Practice Management Member Conversations

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

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Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
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Interesting perspective.  We can be respected for our knowledge and expertise without having to be pompous, arrogant, condescending, elitist.  We come off that way without even realizing it at times.

Mary D. Graham, AIA
Pompano Beach FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-29-2011 12:07
From: Gary Nicholson
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

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Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
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Agreed, that architects need to get back "to the street" and speak and act on a human scale, as opposed to a monumental scale.  But the article greatly over-simplifies the issues - mostly cost related - and greatly ignores the history of grand-scale architecture.  I find the same clinical problems with architects that I find with doctors and attorneys:  our professions have become so complex, so fraught with risk, that we have to have an obsessive-compulsive approach to our work to avoid error.  This leaves little time for the collaborative practice this article admires.  (When did your doctor or your lawyer last come to your house to advise you on "best practices" relative to your current medical or legal concerns ?)

Please architects:  check your egos at the door; listen to your clients; find simple and vernacular solutions whenever possible.............But also reach for the sky, because who else will do this if we don't ?  Was it wrong to build the Sydney Opera House, an iconic image of an entire continent ?  Would a poll of Australians say that it should never have been built ?

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William Adelson AIA
Solar Projects
West Coast Iron, Inc.
Ramona CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-30-2011 08:47
From: Mary Graham
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

Interesting perspective.  We can be respected for our knowledge and expertise without having to be pompous, arrogant, condescending, elitist.  We come off that way without even realizing it at times.

Mary D. Graham, AIA
Pompano Beach FL
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 11-29-2011 12:07
From: Gary Nicholson
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

-------------------------------------------
Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
-------------------------------------------

The link did not work for some the original article is found here: http://www.guernicamag.com/blog/3176/the_architect_has_no_clothes/

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Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
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the link failed for me.  can it be relinked.  it is an interesting commentary.

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Eric Wessels AIA
PencilWERKS
Dallas Center IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-29-2011 12:07
From: Gary Nicholson
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

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Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
-------------------------------------------

Amen to what you said.  The link was a dead end though.  Could you re-post it, I'd like to read it.

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Alan Burcope AIA, MBA, LEED AP
VP Project Development
HBE Corporation
Saint Louis MO
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-29-2011 12:07
From: Gary Nicholson
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

-------------------------------------------
Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
-------------------------------------------

Is this the right link? http://www.guernicamag.com/blog/3176/the_architect_has_no_clothes/

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Sean Catherall, AIA
Herriman UT
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-29-2011 12:07
From: Gary Nicholson
Subject: They are trying to tell us something

This article hit the nail on the head. The general public is sometimes amused, and sometimes sick and tired of the arrogance and insensitivity architects display through our designs and what we glorify as superb design. Looking at most architectural magazines and you will see that they are right. With few exceptions, the architectural elite perceive our designs so differently from the rest of the world, that we have lost credibility with the general public.

Obtrusive, cold and impersonal designs are lauded as wonderful examples, particularly in residential architecture where we should be the most sensitive to the human interface with our work. Real people live and work in these buildings and communities we create. We do a great disservice to our world when we fail so miserably to address the real world needs of humans and the impact of our work on their psyche. The schools that reinforce and teach the approach to design as stand-alone sculpture are obviously in part responsible for this condition, but we can influence that by what we do in real world practice and by what we choose to give awards to.

We have for so long been looking at our own press releases that we assume that the critical voices out there must be wrong. It is so much more comforting to hear one another say how wonderful these designs are, that listening to other voices that may disagree with us is almost impossible. We either cannot hear them, or we choose not to listen.

If we want to regain credibility and respect in the communities where we serve, and have a stronger voice at the table when influencing cities, we must start treating design as a more human endeavor. Design for people to enjoy with texture, warmth, and grace. Design to accommodate people and their activities, not to intimidate and alienate. Get over yourself and listen to the voices that cry out for warmth and facility. You might not get an award from the AIA, but you will discover a way of designing that makes clients happy and the world a better place!

-------------------------------------------
Gary Nicholson AIA
Nashville TN
-------------------------------------------