The Worst Degree?

My Yahoo is my browser home page, and this week there was a posting about the "Best and Worst Degrees for Employment". The Highest Unemployment Area of Study #1: Architecture. See for yourself at http://goo.gl/LCYlK. Yikes! I knew things had been bad, but is it really the worst?

For years now, there has been information about various professional degree programs where the graduate pool is greatly larger than the available jobs. Law Degrees, for example have been increasingly hard to peddle. But is it really this bad now for Architects?  Perhaps it is.

Architecture as a skill, maybe unlike law, is often not viewed as "transferable". In hard times, the "generalist" training of an Architect may not be valued by anyone other than other Architects.

Out of school, we're not writers, teachers, historians, or builders. If we're lucky, we're "Architects In Training" - interns in our chosen field. Now there are way too many of us.

For what seems like ages, I have counseled staff members and aspirants alike - that Architecture most be chosen because you enjoy it, not because you can expect to get rich doing it. Now that jobs are less plentiful, I guess we should factor in the odds of actually making a go of it.

Is there a solution? Tougher entry requirements? Better training in College? Alternate career paths, with better preparation? I'm not altogether sure, but I know I keep searching.

More to follow...

Frozen Music

Goethe is credited with the quote "Architecture is frozen music", sometime in the early part of the 19th century.  Apocryphal, perhaps, but definitely prescient. Yesterday marked the sad passing of two legends - one in Architecture, the other in music.  The two, in their own way, embodied Goethe's vision.

Oscar Niemeyer, now passed at age 104, fascinated us all by his masterful assembly of possibly tortured function into swooping geometric and sculptural forms. His iconoclastic work was the inspiration for all those who wanted to have their buildings viewed as enduring icons. Few have been equal to the challenge. Personally, I suspect that 104 years form now Niemeyer's buildings will continue to be destinations; while those of the current in-vogue sculpturalist Frank Gehry may not.

Dave Brubeck, now passed one day short of his 92nd birthday, was the artist who implanted the musical rhythms of many design studio environments. Along with millions of others, I was a fan.  One anecdote: For a long period of time, Dave Brubeck and his quartet were the musicians at special yearly Christmas-time service at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York. One year, I was fortunate to find the perfect balcony seat looking over Dave's shoulder as he played loose compositions selected for the occasion. The experience was very moving.

A moment of silence is appropriate. Followed by quiet satisfaction that we are better people for their contributions.  Say Halleluiah.

Getting Started

When I was a student of Architecture at McGill University, I had one of the most brilliant, yet troubled, professors ever to walk this planet.

Chain smoking, hard drinking Stuart Wilson was the bane of our existence for virtually every minute of our fourth year. Late at night (actually early in the morning), he would bounce from desk to desk in our studio, flicking cigarette ashes on the drawings of our latest design endeavors. We were all affected.  He was an equal opportunity offender. The retelling of the night old man Wilson remarked to the sadly outmatched Badar Khan "Going to go down fighting, eh?" is a highlight of our class reunion reminiscences.

Through all this, Professor Wilson demanded we exert effort and strive for whatever excellence we were capable of. For some, the scrutiny was withering. For others, motivating. In my case, I had one semester of each - fortunately the good followed the bad. His bullying (probably carefully planned) forced me to grow in ways that serve me to this day.

Why would Professor Wilson be on my mind?  For a few weeks, I have had writer's block about something relevant to say in this blog. Nothing seemed to coalesce. Eventually, though, I was reminded of one of Professor Wilson's lectures. The subject was "How to Design". As I recall, he paid lip service to historical precedent setting, visual massing concepts, adjacency matrices, and all the other "tools" of our trade. He adamantly insisted that ideas flow out of what might be unfocused doodling of ideas. (Remember, this was for Architects.) He loudly insisted that our process would find it's resolution, if only we "JUST GET STARTED!!"

He saw this as all about doing whatever it takes to overcome the inertia brought on by over-analysis and uncertainty. I should have been more obedient, I suppose. Actually, we all should. Peering though Stuart Wilson's rheumy eyes was a profound vision.

How High?

Here in Connecticut, we were on the edge of hurricane Sandy. Nevertheless, several million people were left without power.  Fallen trees and power lines were the the bulk of the problem; but substations were also at risk from rising tidal surge waters.

During one briefing, a representative of one of the two electrical utilities explained the company's policy for construction standards. Substations were protected against flood waters that were 1 foot above the "100 year flood" level. What does that mean actually? A 100 year flood has a 1% chance of happening in any year, and they were one full foot above that.

Some of the press asked if this policy was open to review. The representative demurred. But much added safety is enough? One foot, two feet, ten feet? I have no answers, other than a suspicion that this may be a search for added cost. How much more is justified? Great question.

Safety margins, redundant systems, backup devices. Some experts say their cost should be weighed against the potential for savings by avoiding possible damages or other expenses. Others say convenience or public safety are valid considerations.

Oh well, all of this speculation is easy for someone who sits here with power and no fallen trees.

Fear of Falling

For some mysterious reason, a common affliction amongst Architects is a fear of heights. Have you ever seen the guy with the shaky knees on the staging around a tall facade repair? Well, that's likely to be your Architect. Me? No such fear!

I appear, though, to have a variation - fear of falling. I can stand at the edge of a precipice unperturbed; but if the guardrail is loose or the walk across the open joists is unprotected, you may find me holding on for dear life.

So, there I was yesterday, along with over 7 million others watching the live video of Felix Baumgartner as he stepped off from his balloon capsule more than 24 miles above the desert floor of New Mexico. As a youngster, I fell from my just-finished tree house, breaking my wrist. Maybe that's when my fear was implanted. Baumgartner, on the other hand, clearly has no hesitation. Or, does he?

Maybe, when the downside consequence is instant death, the trepidation is different than fearing broken body parts. One thing I do know is that I have no intention of finding out.

Roof inspection? Have you finished the parapet yet? Yes? OK fine, I'm on my way. No? Please call Felix.

Phone Five Frenzy

I have claimed to emulate Groucho Marx's adage: "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member." Now what has overcome me?

Two days ago, I took my place in line for the iPhone 5. At the moment, the image to the left approximates my current status.

This has been an interesting journey. Years ago, I was in a facilities management position, where I had to be forewarned in the expected development of a unionized labor strike; and managers, like me, were expected to instantly react to the event. I was FORCED to get my first cell phone. Only a year or so previously, I had been FORCED to get a pager. I called them both electronic leashes, and bristled at the intrusion.

Time marched on, and all my staff started to clamor for phones. This, after I had FORCED them to wear pagers.  Now, we can't imagine living unhooked. My Graphic Designer wife said "Without a smart phone, I'm feel like I'm falling behind in technology." What has become of us?

Two days ago, I was on a long distance bike ride. I had a list of turn directions, but was soon confronted by a sign that said the upcoming bridge was closed - twenty miles from the car, and no idea where I was. I had a cell phone with me to call for help if forced to, but wished I had a mapping app to get me the heck out of there. No way, Jose'. I was lucky to flag down another local cyclist for guidance.

Now, we're waiting for business/pleasure salvation - with a new "Share Everything" plan, and two smart phones on the way. Not only will we have two electronic leashes to wrestle, but two years of commitment to rationalize the self-inflicted choice.

Are we better at our jobs, or have we have we been peer-pressured into Groucho's club?