Shoegnome is ready to Grow
April 16, 2018
Shoegnome Architects is looking for freelancers and maybe full time employees.
from Intern to Architect
Quantum Superposition: Schrödinger’s Architect
March 1, 2017
You are probably familiar with Schrödinger’s Cat. But what about Schrödinger’s Architect? Both are absurd creatures suffering from an uncertain fate.
I feel Guilty because it’s Fun and Easy
September 8, 2016
My design process stresses me out. Not because it doesn’t work. No. It’s because it does and it makes me feel guilty.
I want this.
March 2, 2016
Shoegnome was nominated for the JDR Industry Blogger Awards, in the Best Blogger Architecture category. This post is about something more important.
A pretty girl, a model, and an architecture student
February 11, 2016
The story of this basswood model is the beginnings of more than just my freelance architecture career.
How many Architects had I met prior to applying to Architecture School?
January 28, 2016
I probably should have talked to a few more architects before applying to architecture school. But honestly that thought never even crossed my mind.
I was too inexperienced to know I was correct
January 8, 2016
I was one of those kids that always wanted to be an architect. When I was in first grade an architect came to our class. At least I think he was an architect.
The Wedge Between Us
December 14, 2015
One other pet peeve of mine is to hear architects…talk about their ‘CAD guys’ or ‘BIM technicians’…It’s the same thing as someone touting themselves as an orchestra conductor but they can’t read music or play any of the instruments before them.
Redefine what Design means to Us
July 30, 2015
I had to change my thinking on my position in my firm and in my profession if I was going to stay in the field of architecture and grow as an architect.
21st Century Residential Architecture Business Models
February 18, 2015
The latest edition of the AIA CRAN Chronicle has just been released. The theme of this issue is architectural business models for residential practices.
Husband, Mom and Architect
December 11, 2014
What’s it like being both a dad and an architect? I’m not really sure. But I do know what it’s like to be a husband, mom and architect.
What are the different types of architecture firms?
May 7, 2014
After reading this post, how would you describe the firm you work at? Will you realize your firm is broken or much stronger than you expected?
You graduated from Architecture School and want to be called Architect
May 5, 2014
Yes I’m going to talk about who gets to be called an architect, but unfortunately that’s just the symptom of a bigger issue.
#internmistakes – A Monument to a Former President
March 13, 2014
#internmistakes is surprisingly underused on Twitter. Maybe my adventures in this article about being a lazy intern will change that.
Goodbye Intern. Hello Architect in Training
March 12, 2014
I think we should all call interns Architects in Training. But you’re an intern who doesn’t want to get licensed? Then you’re a design or floor plan wizard.
Shoegnome’s Architecture Registration Examination Advice
February 26, 2014
I’ve given this Architecture Registration Examination advice in person, over the phone, and via e-mail numerous times. It’s time I shared it formally.
The House my Master’s Degree Built: my path to becoming a licensed architect
January 29, 2014
Another great guest post by Alicia Liebel Berg. Great and a little depressing…we really need to fix our profession.
Hi, I am an Architect but let me add some qualifiers
December 17, 2013
We all just want to say “Hi, I am an Architect.” But it’s almost never that easy. Here’s a simple rule and some related thoughts.
Want to call yourself an Architect? Just get licensed
December 12, 2013
Over the past few months we’ve all been talking about people calling themselves architects. This is a very sensitive subject for so many reasons.
The Scorpion and the Toad: being a freelance architect
December 5, 2013
I love the story of the Scorpion and the Toad. I sympathize with both animals. I am both animals.
My license says I’m an architect. Why do I still feel like an intern?
November 22, 2013
Oh the first world problems I have. Being a young architect can be a hard slog. Does a license change anything? Or is it just a worldview I lack?
Sometimes I wonder if I’m the Bad Guy
November 21, 2013
Now that I look back on it, if that guy wanted to, he could have seriously injured me with one swing of his giant fist. That would have be hard to explain to my wife.
Bigger Pond, Bigger Fish: how high school taught me to fight
November 8, 2013
No one gives a shit about you. Not until you give them a reason to. The pond is so big. The fish are so plentiful. The Internet connects all the fish, and all the ponds. And many of the fish are so hungry. Hungrier than others who haven’t faced defeat. Because defeat either ends us or makes us angry. And anger means it’s time to fight more.
Dear Architecture Firm: why isn’t your intern on your website?
November 4, 2013
I have a mental checklist that I measure against all architecture firms that I know. The checklist comes out at different times. When I look at their websites; when I read bios on LinkedIn; when I’m connecting with them on Twitter or Facebook; when I tour their offices; when I talk to a principal at a convention or an intern over a beer after a user group; when I read
The Architect’s Greatest Fear: The Usurper
October 30, 2013
What is the number one problem plaguing architects? What is their greatest fear? The Usurper.
You’re just a lowly BIM Manager and you’ve got no goals
September 24, 2013
I wish I had been there when he said to my friend that all I ever wanted to be was a BIM Manager. What a misunderstanding of me and the role of a BIM Manager.
Guest Blogger Jeremiah Gammond: What’s in a Name?
September 4, 2013
Nurse, doctor, mechanic, carpenter, lawyer, prostitute……..architect. These occupational titles are well-seated in the vocabulary of most. They are descriptive and, though there’s variance in the specific duties and specialties these professionals perform, it’s generally understood what they mean. Some are even evocative, due in most part to romantic portrayals in popular media. Say “lawyer,” and some might picture a passionate and moving discourse delivered by a high-powered individual with magazine
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: Designers Masquerading as Architects
August 19, 2013
Designers masquerading as architects is a topic within the profession that bothers me deeply. I have had numerous co-workers (architectural educated/trained designers) publicly call themselves architects at cocktail parties, around their peers, to the general public… One even went so far as to be published being referred to as an architect in printed media. I contemplated calling the California Architects Board and filing a complaint against him as he was working
What’s in a name: Want to call yourself an Architect?
August 12, 2013
This is the second post dedicated to all the emotion and confusion surrounding the word architect. In all fairness, I could have used the person I singled out in the first post as the non-architect instead of Carlos for this post. The results would be pretty much the same. But I wrote this article first and I also know Carlos, so there’s some added personal touches that I find poignant.
Unlicensed Architects: Why does it feel bad to be right?
August 9, 2013
This is the first of a few posts I am going to write on all the emotion and confusion surrounding the word architect: unlicensed architects, who can be called an architect, the licensing process itself, other industries co-opting the term architect, and other related topics. Future posts will aim to approach these questions from a few different angles. There’s a really interesting conversation exploring this topic over on LinkedIN. Check
Generation Y Unfolding – DesignIntelligence Article
April 26, 2013
In addition to all the posts on Shoegnome and BIM Engine, I’ve had the pleasure to write for some other venues this year (both print and digital). I’m proud of all of those articles, but there are two that I’m exceedingly excited about. One’s not out yet, so I can’t say anything about it (other than that it’s awesome); but I can tell you about the other. I am thrilled
What does my journey as an Architect look like?
March 15, 2013
My career has gone astray I followed the proper path. Summer internships, an architecture job right out of school, hopping between firms to climb the ranks, getting exposure with different project types, taking on leadership challenges where possible, moonlighting anytime the opportunity arose. Then a funny thing happened on the way to becoming the Project Architect/Design Architect I assumed I wanted to be. I met ArchiCAD. We fell in love.
Reading the Economist hindered my job prospects, but helped my career
March 13, 2013
Maybe certain former co-workers won’t like me sharing these kinds of stories. But I doubt they’ll ever read them. And if they do, I hope they can understand that this isn’t about us; it’s about something much larger. I can’t remember when it happened. I think it was during an annual review. But it might have been during one of the dozen meetings I had with various co-workers leading up
Get on the Collaboration Bus. Or Quit. I don’t care which.
March 6, 2013
 The Generation Y Architect In February 2012, during a session at the AIA Minnesota Leadership Forum, I discovered that I am a stereotype. Painfully so. I am Generation Y. In a room with fifteen Generation X architects, I was the oddball. It happened again when I was at the AIA Minnesota Board Retreat eight months later. It was a room of fifty architects. We had to order a list of
A tale of Three (Capital A) Architects
March 1, 2013
Yesterday I wrote this other post. You might want to read it first. But you don’t need to. In fact your ignorance of that discussion (amazing comments by the way), might help answer the riddle below. A tale of Three (Capital A) Architects Three Architects are walking down a road. They have just been asked by the Wealthiest Man in the Land to design the Greatest Building Ever. Each is
Emerging Professionals and writing for the CRAN Chronicle
February 23, 2013
UPDATE 09/11/13 – The AIA CRAN Chronicle is always looking for submissions for current and future issues of the newsletter, so ignore the dates below and send in your stories. So you might recall that I wrote an article for the AIA CRAN Chronicle recently. Well I enjoyed it so much that I’m now part of the editorial team putting together future issues. We’re now looking for content for the
Great Recession Survival Tactics for Generation Y Architects: Become the BIM Manager
January 29, 2013
The traditional paths for a bright-eyed go-getter were virtually non-existent; both design opportunities and client interactions were meager and sparse.
Shop Drawings, an intermediate solution
November 19, 2010
Many years ago when I was an intern at Gensler in Houston, one of my jobs was transferring redlines on shop drawings. The lead architect marked up the original and then I made 5 copies by hand. Some shop drawings came across my desk today and I had a thought. At SALA, I’ve set up pen #20 to always print red (more on that later). What if I dropped a