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For me, I think architecture is one of the best professions for society. How many careers can you find that can combine structure and composition of space; while working with specialists in may different fields to create a work of architecture. These skills don’t limit themselves to just buildings. We have learned to coordinate and collaborate with many different people to create great things. There are few other professions that rely on one person to coordinate these types of important projects for society. The architect’s skills are beneficial to society in so many ways, and that leads us to think about how our creative, managerial and coordination skills can be applied to other fields.

We don’t work in a vacuum. We compose, put everything together, while working with a lot of people. There is a lot of excitement and inspiration that comes from interacting and working with so many people. We need to be able to use this practice in a way that extends the profession of architecture into other areas. There are always times of recession and hardship, so we need to understand this greater skill that architecture provides us.

And for me, personally, the hope and the dream is not something you can receive from someone. It’s important to start from within. You can’t wait for something to happen. This is the approach I’ve always taken. Look at me - I’m doing well… I didn’t study architecture in school. I didn’t graduate from university. I started with a big disadvantage.

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Tadao Ando Interview: 20 Minutes with a Master

(Source: archinect.com)

"I design very similarly to the traditional Chinese painter. I don’t sketch very much, but I do study cities, valleys and mountains. Then I stop. I think for about a week and don’t draw. In the case of this museum, one night I couldn’t sleep and suddenly it emerged. To me, every design is about both poetic thinking and mathematics. I sat on the bed, drew it in my mind and calculated the size of the building. When that was done, I took a small piece of paper and a pencil. I drew everything directly: numbers, structure, size, space, stairs, where to locate the entrance, functions and so on. Then I drank tea. During the second stage of a project, I use a pencil and a ruler for very accurate plans and sections, showing the positions of windows and doors. I give the work to my assistants. They draw it again, using the computer. When that is finished, we discuss the material and the details. This month I have to design three museums, so my studio stops working for one month. Everybody goes home, so I can work on my own. I send them to the countryside for research or give everybody a list of books about traditional Chinese painting, French philosophers, movies or any subject that might be helpful. This is their homework. When they come back, we have a discussion, and then we work again."

Wang Shu, Amateur Architecture Studio

(Source: movingcities.org)

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Architect Savant for Hire… (Pittsburgh, PA)

Great Designer, Perfect Con Doc’s, Excellent Field Observer… also Fantastic at Marketing… can really “work a room”. Innovative IT person as well as Revit and Autocad Expert. Also willing to entertain at parties and have been called an excellent chef…. will start at the bottom and work way up in firm……

Compensation: $15-17/ hour…$12 as a chef…

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(Source: pittsburgh.craigslist.org)

"Austin is paradise. (Except during the months of June, July and August. Then it’s an insufferable underworld full of fire spat from the sky and bleeding earth.)"

Austin tops “Best City for ‘Best City’” lists

(Source: austin.culturemap.com)

"I was just telling my mom about the Steve Jobs book, and how I think it’s somewhat like me. And she was just like, oh if you were actually like Steve Jobs, we wouldn’t have to worry. I’m just like, ok you go read the book and tell me you wouldn’t worry if you had to parent a 20-something-year-old that randomly jets off to India and almost dies. And dropped out of college, after a year. Imagine if I did that. And worked on a fucking apple farm. JUST IMAGINE. Asian parents couldn’t handle that shit. Steve Jobs COULDN’T BE ASIAN."

"I hate places where they let you do it yourself; that’s always going to end in disaster. I remember going to some places in NYC like that, and I ended up with horrible meals. And then I went to this other restaurant and I asked them to take out the peas from the dish and the waitress was like sorry, the chef does not allow any alterations to his dishes. I was like GOOD, I respect that. Bring on the peas. That’s how it should be."