Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 8, 2024

Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 148: Meetings are a Waste of Time

You check the time and realize that you have four minutes before your next meeting. Maybe it’s an internal meeting, maybe clients are coming in. Is it in person or online? Depending on how you answer those questions, time to start scrambling so that you are where you need to be and have the information required to make this meeting a good use of your time. But guess what? I promise that you will end up waiting on someone (maybe you are that someone). Either way, you aren’t getting that time back and you haven’t even started yet. Welcome to Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 148: Meetings are a Waste of Time.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jul 6, 2020

Culture of Design

Do you have a design culture in your office? Why is it that some firms have it and others don’t? A culture of design isn’t something that just happens. There has to be a plan, it needs to be cultivated, and even then, without the right sort of people in place, you might be fighting an uphill battle. Episode sponsor: Sherwin-Williams

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jun 22, 2020

Architectural Tools

All this working from home has made me rethink the tools that I need to effectively do my job. While we all have different roles and responsibilities, Andrew Hawkins, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, and I put together a few items that we just couldn't live without. I bet a few of these items would be on your list as well. Episode sponsor: BQE Software

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jun 17, 2020

Style over Substance

We are all familiar with the phrase “style over substance,” but those words might mean something else to architects. If I were to look at a project and describe it with this particular phrase, there is no question that this would reflect a negative opinion. But is it unnecessarily harsh, or does it have a place in any conversation where architecture is discussed? Let’s find out in today’s episode.

Bob Borson, FAIA | May 26, 2020

Talking Shop with Marlon Blackwell

We have a special guest, Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, on the podcast. If you are not intimately familiar with his work, I am excited to be in a position to share it with you. I first met Marlon almost 30 years ago, just as his career started to take off. Episode sponsor: PAC-CLAD by Petersen Aluminum

Bob Borson, FAIA | May 14, 2020

Objects of Design

For every architect and designer, there are objects out there that resonate for them in a profound manner and can even shape their design philosophies. These can be buildings, products – even materials – but no matter what you call them, they are “Objects of Design.”

Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 27, 2020

Big Design, Small Details

Just about every architect worth their measure develops a design process that works for them - it’s almost like a fingerprint, it’s that unique. In today’s episode, Andrew and I are going to talk about design, and we are going to do it in a manner that’s proper to the sort of design conversation that you might hear if you were sitting next to two architects at a bar. Episode sponsor: Sierra Pacific Windows

Bob Borson, FAIA | Apr 13, 2020

Apps for Architects

Architects are using technology more and more, and with each passing day, more of this technology is available from the comforts of your cellphone or smart tablet. Are there applications out there that you should know about? Of course there are! In episode 47, Apps for Architects, we are talking about mobile applications that allow architects to do their jobs while on the go. Episode sponsor: BQE Software

Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 30, 2020

Working from home

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, business as usual is anything but. Andrew and I felt like we should interrupt our regularly scheduled podcast to take some time and talk about working from home—something that we all are going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 20, 2020

Documenting Architecture

So you're sitting at your desk, you’ve got your project up on the monitor and you are in the zone and crushing it, but what does that even look like? The process of preparing drawings has evolved from “What do we need to do?” to “What can’t we do?” In today’s episode, we are going to talk about documenting architecture best practices in what is essentially creating the graphic instruction manual of constructing a building.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Mar 2, 2020

Architectural Technology

Architectural technology is changing how architects work, and what’s "in" today might be irrelevant by next week—but ignore these developments at your own peril. Even for your average, run-of-the-mill architect, technology is a way of life. But despite knowing this information, I am frequently amazed by just how amazing technology actually is and the role it plays daily in my work and my office. Episode sponsor: BQE Software

Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 17, 2020

Inside the Firm

So you’ve graduated from architecture school and received a university degree in architecture—so what happens next? What exactly does an architect do? What if you don’t want to be a designer, maybe you have interests in how buildings are detailed and built, the selection of materials and finishes, firm management... so many directions you could go. Today we are going to talk about a bunch of them and take you Inside the Firm! Episode sponsor: BQE Software

Bob Borson, FAIA | Feb 3, 2020

Mentorship

Finding the right sort of person who can help guide you through the various stages of your career can be incredibly valuable and beneficial. Today, Andrew and I are talking about mentorship and what that means, what can make it great, why it doesn’t necessarily work, what you can do so that you might actually benefit from the experience, and what sort of relationship can make a mentor a great fit for you. Episode sponsor: PAC-CLAD by Petersen

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 20, 2020

Talking Shop With Omar Gandhi

Today is a special episode because we are sitting down with my very close and personal friend, even though we have never actually met, Canadian architectural rock star Omar Gandhi.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Jan 6, 2020

Changing Jobs

Changing jobs is exciting and terrifying at the same time, particularly if you are making a drastic change either in the type of work or the size of the firm–something I am experiencing at the moment. Today, we are talking about changing jobs, a topic that seems somewhat fitting given that it is the first podcast episode of 2020 and both Andrew and I have changed jobs.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Dec 9, 2019

The Hypothetical Show

Consider this the “Director’s Cut” of hypothetical questions. We decided to dig back through all of 2019 and pull out our three most favorite questions and present them here in all their full-length unedited glory.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Nov 25, 2019

What to Get an Architect for Christmas [2019]

It’s that holiday time of the year. If you are lucky enough to have an architect in your life, and you are wondering what to get this special someone for Christmas, you’ve come to the right place.

Bob Borson, FAIA | Nov 11, 2019

Ask the Show

What music do you listen to? What’s your design process? What is your favorite building and why? What do you eat for breakfast? All this and more as Andrew and I answer your burning questions where almost nothing is off-limits. Episode sponsor: The Forge Prize 2020

Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 28, 2019

Labor is Cheap, Skill is Not

Architecture and skilled craft go hand in hand, but you may not be aware that the number of skilled individuals that are required to bring an architect’s ideas to reality. In today’s episode, Andrew and I are talking about the state of skilled labor in the construction industry. This is not a subject that receives a ton of attention, but one that can have a big impact on the work of an architect. Episode sponsor: CONSTRUCT

Bob Borson, FAIA | Oct 14, 2019

Architecture and Math

If you ever thought about being an architect but thought you couldn’t handle the math, you aren’t alone. At parties across the land, as soon as someone finds out there is an architect in the crowd, there is a story being told about how they wanted to be an architect but since they couldn’t draw or weren’t very good at math they decided to do something else. Episode sponsor: CENTRIA

Bob Borson, FAIA | Sep 30, 2019

Let’s Get Physical

Architectural models are clearly within the architect’s domain, but are you within the “physical models are better” or “digital models are better” camp? That’s the subject matter today as we discuss architectural models and their role in the creative process in a modern architectural office. Episode sponsor: Petersen Aluminum