Activity

Vaux le Vicomte (short train ride to Melun, then a cab from the station to the chateau) Canal du Midi (before they finish cutting all those plane trees down), Parc des Buttes Chaumont (Paris – read Beth Meyer’s essay ‘The Public Park as Avant Garde’ comparing Buttes-Chaumont and de la Villette before going), Parc de la Villette.  Alhambra…[Read more]

Paris is great both for the traditional formal French landscapes and for more contemporary ones such as the Musée du Quai Branly,(http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/musee/areas/the-garden.html)

I was in Paris a couple of years ago in early September.  We signed up for a couple of different bike tours not being familiar with the city.  I found the bike tour of Paris and the tour of Versailes to be very entertaining.  The trip out to Versailes was nice because you are able to bike through the town of Versailes out toward the Palace and wi…[Read more]

I’ll be there, stop in and say hi!

I recently had a similar discussion with two LAs, one a professor and one in practice. They both talked about the need for good writing skills The professor said writing comprises roughly 70% of our daily activities, from email to proposals. So, if no writing sample is included in the portfolio, you could ask for a short descriptive paragraph, or…[Read more]

I’ll just add this. I’ve been out of school since ’74. I worked for 15+ years where everything was hand drawn.
In the early 90’s I had to learn cad or I would not be able to do projects with A/E firms in the area…so, old dog, new trick…it was difficult at first but later I caught on and now do a fair job with it.
Now, I still hand draw all m…[Read more]

The sarcasm apparently didn’t translate.

Or maybe buy a tablet so you can hand draw on the computer?
 

I believe the only way to solve this computers vs hand drawing debate that seems to surface anytime anybody mentions or insinuates anything about computers is to change this internet discussion forum into a chain letter.  We can all be pen pals!

It’s really unfortunate, but a few firms cling to this really inappropriate way to handle plotting.
Color based plotting works great for the AEC industry, and most firms use that, with CTB files to correlate a layer color to a plot thickness. It’s elegant and it works. Meanwhile, Named Plot Styles were developed for those in the Mechanical,…[Read more]

imo, dont let this prevent you to apply for this job, unless its a draftsman’s position. It’s one of these kind of skills you learn on the spot, by doing it. We all must learn new skills continuously in this profession.

You can grab the concept in a few hours, and use it ‘fluently’ in a project or two. Try practicing it now at home on your CAD…[Read more]

Hah, I knew those existed but didn’t know what they were called. Thanks!

There are cad standards for layer names.  The AIA list is probably the most recognized of all versions out there.  But knowing more than a few layer names requires experience using that standard.
http://www.cadinstitute.com/download/pdf/AIA%20Layer%20Standards.pdf
Where I work, the cad layers are predefined in the template file, but it doesn’t m…[Read more]

Its called ‘ghost’ for PCs from Norton.

You do understand that computers, like a pencil and a drafting board with a parallel or drafting machine.. are just TOOLS. It is how you use them. They are just a different means to the same end. No different than a framer asking if a certain cordeless reciprocal saw is good or not…moving well on from a handsaw and making the job easier, f…[Read more]

thanks Henry, maybe I’ll get it finished one day. the website that is….
and most days I don’t wear a tie….

Stephen, if not too late in the process, you could still add up a few fruit/nuts trees. Teach the kids contact with nature, food does not come out in a box from a factory. Milk or cheese either.
You will help kids in many ways with those prefab playgrounds, but you wont get them attracted to nature.

I’m surprised everyone in this thread is…[Read more]

That’s funny, I was just now listening  to “Time Machine” by Grand Funk RailRoad….
Talk about a rockin album! I can’t believe those guys are not in the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame.
So, yes, I totally endorse Time Machine for all Ya’lls ills……
 

I have several pool details, and more to come, on my new website:
alanrayrla.com
go to page 2 and scroll down and you’ll see several pool details….
click on pic for larger view.

MUSC Urban Farm by Urban Edge Studio – Bill Eubanks, FASLA – Charleston, SC
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/urbanfarm/
http://urban-edge-studio.com/home.html