nca

RIP Lawrence.

Thanks for the videos and resources.

We also have an ongoing discussion already in progress here:

http://www.land8lounge.com/forum/topics/lawrence-halprin-is-dead-at-93

Nick

Alright…Thanks all..Excellent info and advice as always..

Thanks Chad..

Thanks Brian and Nick.

You could make a great project out of this, mapping new construction and analyzing where and it what types of markets its happening and how.

RIP.

I hope this doesn’t come off the wrong way, but it seems sort of timely/fitting when you think about it, considering the dissolution of iconic firms like EDAW and the ‘evolving’ marketplace. Could these be some metaphysical markers of a new time of rebirth in both the way we live and the way we practice our profession?

Does anybody else see…[Read more]

Thanks Kellan.

That was very informative and hits close to home for me. I think your strategy for hiring an RLA is great and makes me wonder about my own potential options along a similar route.

I had an interview today which went very well. It occurs to me that it means more to people in tough times about what you can offer, not so much your…[Read more]

I just read an EXCELLENT article in BusinessWeek on the ‘Lost Generation’ in America. The article particularly focuses on those unemployed under 30 and the long term impact on the individuals and the national economy. The article calls on government to provide more aid for unemployed young people for additional education, internship opps , etc.…[Read more]

I use Vray at a very basic capacity.

I’ve got a copy sitting right here on my bookshelf. There were a few people at CSU into it..

Thanks Jennifer.

I enjoyed my time in design/build prior to attending school . I got burned out after about 5 years feeling it was the same thing over and over. Now I can see that it doesnt need to be that way. It wasn’t that the homeowners were demanding the same banal ‘naturalistic colorado alpine’ landscape, but thats basically all a lot of…[Read more]

Thanks Chad!

Sometimes spending two hours wandering the architecture and LA section of the library can do WONDERS for your projects.

The first two ‘classic’ books that come to mind are ‘Infrastructures’ and ‘Groundswell.’

Infrastructures reads almost like a comic book with great loose watercolor and ink illustrations showing the fusion of infrastructure and…[Read more]

Great advice all around, thanks!

I’m gearing up to send another round of inquiries in the next month or so. If the response is as poor as it was back in June, I may need to think this over a little harder or come up with a new strategy.

I’m seeing signs of life in other parts of the country (hello Southern Cali), but not remotely interested in…[Read more]

that firms are able to dictate an unlivable wage and / or inhumanely long hours with inadequate compensation suggests that there must be too much supply of young designers coming up with comparable skills to those already working. If conditions are bad enough over the long run, young designers will leave the profession and do something for better…[Read more]

Im with you Jessi. I read the MVVA article a while back. It is comforting to know that such an accomplished person came from a relatively modest upstart and the he an probably others like him, understand the realities we’re all facing.

Thanks for the attachment and I hope you hang in there. I wish I knew how to weld.

I agree Chris, though I have no experience to back it up, that an established firm is more likely to view experience as a sol prop/design builder as very relevant and admirable experience, certainly over doing something unrelated or less connected with actual design and construction of outdoor spaces. I also see Andrews point.

One major…[Read more]

I think the practice act in co excludes single family residences.

One thought I had regarding licensing is that if in a year or even two from now I decide I need to get that license I could transition the business in to strictly residential design (moonlighting) and/or have a number of people take it over in the interim.

I would think that if I…[Read more]

I agree for the most part, particuarly with the part on internships and cheap labor.

I interned through school at the ‘best’ firms I could get into and I was not required to do so, I just needed the money and the experience was a bonus. I also worked at a smaller engineering/LA/Planning office through most of my 5th and final year at CSU and feel…[Read more]

I can also agree with Trace’s comments, but feel there should remain some semblance of open competition to keep the profession accessible to a wider range of individuals. Introducing more bureaucracy seems somewhat counterintuitive, though I agree that professiona organizations could do a better job of advocating for the profession.

I also wonder…[Read more]

As much as I agree and identify with your concerns Chris, I’m skeptical of the idea of unionizing the profession. I believe there are already too many restrictions to gaining access to the profession. The cumulative agendas of CLARB and the collective of professional degree programs makes it restrictive to a great number of talented individuals to…[Read more]