Apologies for the interruptions

So one of my rules about writing for this blog is that I don’t write about details within my personal life. Well, to explain why I haven’t posted I need to break this cardinal rule.

My world has been in a bit of flat spin these past few days. To understand why I need to back track a bit. As many of you know, in February I was laid off of work. Since that time I have taken my licensing exams and started my own (not yet profitable) firm, all while making due on unemployment. Because my finances were drastically reduced I applied with my Mortgage Servicer, Bank of America, for hardship assistance back in March. After one case of lost paperwork and a second submission i finally was told in May that I was ineligible for a loan modification because my loan is privately held. I thought that would be the end of my situation, i wouldn’t be able to adjust my mortgage but I would find some way to make ends meet. A few weeks later I received a call from the bank telling us that if while we couldn’t be serviced with the original plan, if we entered a 3 month forebearance which would effictively make us 2 months behind on our payments, we would be eligible and likely candidates for a modification through the other option of the Making Home Affordable program. Part of this agreement was that we would not have any late fees nor any negative impact on our credit scores, and any arrears would be rolled into the modified mortgage. By the start of Junes we had signed the paperwork and started down the primrose path under the assumption that they still had all of our paperwork and that in three months we would find out about our modification. Three months later our forbearance expired and after a few weeks of non-communication and being told to wait for contact from the analyst we were told that we needed to resubmit our paperwork and data. We were told that once they received our paperwork within 4 weeks we would receive a fedex package with our loan modification documents.

Here is where a detour occurs in the story. About 2 weeks after our contact with the bank I came down with a weird mystery illness. I started having daily cyclical fevers, lack of appetite and intense malaise. After a week and a half of trying to let it run its course I went to the Doctor. After another week and a half of waiting for my blood work results they came back showing that I had mono and possibly Lyme Disease, which was at least better than their initial suspicions of Lupus. Not 3 days after finding out why I was so tired and weirdly sick we got a call (not paperwork as promised) from the bank. They called to tell us that our modification was denied, because as a person who was unemployed my contribution to the household income was not enough in relation to our debts. I had two options, I could increase my income (I would gladly do that if it was possible) or decrease my debts (which again is not possible given my situation). The call was escalated to the call center Manager and I was told by him that I as someone who was unemployed I should never have been told that I could qualify under the Making Home Affordable plan (even though their website’s eligibility calculator suggests that it is intended for those with a decreased income due to job loss). In addition, we were also informed that we needed to pay the amount due on the account within 8 days (5 business days) otherwise they would start reporting us as delinquent to the credit agencies and start foreclosure proceedings, even though we still have not received anything in writing stating that our request has been denied.

At this point I had had it, so I insisted on speaking to his manager and was given a voicemail. I calmly but forcefully expressed my frustration and displeasure at their practices, suggested that their customer service was reprehensible, and insisted that if this was not resolved I would seek legal counsel and ask my friends and associates to change banks. This was on Friday, as of tonight I have not heard back from the supposed manager. Meanwhile, I have contacted HUD to get some assistance and clarification on this program and started the process of short selling my house so I don’t have to go to foreclosure.

As you can see, I’ve been a bit distracted and have not had a spare moment to focus on this blog. I apologize. I have a few posts that have been percolating and will be posting them in the coming days/week. I appreciate your patience.

Tuesday – Time for Links

I was not able to post anything yesterday, because I had a job interview. Now I present you my weekly links of interest.

I have a new article on DC Metrocentric This one is a further exploration on my opinions of the Solar Decathlon.

In case you missed it last week, I wrote an article for Greater Greater Washington about using the Washington & Old Dominion Trail for a new VRE/Dulles Express line. This article kicked off a big discussion about metro and the silver line. You can see the rest of the articles here.

Archipreneur has a link to a presentation by Mickey Jacob, FAIA to House Committee on Small Business. This video highlights the goals of the AIA’s Rebuild & Renew Plan, which primarily calls on congress to make available low or no interest loans which would be useable for design fees as well as construction. This is the kind of boost that the A/E industry really needs to stay alive.

Treehugger has an article on a Prefab Portable Green Roof Installed In Toronto. I love the idea that companies could install removable green roofs on buildings that they are leasing without having to make permanent physical changes. In addition, I think this technology poses great possibility for low impact temporary installations.

The Floating House, by Morphosis Architect Thom Mayne, has received more traction within the news. If this design type becomes more common in New Orleans my personal proposal for the city would definitely be doable.

clips … Media/Reality … A folding plywood seat … A Modern sofa (I could swear I’ve seen a similar IKEA piece) …

Solar Decathlon

Today I headed down to the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall. While there I was able to tour 15 of the 20 homes. I was happy to see that the Mall was crowded with people braving the wet and cold to visit these houses, even if that meant that the lines for some of the more award winning homes (like Germany and California) were so long that I chose to see 8 other houses instead of trying to get into them.

These houses all had innovative design solutions to create energy efficient and responsible homes. Interestingly enough, most of the homes used off the rack products, but just assembled them in innovative ways. Where I found the homes to be lacking was that most of them did not fully address their sites. Many of the homes did not interact with the portions of their lots that faced away from the main walk-way (those on the North were predominantly South focused, and those on the south were mainly North focused). Now I know a lot of this had to do with strategic window placement, but for homes which were little more than 15’x50′ rectangles it felt like opportunities to fully engage the site were lost. The teams DID engage the sites, they created decks, plantings and water features, but the houses often did not interact with these features.

One of the things that I found the most informative about the whole competition was not something anyone did, but rather what they were prohibited form doing. Most of the teams had integrated some form of waste water reduction technology through the filtration and re-use of gray and rain water systems. Unfortunately, they were not allowed to use these systems, because in DC it is a violation of plumbing code to use rain or gray water from anything domestic; it can only be used for landscaping needs. Apparently this is standard in many jurisdictions throughout the country. For a city that is trying to be more LEED friendly and at the same time develop its urban neighborhoods, this is a travesty. The student representatives at many of the buildings made it a point to highlight the water savings features and their inability to use them and encouraged visitors to contact their representatives to change this piece of legislation.

Wednesday – App Review – CardSnap

It took me a while to find an app that could successfully translate any business card into a contact. I tried out apps that limited the number of contact fields and the types of fields (e.g., no e-mail addresses or job titles), but eventually decided to bite the bullet and pay the rather hefty price of $18.99 for Beach House Software’s CardSnap. This application will translate any business card regardless of orientation or text arrangement into an iphone contact. The only drawback is that it can take up to 24 hours, this is because the application sends the photo of the business card that you’ve taken with the iphone to a server where a “proprietary process for processing and mapping the cards” creates a contact without using OCR. Now as far as I’m concerned that proprietary process is probably an offshore customer service center in Bangalore, but it works and thats what’s important. I have had to correct one or two letters in a company name on occasion. But for the most part this is a great app. It is definitely a time saver, if you are willing and able to wait a day to have a full contact automatically created from a business card.

Tuesday – Time for Links

I’ve always been a fan of transformer furniture, Treehugger has a post about an auditorium chair that transforms into a solid sloped plane when not in use. I could image using furniture like this to make a studio apartment have multiple uses.

Archipreneur highlights an apartment in NYC which is centered around a ribbon of concrete. I have long been interested in concrete in residential applications, and i feel that this project does a really good job of integrating the material into the space. I especially like the interplay of concrete, wood and brick.

clips …Build Blog has a post highlighting how to integrate both modern and traditional architecture into the same project … I love this Slope Sink on Materialicious … SEPTA has some very cool benches coming … Icebergs are stripped, who knew?

Terminal Studio

So last night I had a really interesting dream. In it, there was a national requirement that once you received your architecture license you had to return to Architecture school for an additional “Comprehensive” studio, but this time include all of the practical knowledge that your license conveys.

While I have to say, the concept of being in the high stress world of studio again would be off putting, the opportunity to have an all out academic architectural discourse and project would be welcomed. I think this need to find a creative solution to a problem is the reason I got into architecture, and I have found more and more often lately that it is not part of the actual practice. Creative solutions are good, but they seem only useful during academic planning exercises. Instead, most people want proven quantifiable solutions. If only there were more Design Charettes that were open to public participation instead of by invitation, I think we would see a lot more inventive architecture.

Medical mysteries

So, in addition to putting together our first permit set this week and having our first paint color consultation with a client, I have been feeling really sick. This is why I haven’t updated the last two days. I’ve been exhausted and had no appetite (yay! Weight loss!) and been having a series of fevers that give me a much better understanding of what women go through during menopause. At first I thought this was all allergy related, but after my first visit to an allergist yesterday (I’m allergic to dust mites, cats and all plant life here in northern Virginia) she seemed to think that it was something better suited to an internist to look into. So I’ve spent the morning being poked, stuck and x-rayed so they can try to figure out what is wrong with me.

I can’t help but think that a week ago I found out that I am an Architect, which at the time seemed like such a weighty matter and that it changed the course of my life. While now it seems like a small bump in the road compared to my physical well being. I just have to hope that they find it’s nothing major and something completely curable.

En charette

There will be no update today, I am busy working on a deadline.

Tuesday – Time for Links

Tree hugger has a list of 7 ways that the building industry can help reduce climate change. While many of the things on this list, like planning for people not cars and providing natural ventilation, are standard ideas for anyone who has been to architecture school since the 1970’s, this list is a great summary of changes that can and should be made in our building culture.

I am in love with this office in a steam trunk design. This reminds me of the new hotels for global nomads exhibit I saw at the Cooper Hewitt a few years back, and some of the steamer trunk designs that were a part of that show. What makes me really like this concept though, is that it would be great for the urban apartment dweller. When its time to change apartments, all you do is closet the trunk and wheel it away. Plus if you have a studio you can have an instant office when you need it.

Morphosis created a houser for the make it right foundation that can float on piers up to 12′ off its foundation. This is one of the best proposals I’ve seen so far. Architecture aside, this kind of reactivity to the natural condition is what is needed if New Orleans wants to survive future hurricanes. This design could be integrated into the proposal I wrote for a new New Orleans a year ago.

Clips … photovoltaic barrel tiles … wood veneer furniture … playgrounds from the 1970’s

Balti-less

This morning I went to a client consultation in Baltimore. While there we wandered for a bit around the Fell’s point district in addition to the neighborhood where the client’s property is (near John’s Hopkins Medical Center). I have to say, that my opinion of “Charm City” is not necessarily a good one.

This is my third trip to Baltimore, and while tourist areas like the Inner Harbor are clean and well maintained, I have a hard time liking them and the city as a whole. The clean-ness feels forced, especially in comparison to the rest of the city, which feels like the bastard child of Philadelphia and DC. The streets are wide like in DC, but there is very little green buffer between the buildings, the sidewalk and the street, like in Philadelphia. The neighborhoods and streets seem to quickly merge from one indistinct area to another, and while doing so they don’t really seem to retain any sort of character, unlike the distinct neighborhoods of DC. In Baltimore everything just feels grimy. This is not to say that the Fell’s point district wasn’t lovely. It just seems to not quite be lovely enough for such a posh neighborhood.

In addition, the Preservation movement and gentrification have come late to Baltimore. There are large parts of the city that seem destined to crumble in on themselves, and with the near housing collapse I have to wonder if these areas will ever get a revitalization boost. That is not to say that there isn’t architectural wonders to be found here, because there are. But they will need a good deal more rehabilitation than most areas of DC. This is not helped by the general lower standard of living in Baltimore than DC and the relatively poor mass transit system.

Maybe I just haven’t been in the right part of town.