J. Robert (Bob) Wainner

I was hoping someone with more insight into hiring in larger firms would answer this, but I’ll try and just offer general wisdom. Just go with emphasis on your strengths. You don’t have to exaggerate them but don’t get discouraged by what you “haven’t” done already. Everybody starts somewhere, gathers what experience is possible, and keeps…[Read more]

Maybe I’m wading in here more on impression than deep study of it, but I think a seal is saying “I am qualified by education, preparation, experience, and (most likely) testing to do this plan” (for any sheet it is on- sometimes as required by reviewing jurisdiction). That also implies it is your property. But doing the work in the first place…[Read more]

I can only answer for where I was a planner. Planning was the “clearing house” or contact point but some other cities may do it differently. Besides our own review, we would circulate submissions to other department(s) which could be inspections, fire, transportation, public works etc. Big project developers just knew to bring multiple sets as all…[Read more]

Joseph makes good points and I wanted to add to my “give a call” comment…that having to go pick up or buy a copy of an ordinance is not that common any more. A lot of ordinances and regulations are provided by the area’s government website, usually under planning or development. It’s the place to start, and will give advice on other special…[Read more]

It’s usually not that hard to find out by a call to the city (planning or inspections department)….but generally if they don’t review new single family, & it’s not an expansion of the house, adding of a pool, or in a special zoning district (historic, watershed, scenic highway etc.) then you’re free to do grading and to design hard surfaces and…[Read more]

That sure wouldn’t have passed basic level courses at any point in history I know of. So….the mysteries will always be there.

Downtown Greensboro, NC has a space that has been renovated a couple of times and the latest one includes performance, play, dog area, and games. I would imagine someone in the planning department might know the designer(s) and have some plans still on file.

LeBauer Park…[Read more]

I think Andrew just wants younger people to know they can find a niche eventually even if they don’t have ”powerhouse” skills in all areas, and roaming a bit at the start can help in understanding oneself. So I guess I am in the middle where I think we should try to both find our way with who we are, but also address any weak places. For examp…[Read more]

Yes I was trying to say I have puzzled over the same things but decided for so many services and products, the examples that puzzle me might just have what someone else wants that we can’t perceive or that we value less. But that odd success also gets some form of rejection where another makes a sale. All of us are in that kind of boat (various…[Read more]

I think quite a few don’t have additional tests but the ones I am familiar with ALL want some record of experience and references (even if not a letter itself). Just like applying to jobs, it’s something you may have to just put up with, so get it streamlined to be as little burden as possible.

We expect some bad in any craft or profession but hope that licensing will weed them out, or the marketplace. I think the answer is just that like bad dentists, vets, etc. a few make it through and maybe a school wasn’t that strong 20 years ago or a state didn’t even have an exam requirement. On the other hand, the person may be sharp enough to…[Read more]

“…any design idea is ‘automatically’ good and not questioned regarding practicality.”

Is what you cite more a characteristic of high budget top visibility (sort of corporate image etc.) type work versus mid-range type? Or committees doing the approvals and waving something on to the next stage of details, not seasoned real estate and con…[Read more]

I’d look carefully at what you’d actually GET. For example, the 2 employees may not stay or may not work that well with you. If you kept the current business name, but the person with that name departs, won’t you be explaining the switchover to a lot of former clients? And if you rename it, won’t you be starting new just as if you opened a fresh…[Read more]

Sorry for garbled sentences in the middle there – time needed for edits not long enough LOL

The future is a natural concern for those at the gateway, in the middle, and even in Bob’s (and my) lane who won’t be directly affected but still care about the field.

As far as encouraging or discouraging young people, maybe the issue is whether what we foresee it in terms of their chances of doing classic design work (perhaps with over-emphasis…[Read more]

Wouldn’t it be a problem something like collaborations on google drive or dropbox? These can get messy though, lol but so can an individual left to oneself. I think the key is having a clear folder for each project, then subfolders (used with some discipline) holding background info (client notes, maps etc.), preliminary designs, design…[Read more]

I think back to the original issue, however you hand over the results, the process is basically to start from the FFLs, analyze where the places are around the perimeter or edges of natural areas that you have to match or want to save, then work on the most critical surfaces (pedestrian entries, approaches), next the the moderately critical…[Read more]

Learn some desktop publishing (a few years ago it was QuarkXpress, now maybe InDesign) and you may be able to get on a late shift at a magazine or similar place. Other graphics possibilities may exist like website support on a freelance basis for small companies who don’t want to manage their own, and that can benefit you as a side skill to LA. It…[Read more]

Wow, I goofed up – I meant for this to go into the “internship” topic, if a moderator wants to move it….

Here is something maybe a little to the side but I stumbled onto. These are suggested characteristics for architects to have and I think would be the same for LA’s, considering them both as designers in the environment. And besides being traits to look for being going into the field(s), they would apply to having what it takes to stay and grow in…[Read more]