Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 113: An architect’s office

Let’s be honest, there is an expectation that the offices that architects work out of should be interesting and expertly designed environments–full of moments that demonstrate just how clever they are while enticing potential clients to hire them or get potential employees to want to be hired. Or at least that’s what I think. Welcome to Episode 113: An architect’s office.

Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 114: Holiday gift guide for architects for 2022

Now in its 13th consecutive year, Life of an Architect is putting out the increasingly difficult yet still definitive gift guide for architects, just so you don’t have to figure these things out for yourself. Welcome to Episode 114: Holiday gift guide for architects for 2022.

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Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 112: Final presentations in architecture school

It’s the end of the semester, you’ve exhausted all of your ideas, and you are totally worn out running off minimal sleep and too much caffeine. Your work is pinned up on the wall and it’s time to give your last presentation in front of the final jury. In the grand scheme of things, does this moment even matter? Welcome to episode 112 of Life of an Architect: Final Presentations in Architecture School.

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Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 111: Talking shop with Kevin Rice, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

What is it like to work for an architecture firm that routinely wins design awards and arguably falls into the category of "design superstar." Answers to these questions and more from our guest, Kevin Rice, Principal, Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

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Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 110: Modern Home Challenge

It was August 10, 2010, when Bob Borson, FAIA, first conceived of the “Low-Cost Modern Home Challenge” with the intent to go through a design process that would help the industry understand how to design a modern house that people could afford and would actually want to live in. What I learned was that this is almost impossible to achieve. Fast forward 12 years and I am going to give it another go, with some slightly modified parameters.

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The increasing use of air conditioning is causing many cities to hit record energy consumption levels during brutally hot summer months. In populous countries like India, China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico, large urban centers function like ovens: buildings absorb heat that is re-released back into the environment, further increasing the local temperature. More heat outside means more air conditioning inside, which not only raises energy consumption, but also increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

With this vicious cycle in mind, a paint was created to protect buildings and urban structures from excessive solar radiation, diminishing the effect of the urban heat island. The innovation came from the partnership of UNStudio, a Dutch architectural firm, and Monopol Color, a Swiss paint specialist. The dark-colored materials that are used to construct the buildings in our cities are one of the main causes of heat accumulation in urban areas. While darker materials absorb up to 95% of the sun’s rays and release them straight back into the atmosphere, this value can be reduced to 25% with a normal white surface. Now, with ‘The Coolest White’, it is possible to reduce absorption and emission to 12%.

https://www.archdaily.com/912311/coolest-white-a-painting-to-reduce-the-urban-heat-islandsEduardo Souza

The Bachelor of Architecture program is a professional program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) requiring a minimum of five years of study. Most states require that individuals intending to become architects hold an accredited degree. These professional degrees are structured to educate those who aspire to registration and licensure to practice as architects. The 170 credits required for the Bachelor of Architecture degree are organized in three main categories: a core of required courses in architectural study, liberal arts courses, and electives. The core of 95 credits is primarily taken in the first three years and is designed to give basic professional preparation in architectural design, construction technology, graphic communication, and the humanistic aspects of design. The liberal arts areas require 48 credits, of which 12 are taken within the School of Architecture (ARCH-151, 152, 251, and 252), 6 credits in English, 6 in cultural history, 6 in science, and 6 in social science. The remaining 12 credits are taken as electives selected from the liberal arts courses offered by the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The elective courses consist of 15 credits of professional electives selected from courses offered by the undergraduate architecture programs, and 12 all-Institute electives, selected from courses offered by any school in the Institute. By purposefully selecting courses within all elective areas during their last four semesters, students can develop their own unique architectural education based on their own needs and goals. This personalized fourth-year curriculum is directed toward culmination in the fifth-year degree project. Individual curricula may be developed to place more emphasis on such subject areas as design, preservation, building technology, history and theory, planning, construction management, and urban design in the final two years of study. The degree project year completes the student’s academic architectural experience with an in-depth design study, preceded and accompanied by research. The degree project is executed with guidance from critics chosen by the student.

The Architectural Photography Awards has announced the shortlist of entrants for this year’s competition. The judges were asked to look beyond the architecture, and to consider composition, use of scale and the photographers’ sensitivity to atmosphere. The shortlist consists of entries from six categories: Exterior, Interior, Sense of Place, Buildings in Use, Bridges and Transport Hub.

The photographs will be displayed at The World Architecture Festival (WAF) Lisbon in Portugal from 30 November - 2 December