Small Project Design

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

In retrospect, it crept up on me gradually.  I had my first job in an architect's office the summer after graduating from high school.  But then, I can think back to when I was seven or eight years old and was constructing models of old railroad buildings for my model railroad.  My father and mother built the house we  lived in, so there was always sawdust around and some project going on.

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

I was driving to my great uncles house in our 55 Chevy in Elkins Park, PA and they were building this new building as we drove thru town.  I said to my parents "the steel is in" they didn't think much of the comment from the back seat.  The following month we drove past the same site on a different road and this time the comment was "the steel is up".  The building fascinated me as it was not a square or cube of a building it had a shape of a very steep pyramid. 

We then moved to the suburbs from the inner city and the farm lands were disappearing rapidly with all the new homes and strip shopping centers being built in my back yard, all my personal forts as soon as the footings went in.  As a 7th grader they were building this new intermediate school for the expanding student population.  Again I was fascinated by it because again it wasn't a cube or a square it was almost boomerang shaped and was concrete and glass.  As I road my bike from my junior high to home the building also had this strange magnetism, which caused me to take a right turn on to the site, when ever I wasn't too late getting home.

After several quick trips home from the back seat of the local police for trespassing,  the construction super final decided I wasn't going to be dissuaded from showing up on the site.  The Tobin /Construction  Co. agreement was reached, I would  report to the supers office pick up a hard hat and be told where I could and not go inside the building.  My reward I received a full set of Arch drawings an invitation to the dedication, and the following summer I started my career  working for an Architect in Philadelphia which I did thru high school. 

The two building that started my career were Temple Beth Shalom by Frank Lloyd Wright and Abington Intermediate High by Caudill, Rowlett  Scott, I cant say they were the most in influential, as my first job while attending Drexel Evening College was for Mitchell/Giurgola and all of Aldo's friends who would show up from time to time, Lou Kahn, IM Pei, and a list too long for here, have had much greater influences.

39!

I was driving to my great uncles house in our 55 Chevy in Elkins Park, PA and they were building this new building as we drove thru town.  I said to my parents "the steel is in" they didn't think much of the comment from the back seat.  The following month we drove past the same site on a different road and this time the comment was "the steel is up".  The building fascinated me as it was not a square or cube of a building it had a shape of a very steep pyramid. 

We then moved to the suburbs from the inner city and the farm lands were disappearing rapidly with all the new homes and strip shopping centers being built in my back yard, all my personal forts as soon as the footings went in.  As a 7th grader they were building this new intermediate school for the expanding student population.  Again I was fascinated by it because again it wasn't a cube or a square it was almost boomerang shaped and was concrete and glass.  As I road my bike from my junior high to home the building also had this strange magnetism, which caused me to take a right turn on to the site, when ever I wasn't too late getting home.

After several quick trips home from the back seat of the local police for trespassing,  the construction super final decided I wasn't going to be dissuaded from showing up on the site.  The Tobin /Construction  Co. agreement was reached, I would  report to the supers office pick up a hard hat and be told where I could and not go inside the building.  My reward I received a full set of Arch drawings an invitation to the dedication, and the following summer I started my career  working for an Architect in Philadelphia which I did thru high school. 

The two building that started my career were Temple Beth Shalom by Frank Lloyd Wright and Abington Intermediate High by Caudill, Rowlett  Scott, I cant say they were the most in influential, as my first job while attending Drexel Evening College was for Mitchell/Giurgola and all of Aldo's friends who would show up from time to time, Lou Kahn, IM Pei, and a list too long for here, have had much greater influences.

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

I was 27, having worked for some years in construction, and for three years as a store "decorator".  My Dad was a builder and building designer, and had real artistic ability.  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  I've been licensed and in practice for 41 years now, and have never really looked back.  

I was 27, having worked for some years in construction, and for three years as a store "decorator".  My Dad was a builder and building designer, and had real artistic ability.  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  I've been licensed and in practice for 41 years now, and have never really looked back.  

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

True story.  I was six years old and was watching Bozo's Circus in Chicago.  When they picked a kid to be in the 'Grand Prize Game', they asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up.  I thought I had better figure that out in case I was picked for that!  I loved to build forts, play with Lego's and Lincoln Logs and draw buildings.  I picked 'architect' and never looked back!

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

True story.  I was six years old and was watching Bozo's Circus in Chicago.  When they picked a kid to be in the 'Grand Prize Game', they asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up.  I thought I had better figure that out in case I was picked for that!  I loved to build forts, play with Lego's and Lincoln Logs and draw buildings.  I picked 'architect' and never looked back!

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?

Wow, sure brought up a few memories.  Several years back I participated in career day presentations for High School students.  I did this for about 5 or 6 years, and always identified 4th grade as the year I knew I wanted to be an architect.  My art teacher allowed us to choose the medium and complexity of an art project.  I drew a house plan, and built a model from poster board and Elmer's glue.  My mom was not very happy about the wall to wall carpet choice for my model (I had cut up our wash cloths!).

Rethinking that timeline though, I was probably first influenced by the Lincoln Log set and my grandfather's house, who ironically grew up in Oak Park during FLW's time there.  I may have been as young as 4 or 5, and that's all I would play with.  Jumping ahead to 6th or 7th grade when my grandmother moved in with us, I received my first drafting table (which I still have!).  She was a model turned artist (she was the "modern" swimsuit model for Coca Cola's infamous 50th anniversary campaign of 1936).  She influenced my interest in sketching, drawing, interest in color, etc.

Like many others have said, I was always fascinated by construction sites as well, and also built things from scrap materials I'd find on sites or elsewhere.  My dad was lenient with his tools as well, and of course exposed me to many hands on projects, being the jack of all trades that he is. During high school, I took every drafting class, even becoming a mentor to others, and assisting the teacher with grading papers.  But I knew from my dad's hard work, that I'd be a better architect if I understood how to build, and how things work in general.  So in addition to calculus, physics and art, I took wood and metal shop, welding, basic industrial arts. 

I realize this is maybe not a normal process for young people to follow a career path this soon and intensively, but it's my story!

Hello All

Recently, we were discussing ages of slowing down, or even "retiring" (yipe!).  Finally, it occurred to me that I've noticed that Architects "start young", like I did.  So, folks, any stories?

I'll start...  

For a few years, I pondered being a naturalist (bombing-around the Everglades in a fan-boat, a-la Disney movies, + long-term catching frogs, turtles, snakes, etc.), or an Architect, after drawing sketches, building models, hanging-around at the new houses being built nearby, etc.  Finally, it hit me; I was gonna be an Architect !

That was 5th grade.

Maybe 20 years ago, I started asking Architects about age-of-decision, and yeah, I get some pretty-young ages!  Now, when people ask me for guidance / suggestions ("My son / daughter wants to be an Architect."), my first question is about the age at which the decision was made.

And maybe I'm dreaming, but I'm convinced that the younger the age, the more solid the commitment.  At times, I've even suggested that "Architect" is NOT just something fancy-sounding, to be picked-off a list for a college application, etc.

Any thoughts on this?