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BUILDINGS ARE COOL

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Steer Your Ship

April 30, 2017

Help me help other architects!  This blog is an excerpt from the first draft of my book:  Breaking the Box: Explode out of Architecture School to a Successful Career as an Architect.  You can help by leaving a critique in the comment section below.  And if you are just starting I suggest you check out the table of contents for an easy road map. Thx you rock! -Steve

 

“There’s two ways to see the world.  Some people see the thing that they want, and some people see the thing that prevents them from getting the thing that they want.”

–Simon Sinek

 

One of the themes of this book is empowering you to to steer your own ship.  When I began my career, I did a lot of waiting and hoping that things would just work out for me.  I was naïve. 

Have you been waiting for your life to settle down so that you can start the A.R.E exam process?

Are you eager for the day when the dream project will land on your desk?

Are you waiting for that promotion or big raise to present itself?

It could be a long wait, unless you are prepared to steer your own ship.  You control your destiny.

 

You Control Your Income

In chapter 5, I shared how to estimate your earning potential as an architect and provided tips for earning more.  The key factors are: location, firm revenue and position.  Of the three, your position is the most influential.  Even when you have improved your value to the firm you may still have to ask and negotiate your salary.  To read more about increasing your earning potential see Chapter 5

 

You Make Yourself Indispensable

The #1 goal for an emerging professional should be to become indispensable.  You need to be an all-star that everyone wants to work with.  This happens when your are pro-active about your growth and your career.  In chapter 12, I shared three paths for making yourself indispensable

1.     Have a Positive Attitude

2.     Master the Tools

3.     Develop Architectural Expertise

In each case, the responsibility rests on your shoulders.  To read more about becoming indispensable see Chapter 12.

 

You Find Mentors

Having good mentors can be instrumental to your career.  An experienced mentor can help you navigate career obstacles and achieve your goals.  Your mentor bears a tremendous responsibility however you will do the heavy lifting.  Who would be a good mentor?  What are your goals?  What steps are you taking to meet those goals?  These are questions you need to answer.  Your mentor can provide guidance but it is up to you to make your destination. To read more on mentors see Chapter 13.

 

You Seize the Moment

Always be adding to your tool belt and when an opportunity presents itself, take it.  Some of your growth will be focused and planned and other times you will get lucky.  Seneca told us that “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”  You have to be ready.  It is up to you to seize the moment.  To read more on seizing the moment see Chapter 18.

 

Take Action

In many ways, this book is a letter that I am writing to my younger self.  When I started to steer my ship, the world opened up for me.  I hope that the stories and tips presented in this book will help you anticipate the obstacles and prepare you to take action. 

Steering your ship is not a burden, it is a gift.  You are in control. 

 

Cheers,

Flip the page to:  Chapter 20:  The Myth of Multitasking and the Most Effective Focus Tips

 

 

Chapter 19 by the Numbers

·      528 words

·      2.1 – Translates into approximately 2.1 pages in book form.

·      1 – Blog Posts

·      3 – Hours to Write and Post on Blog

·      2 – Stretched over 3 calendar days.

·      1.05 – Average book pages written per day.

 

The Book by the Numbers

·      33,936 – Total Words

·      136 – Total Pages

·      49 – Total Blog Posts

·      220 – Goal for final page count.

·      110– Days Since Starting

·      1.24 – Average book pages written per day.

·      73 – Estimated days to completion of first draft.  (220-136) / 1.24)  = 68

·      16– Chapters down.

·      12 – Chapters to go.

·      1– New subscribers to the Breaking the Box Email Newsletter

·      48 – Total subscribers to the Breaking the Box Email Newsletter

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Welcome to BUILDINGS ARE COOL!

Hello, my name is Steve Ramos.  This site is about what it's like to be a young architect in Charleston, South Carolina.  In 10 years, I will write about what it is like to be a middle-age architect. 

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Good morning from 217 Ashley Avenue! This house sits pretty grand at the corner of Ashley and Cannon. Always very photogenic. Another one where I couldn’t decide which picture is best: the angles shot or the straight on elevation. Thoughts? This property has created quite the controversy in the neighborhood. The owner has made several attempts to change the zoning to a commercial designation so that the property could be an event venue or #airbnb property. The owner argues that the property is too big for a single-family residence and that they have been unable to sell it because of that and that there is too much commercial activity in the area. This may be true, but the real reason is that the property is worth a considerable amount more as a short-term rental hotel than as a single unit. The short-term rental income would be 3-4 times what the mortgage would be or what they could get renting long term. This is true of any downtown property. The neighborhood is concerned that the commercial designation opens this property up to a myriad of commercial uses and that an event venue would be disruptive to the hood. Both sides are right. Hmmmm.....
Good morning from 217 Ashley Avenue! This house sits pretty grand at the corner of Ashley and Cannon. Always very photogenic. Another one where I couldn’t decide which picture is best: the angles shot or the straight on elevation. Thoughts? This property has created quite the controversy in the neighborhood. The owner has made several attempts to change the zoning to a commercial designation so that the property could be an event venue or #airbnb property. The owner argues that the property is too big for a single-family residence and that they have been unable to sell it because of that and that there is too much commercial activity in the area. This may be true, but the real reason is that the property is worth a considerable amount more as a short-term rental hotel than as a single unit. The short-term rental income would be 3-4 times what the mortgage would be or what they could get renting long term. This is true of any downtown property. The neighborhood is concerned that the commercial designation opens this property up to a myriad of commercial uses and that an event venue would be disruptive to the hood. Both sides are right. Hmmmm.....
Good morning from Felix Street! I mentioned a few weeks ago how I am drawn to buildings that are 3 windows wide. The proportions just seem to always work. And here is another great example. This one also does something else well: It is simple. Simple requires balance and harmony. Simple requires rigor and constraint. Simple requires reduction and refinement. Simple can actually be harder to design than the complex. Here’s to a simple Friday! #dailydoseofcharleston
Good morning from Felix Street! I mentioned a few weeks ago how I am drawn to buildings that are 3 windows wide. The proportions just seem to always work. And here is another great example. This one also does something else well: It is simple. Simple requires balance and harmony. Simple requires rigor and constraint. Simple requires reduction and refinement. Simple can actually be harder to design than the complex. Here’s to a simple Friday! #dailydoseofcharleston
Good morning from the coolest office space in town: @boomtownroi ! The folks at Boomtown were kind enough to host our @ulisouthcarolina Meeting last night. I have to give props to my colleagues at @ls3p for designing this killer space. This is a great example of an #adaptivereuse project as this was a former warehouse space that was transformed into a tech office space. Of course I love the colors and that wild light fixture kicks ass! I want to work here! Any other great office spaces in Charleston I should check out?
Good morning from the coolest office space in town: @boomtownroi ! The folks at Boomtown were kind enough to host our @ulisouthcarolina Meeting last night. I have to give props to my colleagues at @ls3p for designing this killer space. This is a great example of an #adaptivereuse project as this was a former warehouse space that was transformed into a tech office space. Of course I love the colors and that wild light fixture kicks ass! I want to work here! Any other great office spaces in Charleston I should check out?
Good morning from East Bay Street! The pair of buildings on the left always catch my eye. They appear to be sister buildings but it is really the yellow paint that makes them seem more the same than they really are. Maybe cousins would be more appropriate? Another cool thing about these buildings are that they flank unity alley. For the #foodies out there, one of our favorite restaurants @minerochs is shown on the right side of the image. Awesome #texmex Where is your favorite texmex or Mexican joint?
Good morning from East Bay Street! The pair of buildings on the left always catch my eye. They appear to be sister buildings but it is really the yellow paint that makes them seem more the same than they really are. Maybe cousins would be more appropriate? Another cool thing about these buildings are that they flank unity alley. For the #foodies out there, one of our favorite restaurants @minerochs is shown on the right side of the image. Awesome #texmex Where is your favorite texmex or Mexican joint?
Good morning from the Old Town of Fernandina, Florida! This is the site of the original Spanish Land Grant settlement. Unfortunately the only thing that remains is the original street grid but it is cool to visit nonetheless. Now there are a bunch of cute houses that appear to be a mix of Victorian, Craftsman and Beach Bungalow. Some of them even look like what I would call Lowcountry Architecture that we have in Charleston. Swipe to see each pic. When Danielle saw the first house she shrieked,”Look at the pitch on that roof!” That made me proud. Who knows the significance of the 3rd house pictured? @dcarve and @poshtashc are excluded from this competition. #happymonday
Good morning from the Old Town of Fernandina, Florida! This is the site of the original Spanish Land Grant settlement. Unfortunately the only thing that remains is the original street grid but it is cool to visit nonetheless. Now there are a bunch of cute houses that appear to be a mix of Victorian, Craftsman and Beach Bungalow. Some of them even look like what I would call Lowcountry Architecture that we have in Charleston. Swipe to see each pic. When Danielle saw the first house she shrieked,”Look at the pitch on that roof!” That made me proud. Who knows the significance of the 3rd house pictured? @dcarve and @poshtashc are excluded from this competition. #happymonday
Good morning from Fernandina Beach! This is actually the Amelia Island Welcome Center in downtown Fernandina. What a great little building. Formerly a train station. I guess you would call this arts and crafts architecture. Arts and Crafts occurred late 1800’s, early 1900’s and was characterized by simple forms with hand made details like the decoration in the gable of this roof. An little ol architect named Frank Lloyd Wright rose up around this time and this little building reminds me a lot of #franklloydwright The detail in the gable and the arched doorway feels Wright. #punintended #dadjokes I am going to do some more exploring in Fernandina today and share some more pix tomorrow. Any recommendations?
Good morning from Fernandina Beach! This is actually the Amelia Island Welcome Center in downtown Fernandina. What a great little building. Formerly a train station. I guess you would call this arts and crafts architecture. Arts and Crafts occurred late 1800’s, early 1900’s and was characterized by simple forms with hand made details like the decoration in the gable of this roof. An little ol architect named Frank Lloyd Wright rose up around this time and this little building reminds me a lot of #franklloydwright The detail in the gable and the arched doorway feels Wright. #punintended #dadjokes I am going to do some more exploring in Fernandina today and share some more pix tomorrow. Any recommendations?
Good morning from Beaufort, South Carolina! You know what I like about Beaufort? They have given their urban waterfront to the people. This pic is taken at their waterfront park. In addition to having a beautifully landscaped park, they also have restaurants and shops that open up to the park. So it is an ‘Active’ Park. There is also a bandstand and they were setting up for their Water Festival. Parks are great, but active parks are better because they get more use and provide a greater benefit to the surrounding properties. Charleston could learn a few things here. Charleston has some nice waterfront parks but you can’t even find a place to use the restroom. And waterfront restaurants? We have 2. Good job Beaufort! You rock! #luvbft
Good morning from Beaufort, South Carolina! You know what I like about Beaufort? They have given their urban waterfront to the people. This pic is taken at their waterfront park. In addition to having a beautifully landscaped park, they also have restaurants and shops that open up to the park. So it is an ‘Active’ Park. There is also a bandstand and they were setting up for their Water Festival. Parks are great, but active parks are better because they get more use and provide a greater benefit to the surrounding properties. Charleston could learn a few things here. Charleston has some nice waterfront parks but you can’t even find a place to use the restroom. And waterfront restaurants? We have 2. Good job Beaufort! You rock! #luvbft
Good morning from Habersham! Haber what you say? Swipe to see all the pix. #Habersham is a nifty little community outside of Beaufort. Habersham is a #newurbanist community designed by the firm DPZ out of Miami. Folks in Charleston know the neighborhood I’on which is also a new urbanist neighborhood designed by DPZ. New urbanism also called Traditional Neighborhood Development is a form of design that involves using Urban principles to design greenfield communities in rural and suburban areas. It really should be called Old Urbanism because this is the way that communities and towns were historically designed before the automobile took control. These neighborhoods are designed to be Walkable and in many ways are the antithesis of suburban sprawl. The building lots are smaller, there is higher density, but also high quality green space and most important: businesses, schools and recreation uses are integrated within walking distance. The result is a greater sense of community and higher quality of life. Architectural guidelines are also established which help create a cohesive sense of place. I really liked the little post office. Great stuff!
Good morning from Habersham! Haber what you say? Swipe to see all the pix. #Habersham is a nifty little community outside of Beaufort. Habersham is a #newurbanist community designed by the firm DPZ out of Miami. Folks in Charleston know the neighborhood I’on which is also a new urbanist neighborhood designed by DPZ. New urbanism also called Traditional Neighborhood Development is a form of design that involves using Urban principles to design greenfield communities in rural and suburban areas. It really should be called Old Urbanism because this is the way that communities and towns were historically designed before the automobile took control. These neighborhoods are designed to be Walkable and in many ways are the antithesis of suburban sprawl. The building lots are smaller, there is higher density, but also high quality green space and most important: businesses, schools and recreation uses are integrated within walking distance. The result is a greater sense of community and higher quality of life. Architectural guidelines are also established which help create a cohesive sense of place. I really liked the little post office. Great stuff!
Good morning from the Ruins of Prince William’s Parish Church more commonly k own as Old Sheldon Church!!! Swipe to see all the pix. I am trying to teach my daughter that buildings are cool. I think she agrees. A visit to Old Sheldon is a must. If you are leaving Charleston heading south on 17 towards Savannah it is about 10 minutes shy of I-95. Old Sheldon is such a picturesque place to stretch your legs and enjoy some history. I guess you could say this building has good bones! These bones have lasted as far back as the 1750’s and survived a barbecue during the Revolutionary War. When I was in architecture school I spent 4 weeks studying in the ruins of Ancient Pompeii. These ruins remind me of Pompeii except that Pompeii is about 2,000 years old! I also like to imagine what the church would have looked like. Has anyone ever seen a drawing? #dailydoseofcharleston
Good morning from the Ruins of Prince William’s Parish Church more commonly k own as Old Sheldon Church!!! Swipe to see all the pix. I am trying to teach my daughter that buildings are cool. I think she agrees. A visit to Old Sheldon is a must. If you are leaving Charleston heading south on 17 towards Savannah it is about 10 minutes shy of I-95. Old Sheldon is such a picturesque place to stretch your legs and enjoy some history. I guess you could say this building has good bones! These bones have lasted as far back as the 1750’s and survived a barbecue during the Revolutionary War. When I was in architecture school I spent 4 weeks studying in the ruins of Ancient Pompeii. These ruins remind me of Pompeii except that Pompeii is about 2,000 years old! I also like to imagine what the church would have looked like. Has anyone ever seen a drawing? #dailydoseofcharleston
Good morning from Middle Atlantic Wharf Street! This is another street that you may not be that familiar with. It is a 2-block street that connects East Bay to the Waterfront Park. Some #funfacts about this street: you may refer to those stones in the street as cobble stones but the proper term is Belgian block. These granite stones are more square than the traditional rounded cobble. The other cool thing about this street and some of the others in this area is that you can still see train tracks in some areas. The harbor would have been full of wharfs and these tracks would be used to cart goods from the water to warehouses on land. Warehouses like the one in this photo. Special thanks to my 2 models, whoever they are..........Also special congrats to Charleston for being recognized as the #1 US City by @travelandleisure for the 6th straight year. I am proud to live in such a wonderful place and happy that others feel the same way. I guess that’s why we live here! #dailydoseofcharleston
Good morning from Middle Atlantic Wharf Street! This is another street that you may not be that familiar with. It is a 2-block street that connects East Bay to the Waterfront Park. Some #funfacts about this street: you may refer to those stones in the street as cobble stones but the proper term is Belgian block. These granite stones are more square than the traditional rounded cobble. The other cool thing about this street and some of the others in this area is that you can still see train tracks in some areas. The harbor would have been full of wharfs and these tracks would be used to cart goods from the water to warehouses on land. Warehouses like the one in this photo. Special thanks to my 2 models, whoever they are..........Also special congrats to Charleston for being recognized as the #1 US City by @travelandleisure for the 6th straight year. I am proud to live in such a wonderful place and happy that others feel the same way. I guess that’s why we live here! #dailydoseofcharleston

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