Housing and Community Development

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Committee on Design and Residential Knowledge Community .
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I am allowing my AIA membership to expire.  I am a sole practitioner specializing in remodel and new home construction.  I have been practicing since 1971 and been a AIA member for most of those years.  I have completed 194 projects, and did design-build for 17 years, personally constructing 65 projects.  In 2008 I averaged 100 billable hours per month.  Last month I billed 19 hours.  In 2008 there were 200,000 residential building permits issued in California.  In 2010, there were 40,000. I have been reading the AIA news and blogs for months, and there has been a lot discussion regarding the economy, but few suggestions regarding constructive and effective action.  I have also read about the "end of architecture" as a profession. Here in Marin County, California, I am experiencing a culture of fear and a willingness to create mediocrity in the built environment. This seems like "the end of architecture" for me. 

There is a sense of desperation for us all who practice residential design.
I believe the AIA has gone to bat for the commercial firms foremost and thrown SFR under the bus.
I would like to know what kind of lobbying effort or any PR at this crucial time to make the powers that be understand that this is a crisis that is affecting 20% of GNP and probably more in related and dependent businesses.

Everyone in design/construction is losing everything they worked for in the past 20-30 years.
And getting deeper into debt that will affect us for the next 20 years.
This does not seem right in light of recent bailouts of the banking and auto industry.

I am not for a bailout but some kind of moderation in the lending business.
I don't know if I will renew AIA membership unless I see some effort at the top to keep us from being exterminated.

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John Henry AIA
John Henry Design International
Orlando FL
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I have to agree totally with John Henry.

Here's an idea for those looking for something to do - In you neighborhood or elsewhere you see particular pieces of property - study them and decide if you could design something that would make the neighborhood better and be successful as real estate. Contact the owner of the property and make an agreement on the properties value tell them your concept and offer to get zoning approval for it - and if successful to 1: sell the property to a developer for a profit based on  the approval, pay the owner the agreed price and split the difference 50 to you and 50 to the owner or 2. develop the property jointly or by your self. 
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Jerome Morley Larson AIA
Red Bank NJ
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-13-2010 01:15
From: John Henry
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire


There is a sense of desperation for us all who practice residential design.
I believe the AIA has gone to bat for the commercial firms foremost and thrown SFR under the bus.
I would like to know what kind of lobbying effort or any PR at this crucial time to make the powers that be understand that this is a crisis that is affecting 20% of GNP and probably more in related and dependent businesses.

Everyone in design/construction is losing everything they worked for in the past 20-30 years.
And getting deeper into debt that will affect us for the next 20 years.
This does not seem right in light of recent bailouts of the banking and auto industry.

I am not for a bailout but some kind of moderation in the lending business.
I don't know if I will renew AIA membership unless I see some effort at the top to keep us from being exterminated.

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John Henry AIA
John Henry Design International
Orlando FL
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In response to Mr. Jerome Larson's great entrepreneurial idea I would like to mention that many people have been doing this, most of which do not have AIA behind their names nor have they gone to architecture school or passed the A.R.E.  Most of them do not even know nor seem to care what is the A.R.E or the AIA.  This kind of speculation was a very hot trend until the bust of the residential market in 2007.  And if you read the main article on the status of the housing industry, it is still lagging.  In Florida, I heard on FOX news just today, there are over 500,000 (or was it only 50,000) homes that have been sold to "innocent" third parties and now the people who lost their homes to foreclosure are suing to get them back.  Who could blame them?

What if lawyers or doctors had to make a living in this speculative manner?  Are we still back in the 1700's?  As exciting an idea as this is- and one that I would like to partake of myself- it  simply does not seem strong enough a platform upon which to run an entire profession.



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Tara Imani AIA
Principal
Tara Imani Designs, LLC
Houston TX
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2010 12:26
From: Jerome Morley Larson
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire


Here's an idea for those looking for something to do - In you neighborhood or elsewhere you see particular pieces of property - study them and decide if you could design something that would make the neighborhood better and be successful as real estate. Contact the owner of the property and make an agreement on the properties value tell them your concept and offer to get zoning approval for it - and if successful to 1: sell the property to a developer for a profit based on  the approval, pay the owner the agreed price and split the difference 50 to you and 50 to the owner or 2. develop the property jointly or by your self. 
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Jerome Morley Larson AIA
Red Bank NJ
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    I could not agree more with anything that I have read in the past few months regarding our industries plight than what John Henry just said here.  It is unbelievable to me that the government (and our AIA) have not had useful, constructive discussions regarding the fact that the real estate industry is one of the primary market sectors that will get us out of this recession and yet it seem as if no real efforts have been made to jump start or even assist it in any meaningful way. The banks must loan money again to the construction and development industries, to home buyers, to manufactures and to professionals... like us.
     I too feel as John....."I don't know if I will renew AIA membership unless I see some effort at the top to keep us from being exterminated."
The AIA may need to hear this from many members, as a referendum to action.

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Dominick Ranieri AIA
Dominick Ranieri Architects, PC
Guilderland NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-13-2010 01:15
From: John Henry
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire


There is a sense of desperation for us all who practice residential design.
I believe the AIA has gone to bat for the commercial firms foremost and thrown SFR under the bus.
I would like to know what kind of lobbying effort or any PR at this crucial time to make the powers that be understand that this is a crisis that is affecting 20% of GNP and probably more in related and dependent businesses.

Everyone in design/construction is losing everything they worked for in the past 20-30 years.
And getting deeper into debt that will affect us for the next 20 years.
This does not seem right in light of recent bailouts of the banking and auto industry.

I am not for a bailout but some kind of moderation in the lending business.
I don't know if I will renew AIA membership unless I see some effort at the top to keep us from being exterminated.

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John Henry AIA
John Henry Design International
Orlando FL
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Catherine Schwabe AIA
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Oakland CA
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 David Ludwig's posting prompts me respond to one of his comments - " I have been reading the AIA news and blogs for months, and there has been a lot of discussion about the economy, but few suggestions regarding constructive and effective action." His posting comes on the heels of an email from the AIACC last week in which the accomplishments for this year were listed. Nothing on that list addressed the the economy and its impact on our profession in any kind of substantive manner.

I was on a flight this week from Philadelphia to San Francisco and while conversing with my seatmate - a grad student in the Philadelphia area - our conversation turned at one point to her kitchen remodel. I always enjoy these kinds of exchanges in large part because I am curious about whether folks are using an architect or not. If they are not, I spend more time discussing their ideas and if it is clear that the conversation has given them  new ideas I usually conclude the discussion with the suggestion that they contact their local AIA chapter and get a recommendation of two or three architects who specialize in residential work.

This conversation went a little differently - because at some point she told me that she was being careful to not alter any plumbing or electrical in her current kitchen because if she could avoid doing that she would not need a permit. And -- if she did not need a permit -- she would not need to hire an architect. I stopped her to ask her to clarify what she had just said - was I correct in understanding that construction work in PA requiring a permit always required an architect? She confirmed that this was true.

There was a posting some time back from an architect - possibly also in PA - who aluded to this same point. He was quite busy still because of this state law. I read that at the time and was surprised - as this is not at all the case in California.

So, in my mind - this seems like a perfect "constructive" task which could be addressed at both the state and national AIA levels. In spite of housing starts being down (and this too might well be addressed by the national AIA to lobby Congress and the President to address the lending resistance on the part of the banking industry) if all permitted work, in all 50 states required an architects stamp -- not only would we get far less junk ( the posting regarding the starchitects contribution to the 9th ward aside) but there would be much more work for architects. And - "the end of architecture" would be far.



Original Message:
Sent: 12-10-2010 14:51
From: David Ludwig
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Committee on Design and Residential Knowledge Community .
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I am allowing my AIA membership to expire.  I am a sole practitioner specializing in remodel and new home construction.  I have been practicing since 1971 and been a AIA member for most of those years.  I have completed 194 projects, and did design-build for 17 years, personally constructing 65 projects.  In 2008 I averaged 100 billable hours per month.  Last month I billed 19 hours.  In 2008 there were 200,000 residential building permits issued in California.  In 2010, there were 40,000. I have been reading the AIA news and blogs for months, and there has been a lot discussion regarding the economy, but few suggestions regarding constructive and effective action.  I have also read about the "end of architecture" as a profession. Here in Marin County, California, I am experiencing a culture of fear and a willingness to create mediocrity in the built environment. This seems like "the end of architecture" for me. 

As a 66 year old residential specialist focusing on traditional arts-and-crafts and lodge design, my AIA membership has not really provided me with much tangible support.  All of the publications and awards focus on contemporary design.  I am a journeyman carpenter and was a general contractor for 17 years.  This experience has provided me with the most valuable knowledge I have acquired during my long career, including my 7 years at CAL, and it has allowed me to taylor my practice toward collaborative and successful relationships with my builders.  I do a significant amount of design on site during the construction phase.

When reviewing the daily offerings for continuing education, there is never a mention of on-site learning as a source fore continuing education credit.  Since I do not experience on-line education as valuable to me, I have not found real classes that are available to, or of interest to me.  My "continuing education" occurs every day in the real wold of my practice, rather than in a classroom setting.  I began my work and secured my "continuing education" long before it became recognized and/or required as a part of my AIA membership.

So I'm letting my AIA membership expire.  I live in a solar-powered Airstream trailer home/office, and I've started collecting my social security to survive.  There are no longer funds for memberships and classes that do not directly contribute to my economic survival.  I wish the rest of you all the best in your own personal dealings with the economy.  I'll see you on the road.   
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David Ludwig AIA
David Ludwig Design
San Anselmo CA
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Catherine Schwabe AIA
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Oakland CA
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 David Ludwig's posting prompts me respond to one of his comments - " I have been reading the AIA news and blogs for months, and there has been a lot of discussion about the economy, but few suggestions regarding constructive and effective action." His posting comes on the heels of an email from the AIACC last week in which the accomplishments for this year were listed. Nothing on that list addressed the the economy and its impact on our profession in any kind of substantive manner.

I was on a flight this week from Philadelphia to San Francisco and while conversing with my seatmate - a grad student in the Philadelphia area - our conversation turned at one point to her kitchen remodel. I always enjoy these kinds of exchanges in large part because I am curious about whether folks are using an architect or not. If they are not, I spend more time discussing their ideas and if it is clear that the conversation has given them  new ideas I usually conclude the discussion with the suggestion that they contact their local AIA chapter and get a recommendation of two or three architects who specialize in residential work.

This conversation went a little differently - because at some point she told me that she was being careful to not alter any plumbing or electrical in her current kitchen because if she could avoid doing that she would not need a permit. And -- if she did not need a permit -- she would not need to hire an architect. I stopped her to ask her to clarify what she had just said - was I correct in understanding that construction work in PA requiring a permit always required an architect? She confirmed that this was true.

There was a posting some time back from an architect - possibly also in PA - who aluded to this same point. He was quite busy still because of this state law. I read that at the time and was surprised - as this is not at all the case in California.

So, in my mind - this seems like a perfect "constructive" task which could be addressed at both the state and national AIA levels. In spite of housing starts being down (and this too might well be addressed by the national AIA to lobby Congress and the President to address the lending resistance on the part of the banking industry) if all permitted work, in all 50 states required an architects stamp -- not only would we get far less junk ( the posting regarding the starchitects contribution to the 9th ward aside) but there would be much more work for architects. And - "the end of architecture" would be far.



Original Message:
Sent: 12-10-2010 14:51
From: David Ludwig
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Committee on Design and Residential Knowledge Community .
-------------------------------------------

I am allowing my AIA membership to expire.  I am a sole practitioner specializing in remodel and new home construction.  I have been practicing since 1971 and been a AIA member for most of those years.  I have completed 194 projects, and did design-build for 17 years, personally constructing 65 projects.  In 2008 I averaged 100 billable hours per month.  Last month I billed 19 hours.  In 2008 there were 200,000 residential building permits issued in California.  In 2010, there were 40,000. I have been reading the AIA news and blogs for months, and there has been a lot discussion regarding the economy, but few suggestions regarding constructive and effective action.  I have also read about the "end of architecture" as a profession. Here in Marin County, California, I am experiencing a culture of fear and a willingness to create mediocrity in the built environment. This seems like "the end of architecture" for me. 

As a 66 year old residential specialist focusing on traditional arts-and-crafts and lodge design, my AIA membership has not really provided me with much tangible support.  All of the publications and awards focus on contemporary design.  I am a journeyman carpenter and was a general contractor for 17 years.  This experience has provided me with the most valuable knowledge I have acquired during my long career, including my 7 years at CAL, and it has allowed me to taylor my practice toward collaborative and successful relationships with my builders.  I do a significant amount of design on site during the construction phase.

When reviewing the daily offerings for continuing education, there is never a mention of on-site learning as a source fore continuing education credit.  Since I do not experience on-line education as valuable to me, I have not found real classes that are available to, or of interest to me.  My "continuing education" occurs every day in the real wold of my practice, rather than in a classroom setting.  I began my work and secured my "continuing education" long before it became recognized and/or required as a part of my AIA membership.

So I'm letting my AIA membership expire.  I live in a solar-powered Airstream trailer home/office, and I've started collecting my social security to survive.  There are no longer funds for memberships and classes that do not directly contribute to my economic survival.  I wish the rest of you all the best in your own personal dealings with the economy.  I'll see you on the road.   
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David Ludwig AIA
David Ludwig Design
San Anselmo CA
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Regarding Catherine's proposed solution about the lack of architectural work by getting ride of non-licensed practitioners, I suggest that we architects should work on improving our own skills and marketing of our profession rather than trying to restrain the earning ability of those who legally practice in the exempt are of building design. It is an historical fact that every long slump in the economy leads to an attempt to end design exemptions allowed in most states. It usually ends in months of wasted time and lobbying expenses that better could have been put to better use in improving our talents to better serve our clients.

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Donald Duffy AIA
Don Duffy Architecture
Charlotte NC
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Bravo Rhichard.
Legislating our worth is what the AIA does best. Unfortanaley they have made no in-roads into the residentail market.
Some day architects will wake up and realize who we work for. I have never won an AIA award and it is because they have never hired me to provide service to them. The good news is I have 15 years of cash awards by serving my clients well.


Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2010 14:02
From: Richard Wilken
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire


Regarding Catherine's proposed solution about the lack of architectural work by getting ride of non-licensed practitioners, I suggest that we architects should work on improving our own skills and marketing of our profession rather than trying to restrain the earning ability of those who legally practice in the exempt are of building design. It is an historical fact that every long slump in the economy leads to an attempt to end design exemptions allowed in most states. It usually ends in months of wasted time and lobbying expenses that better could have been put to better use in improving our talents to better serve our clients.

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Richard Wilken AIA
Architect-owner
R.B. Wilken-Architect
Pacific Palisades CA
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David, I can feel your frustration.  In 2008 my firm was 16 people.  Last year we shrunk to 9, all at 1/2 time or less.  Overall about a 65% or better reduction for the year.  But I am an optimist, as I think most architects are, and I think you have an opportunity here to make some lemonade out of the lemons you have been given.  I think the future for the small practitioner is doing just what you have for the last 17 years - Design Build.  I have done some DB myself, and in the right market it is very fulfilling and profitable.  You are in a position to pass on what you have learned, and make money doing it!  Now is the time to plan for the future - this recession will not last.  Young architects everywhere are seeking a career direction, and you can show them how to do it.  Become a lecturer.  Start small - at your local AIA Chapter, or Building Industry Association, or AGC, and get the practice you need to go big time.  You could even write a book.  Whatever you do, don't let your current situation drag you down.
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Michael Smith FAIA
Architect
Zervas Group Architects
Bellingham WA
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Dave, like Michael, I also can see why you are frustrated. I think many of us out here basically trying to survive in this difficult time ... the toughest I've experienced since I started working. I would not maintain my membership if my company didn't pay for it. I also agree that AIA doesn't seem to place much focus on the 'front-line' realities of day-to-day practise ... yet perhaps this "Knowledge Net" is a way for it to start.

Like you, I came into architecture via the construction industry, but have never quite found my way. I started as a plumbers helper with my dad, and worked up to being a Superintendent, Construction Project Manager, Designer, Project Architect; then shifted over to Sr. Plans Examiner and General Inspector for an Engineering firm. Thinking it was a secure move, it has turned out to be just as precarious. There were 9 of us 2008, and now I am the only one in the Tucson office.

Being about 15 years behind where you are at, I definitely find all to be a bit disconcerting. None the less, Michael, I appreciate your words of encouragement. 
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Ricky Gonzalez AIA
Managing Member
Rick Gonzalez, Architect
Tucson AZ
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-13-2010 12:24
From: Michael Smith
Subject: Allowing my AIA membership to expire


David, I can feel your frustration.  In 2008 my firm was 16 people.  Last year we shrunk to 9, all at 1/2 time or less.  Overall about a 65% or better reduction for the year.  But I am an optimist, as I think most architects are, and I think you have an opportunity here to make some lemonade out of the lemons you have been given.  I think the future for the small practitioner is doing just what you have for the last 17 years - Design Build.  I have done some DB myself, and in the right market it is very fulfilling and profitable.  You are in a position to pass on what you have learned, and make money doing it!  Now is the time to plan for the future - this recession will not last.  Young architects everywhere are seeking a career direction, and you can show them how to do it.  Become a lecturer.  Start small - at your local AIA Chapter, or Building Industry Association, or AGC, and get the practice you need to go big time.  You could even write a book.  Whatever you do, don't let your current situation drag you down.
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Michael Smith FAIA
Architect
Zervas Group Architects
Bellingham WA
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David-

sorry to hear that you have been put in the position of having to make this kind of choice.  I would very much like to get your opinion in the program I am organizing to exand our grassroots program for the public.  Below is a link to the survey so we can hear from you and other architects.

6 Questions in 12 minutes - a survey to shift the profession

Chris Turley
Turley Architects
Chicago

David,

I am sorry that you feel that your AIA membership has not benefitted you as you expressed. We share many of the same experiences and even the stage of our careers.
I joined the AIA only about 6 years ago and since have enjoyed serving on the Residential and Housing Committee here in Salt Lake. While I do not feel I have contributed significantly to the residential community of architects very much it is always rewarding to be involved and learn some new things that are on the minds and in the practices of others.
I am especially sorry for the loss others in your area will experience in your not continuing to belong to and participate in this great organization. At this stage of your practice you would be such a strength to others in this profession that seems to be under attack from many fronts. Don't quit, stand up and be counted by helping others in our community fit into this new economy.
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Lyle Sheneman AIA
Senior Architect
Taylorsville UT
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