Quantum Superposition: Schrödinger’s Architect
You are probably familiar with Schrödinger's Cat. But what about Schrödinger's Architect? Both are absurd creatures suffering from an uncertain fate.
Husband, Mom and Architect
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.
An architect can architect architecture?
Guest blogger Alicia Liebel Berg shares her thoughts on Kayne West's visit to Harvard.
Why are we hanging Architects for the illegal actions of a homeowner?
This article about the illegal actions of a homeowner and the subsequent house fire is just one more example of the decreasing stature of architects.
My license says I’m an architect. Why do I still feel like an intern?
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?
How NOT to talk about BIM: losing control of the message
Two upcoming seminars on BIM reveal some problems we have in the architectural community.
You’re just a lowly BIM Manager and you’ve got no goals
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.
Generation Y isn’t Unhappy, we’re just really Stressed
I'm failing to prioritize today. Instead of doing what I planned to do, I am trying to better explain the maelstrom that is Generation Y. Hopefully this will bring some clarity and insight. And yes, I realize the irony of
Guest Blogger Kristian Bursell: Nasty ArchiCAD Models
Guest Blogger Kristian Bursell shares his thoughts on free ArchiCAD content from manufacturers.
Guest Blogger Willard Williams: Designers Masquerading as Architects
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
Guest Blogger Shivang Rajvir: 3 Responses to Technology
The days and nights we used to spend creating drawings by hand during the early days of college are still fresh in my mind. It was then that this question first hit my mind hard, and it is still with
Happy Valentine’s Day: One Simple Diagram
It should be obvious by now that I love making charts, graphs, and diagrams. As a Valentine's Day present, I give to you a reproduction of a mood chart that lived on the Banks' family refrigerator for many months last
1984 was a long time ago
I read a lot of things that annoy me. It's hard not to. Thanks Twitter. You're really helping me out. Sometimes I get smart and stop following people who write too much that frustrates me. I'm also doing my best
Guess What? Your EVERYTHING has already changed
I'm going to start this post with a hypothetical encounter. Here's an imaginary e-mail exchange I often have: Dear Mr. Banks, ArchiCAD is driving me crazy. I want to keep working like we did when I first got out of school. But
Pantheon of Workmonsters
In a world of shoegnomes, there are workmonsters
A lot safer, a lot more secure…
Over the past week you might have noticed some strangeness on the blog. Especially if you visited on Monday or tried to share some posts on Facebook, LinkedIN, etc. Let me assure you, I haven't changed the blog to start
Redlines vs Pinklines
Redlines We all know what Redlines are. Either digitally or by hand, someone is reviewing a set of drawings and marking them up to be corrected. Redlines are a critical part of the chain of command. A younger staff member can
New User Trouble
Mr. New User, Don't forget that you still need to produce printed documents I find many new users get obsessed with modeling and don't want to hear about the 2D world. This is both great and a disaster. I love to
BIM Dream Team
Hopefully the era of firms trying to fix their BIM credentials through misplaced hiring practices is nearing its end. But probably not.
Want to Annoy a BIM manager? Ignore the Template.
As a CAD / BIM manager, there is one vein of questioning that I just hate. It's not so much the actual question, which is a variation of: "Why isn't this working right?" It's the answer that angers me: "Because you're not following
Not every firm is ready for BIM. (Ten reasons) Your firm might have trouble implementing BIM if…
Not everyone owns a cellphone Not everyone in the firm has their own computer You sign out conference rooms by hand using a clipboard Your boss has his secretary printout e-mails for him You have hand drafters who never 'got' CAD Your boss thinks computers
This IS Crunch Time
"I'm laid back at lunchtime, but I'm aggressive at crunch time. Let's get it." - Jacob "Crunch Time" Mann Many firms out there have figured out how to stabilize in this down economy. The hard layoffs and continued reduction of hours are
I upgrade, you upgrade, we all upgrade
Or at least you better. No one should be running ArchiCAD 6.5 on Windows 2000. It just doesn't make sense. And it is a huge loss of value and wasted effort. No one should have to deal with plotmaker ever
Thanks CNBC, way to get your facts right
Nice interview with Christopher “Kit” Johnson AIA, LEED AP, CNU of Texas firm, Architecture 365, Inc. If only Amanda Drury could have mentioned ArchiCAD (which is what Chris used) instead of arbitrarily name dropping Revit and Autodesk a few times. It's
Backup! Seriously. Backup.
How often do you back up your files? Daily? You better. Anything longer is a wrong answer. Here's Part One of why: My brother is in IT; when I was younger he excitedly told me about a new server he'd installed. It