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Though I don’t know about industrial designers, written right there in landscape architecture (and architecture and engineering) practice acts is an internship of some duration, which indicates an (appropriately) incomplete level of education and with it carries the responsibility of mentorship from the firms who hire new graduates. If you want s…[Read more]

I have to wonder if academia is more and more filled with people who went to school and only leave to go to academic related events. Maybe the writer’s point is that the teaching, and therefore the student, is misguided by lack of knowing what exactly is needed. But much in the same way, this writer is defining the function of all design schools…[Read more]

in brief: is not about the institution is about the student
in the article there is a mention that it doesn’t matter where you went to school is about how you perform and what are your skills, and also your enthusiasm… the weakness we see now a days is just a reflection on our own culture and how lazy and demanding the new generation has become…[Read more]

Agree with the previous replies.
 
Both architectural schools i went to had a transition in curriculum, both to address weaknesses related to its core pedagogy and the new methods of working in digital media.  There were several classes that were not taught in a cohesive fashion as a result, but graduates as a whole could produce and show their w…[Read more]

ditto.
 
also i think this article was really focusing on industrial design which is a bit of a different animal.

In reply to the article, I say, “speak for yourself…”. I went to Colorado State University for my BSLA and found the education to be exceptional. Three of my four professors were from The GSD and the fourth was a mind-blowing illustrator. The program was very “process” and design oriented but the assigned projects required you to become…[Read more]

Or fund their staffing levels due to reduced development.

Ditto on the family issues. esp. at CE firms. No sympathy there. Last of the male old school management types I guess. The little women are better off at home taking care of those things rather than taking a “man’s” job. Blech.
 
Also be careful about working from home or remotely. As the CE’s at my last firm found out. If you can do the work at…[Read more]

I am dating myself, but my first job paid 18k. I didn’t take the job that offered me 16k:-)
 
This was in the late 80’s. 3 years later BOOM. The market crashed and layoffs and paycuts later I was making less than when I started. It is an unfortunate part of the cycle. One difference was that I was able to leave for another job to get more stable…[Read more]

We consistently have 40 hour work weeks, but when times get busy ( like now) we work 50-60 hours a week and even have done 80. i do not mind though, as i am just thankful for being employed and the work. It doesn’t hurt that I enjoy it also!

That is impressive. I wish I knew how to do that.

I’ve worked in 40 hr offices and 60 hr offices. I would think that the differences are in billable vs worked hours.  Firms can get things done and stay afloat if everyone works at a reasonable pace and projects are billed around the going rate for projects; to spend more time on non-billable (early schematic/conceptual, etc) portions of design,…[Read more]

I read the book by architect Alan Lapidus, who became most notorious for world-class hotel design. His father designed Fountainbleu hotel in Miami. He mentioned several times in his book where he owned a firm and went without pay to protect and retain employees. He goes on at great length about the reasoning behind this beyond the sense of loyalty…[Read more]

Boy do I feel lucky to have landed in the firm I did for my first job out of school! I worked regular hours with some weekends / late nights occasionally at deadline times.
The partners did a lot of things right: 1. bid projects with a reasonable number of hours 2. took responsibility for time management themselves 3. were on salary, while the…[Read more]

Definitely!
 
If you need a place to crash let me know. We have basic accomodations, but friends always welcome!
 
I’ll send you my cell number.

Nice work! We (the gf and I) are coming up there this weekend. Should be up on Friday night, staying in Aspen. Snowmass on Saturday?
 
 

Hey Mike,
 
We actually moved up to Aspen so we are doing the aspen thing this year. We have a place just down the road a piece with plenty of couch space if you’re interested in shredding some RFV pow?

I agree with you 100%. Some people tend to “spin their wheels” for the majority of the day. Deadlines are one thing, but 8-9 hours in perfectly reasonable if you are productive. Now if your employer is cutting costs by having multiple people work tons of hours to avoid hiring someone else, might be time to start looking elsewhere. 
When are we…[Read more]

Heather…
 
You’re a big dork.