become such a hot button issue, you would think there would be some outcry for the legal immigrants who came through all of the right channels. Now face a horrible decision; give up all that they have accomplished and move back because someone let them go, or overstay their visa and risk deportation. I think there should be some sort of federal stimulus based amnesty/leniency for work visa holders who have been laid off through no fault of their own. The immigrants rights groups need to address this before we start to lose all the foreign talent we have attracted.

So I’ve been sworn to secrecy that I cannot divulge any information about the licensing exam section I took yesterday. But I can discuss my preparation, my opinions and the testing center.

I’ve spent the last few weeks splitting my time between looking for work and studying for the Construction Documents and Services ARE section. My studying consisted of the NOVA AIA study sessions, Kaplan prep books, and the NCARB study materials available on their website. As I was told at the AIA NOVA roundtable, the NCARB study questions were the most helpful, they focused more on content and less on tricky grammar hang-ups which seemed to be similar to what I experienced. The Kaplan book was really helpful as a kind of general overview and primer for the exam, but its questions were very much the opposite of the NCARB questions and were more helpful as a general kind of review of each chapter. The study session I attended focused on the AIA documents and while duplicated a lot of the information I read in the book, was very helpful because it was organized in a much easier to understand way. As far as the vignette was concerned I have to say that the Kaplan sample problems just don’t stack up to the NCARB software. Drawing by hand is very different from the drawing program and the Kaplan problems included things like doors, windows, and clerestories which were not a part of the NCARB software.

The testing center itself was an interesting experience. I had no problem finding the place and it wasn’t very busy. I was able to start my exam almost an hour earlier than scheduled. The weird thing is the whole sign-in and sign-out during breaks and the fact that each time you have to show your ID, also the absolute silence of the testing room save for the clicking of mice and keyboards can be quite disconcerting. I did have the testing program crash on me, but the proctor was able to restart the program without a problem and I didn’t loose any time. Luckily I was just checking my answers when it happened, if it had happened mid-vignette I think it could have really affected my performance.

All told, the experience was a lot less stressful than I imagined that it would be. I was worried that it would be as nerve wracking as the AP and SAT exams I took in High School, but instead it was almost relaxing. I’ve scheduled for my next exam – Building Design and Construction Systems – in three weeks.

I just read a great article on the New York Times about a new product from Autodesk (Design Your Dream House, Lamps and All – Bits Blog – NYTimes.com).

It looks like Autodesk is getting into the 3-D home architect/interior design business with their new product “Project Dragonfly”. But instead of charging an arm, a leg, and the blood of your first grandchild like they usually do, Autodesk is giving it away to the public and charging the product manufacturers to list their products. I don’t know what to think about this. On one hand its great that there is a free way for people to redesign their interior spaces without having to use the IKEA planner or The Sims. But on the other, the product placement aspect and limitations to using Autodesk’s approved library of products rubs me the wrong way. In addition, I can just see the army of housewives and weekend warriors storming their local home depot with print outs from this website in hand believing that they should get a “trade” discount because now, they too are designers.

Here are some of the links I’ve been looking at today:

• The washington post has a column discussing the trials and tribulations of the new apple store in Georgetown and what this protracted historic design board rejection/approval process means for future developments here and elsewhere.
• Icon Magazine has an interesting article about an exhibition at the Tate Modern of two of my favorite Modern Russian Artists: Rodchenko and Popova. I love their creation of three dimensional space within an abstract medium.
• The Washington Post has an article naming four architecture firms (Morphosis Architects, Richard Meier and Partners, Kieran Timberlake and PEI Cobb Freed and Partners) as having been awarded new embassy building contracts by the State Department. Anyone looking for work near one of these firms office mght stand a good chance of getting employed, especially if you have past government experience.
• Washington Spaces has a post about McInturff Architects wining an award from Spark Modern Fires for a fireplace design using one of their products. Their design has the fireplace surrounded by glass shelves filled with books. The other entries are presented on the site as well. I particularly like the fireplace in the tiled bathroom.