party [local]

i've been living in portland maine over a year now and i realize that i've basically been living as a glorified tourist.  i've seen some sights, tried some restaurants and have gone to a few events but i haven't done anything more than a summer tourist could do. that was until the other weekend when i partied with some g.o.b's.

that's right, some "good ol boys." 

i was invited to a bonfire out in the woods by a friend of mine.  upon arriving and looking at the number of pickup trucks in the driveway i knew i was in for a treat.  we barbecued, told stories, drank beer and kept the fire roaring.  by roaring i of course mean that a few of the g.o.b's saw the fire getting low, went to their trucks and fired up chainsaws.  i of course, having left my chainsaw at home, was on the porch enjoying an amazing plate of baked beans.  heading back to get another scoop, i heard a large thud outside.  looking out the window i saw an entire tree down.  minutes later the trucks pulled up and delivered three full beds of the fallen tree to the bonfire.  a half an hour later the fire was much bigger and i was stuffed with baked beans.

as the night went on we found ourselves moving down from the deck and towards the flames.  the closer we got the better the stories.  we heard all about portland in the 60's and 70's and how great munjoy hill use to be, back when it was "filled with hookers and crack." their words, not mine.  we heard stories from bars long ago forgotten and other adventures around the area.  

i felt at home and homesick at the same time.  this was the kind of thing we use to do all the time growing up.  although the burnt smores of my childhood were replaced with cans of coors this night, hanging out in the country, around a bonfire, felt like old times.  

there's just some shit you can't do in the city...

although from the stories i heard that night, in the 70's you might have been able to.

[tattoos] and [architecture]

in this months edition of architalks we were asked to write our advice to clients.  to that i say...


there are two types of people who get tattoos; those who request lower back butterflies or barbed wire biceps and those who seek out a specific tattoo artist and want to showcase that artists artwork on their body permanently.

architecture clients are no different.  if you're thinking of hiring an architect....be the later.


in my mind, tattoo artists and architects are so similar it's scary.  both work with ink, both are creative, both deal with life long decisions and both deal with having someone else's artistic taste represent you.

now i don't have any tattoos, but i have several good friends who do and i've listened to them tell me how they've seeked out tattoo artists for their specific style. many of them having different tattoos from different artists.  the process was similar, they would meet with the artist, tell them what they were thinking, tell them where they would like the ink, establish a budget, then after a few drawings and discussions, would let artist go to work, excited to have a piece from that artist showcased on their body.   thinking about this architecturally, i couldn't help but fantasize about how this would make for the perfect architecture client.  a person who seeks you out because of your "style", comes in to discuss their project, points out the location, establishes a budget, let's you know a little about themselves and then lets you go to work.

however, you don't often get those types of clients.  there are the clients that tell you exactly what they want, want it fast and with no budget.  i can only imagine i feel the same way about these projects that a tattoo artists feels about someone coming in wanting a little heart on their ankle or a loony toons character.  now, i'm in no way saying those are awful choices in tattoos, merely that if you're hiring an artist, or maybe an architect, deep down their passion is to create something truly unique to you...and with that requires a little bit of trust.  just like the tattoo artist an architect wants to do the best job he can for you.  that's not to say you shouldn't lay some boundaries down, actually in most cases that makes for a better project, but keep in mind they are an artist, their job is to dream and create and after all, isn't that what you're hiring them to do?

in some ways i think architects should be more like tattoo artists. can you imagine how cool it would be to walk into an architectures firm with the walls covered in little framed sketches of buildings, looking into the back and seeing an architect with a bald head, handlebar moustache and neck tattoo is sketching up a drawing for a client? sounds pretty bad ass to me!

maybe if architects also had the letters "P A Y    N O W" tattooed across their knuckles, there would be fewer billing questions.

all this being said, my advice to clients... think about architecture like you would about getting a tattoo.  trust in the artists to do something uniquely you, not the ordinary.

see what other architects have to say aboutt "advice for clients" below.




Marica McKeel - Studio MM (@ArchitectMM)
ArchiTalks: Advice for Working with an Architect


Jeff Echols - Architect Of The Internet (@Jeff_Echols)
Advice for ALL Clients


Lee Calisti, AIA - Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
advice to clients


Lora Teagarden - L² Design, LLC (@L2DesignLLC)
ArchiTalks: Advice for Clients


Collier Ward - One More Story (@BuildingContent)
Trust Your Architect


Eric T. Faulkner - Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
Advice List -- From K thru Architect


Michele Grace Hottel - Michele Grace Hottel, Architect (@mghottel)
advice for clients


Brian Paletz - The Emerging Architect (@bpaletz)
A Few Reminders


Emily Grandstaff-Rice - Emily Grandstaff-Rice FAIA (@egrfaia)
Changing the World


Drew Paul Bell - Drew Paul Bell (@DrewPaulBell)
Advice for Clients


Jeffrey Pelletier - Board & Vellum (@boardandvellum)
Questions to Ask an Architect in an Interview: Advice for Clients


Samantha R. Markham - The Aspiring Architect (@TheAspiringArch)
Dear Client,


Kyu Young Kim - J&K Atelier (@sokokyu)
Advice for Clients


Nisha Kandiah - ArchiDragon (@ArchiDragon)
Advice for clients


Keith Palma - Architect's Trace (@cogitatedesign)
Advice 4 Building

Gabriela Baierle-Atwood - Gabriela Baierle-Atwood (@gabrielabaierle)
What I wish clients knew