Congratulations Class of 2013!

I've lived in college towns my entire life. I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, a place I will always call home. What I didn't notice when I lived there was the change in the city when the college kids left for the summer (maybe they didn't, Lawrence IS pretty awesome). Now that I am in my 3rd/4th college town it's a magical moment. This day, the day after they all leave, I sigh in relief. I get my city back. It's is very lively in the summer, but it's mostly made up of families and professionals enjoying the free music and weekend festivals.

This is not intended to go on about the reason I love summer, but to say: Congratulations to the Class of 2013! I mostly speak to the architecture students who are also sighing in relief that they didn't have to go into studio this past weekend other than to clean up; what a wonderful feeling isn't it? I remember not really knowing what to do with myself; studio becomes so much a part of you that it's hard to leave it.

I hope you recent graduates are met with many opportunities for either a summer internship to get your foot in the door or a full time job that you're so excited about you decided not to even take a week off just to do nothing.

Not long ago the unemployment rate for the architecture profession was 13.9%, the worst of any profession...I can't seem to find a change in that statistic, but I can tell you there are far more jobs out there than there were when I graduated. So don't be discouraged if you're having trouble landing your dream job; these things take time.

If, after those 5 years of grueling studios and endless late nights, you find yourself not terribly interested in working in architecture anymore, that's OK. I went to school with a guy who, upon graduating with a Masters in Architecture, decided he'd rather be a math teacher. Life takes us down funny paths that sometimes don't make any sense at the time.

If you need some job search advice look to my earlier post about job hunting and go spend some time with your career services team; they're there all summer long to help you. But most of all enjoy your summer...I know I will!

Congrats!

April Showers Bring May....SNOW???

photo: thepioneerwoman.com

Happy May Day, all!

The title really says it all...Though I haven't seen it in writing on the weather channel or on the local news, I've heard enough people say it around the office that there is a decent chance of snow where I am located on Thursday. I might need to add that yesterday was 87 at one point and as I type it is 79.

That's what happens in Iowa. There is a saying here: "If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes"

I'm sure other parts of the world have the same or similar phrase to mean that the weather is unpredictable, but it's really holds true in Iowa. Yesterday there was so much hail in a city to the North of us that it blanketed the city in white for a time while we sweat it out in 80+ temps and the first humidity I've felt this year.

I could complain all day long, but I'll take this opportunity to think a bit about building in Iowa to cater to the ever-changing climate. Many climates have it really figured out. Nice and open with loads of shade in the tropical regions; large overhangs in areas with constant low-lying, all day sun half the year; screens over nearly everything in Florida, etc...

How do we build in a place like Iowa to take advantage of what mother nature has to offer, whether good or bad? We really welcome the windows in the winter to get maximum sunlight and warmth, but loathe them in the summer when the sun is beating in and all you can think about is how high the electricity bill is going to be. We use shades, but it sure stinks to close off those natural views out.

I think about the apartments I lived in in Italy and wonder if it's a good solution for those of us in varying climates. They have thick as all get-out masonry walls that help cool and heat depending on the season with pretty good sized windows punched through. The thin glazed windows have the typical green shutter with an additional screened shutter to ward off the mosquitoes in central Italy. Tile or wood flooring in every room keep your feet cool in the summer and area rugs and slippers keep you warm in the winter. It did get pretty cold, especially since they regulated when our heat could come on, but we dressed appropriately and hung out in the kitchen if we needed to while dinner cooked or water boiled for tea.

The point of all this is that climate is serious when it comes to designing a building and I worry that it can be overlooked when one is really concentrated on a particular design. Climate conditions should help guide rather than be a burden one must deal with. My solution: take the wood framing and shove it!....well, full of insulation, of course, if we're going to keep using it.

Things to look at when thinking about climate conditions dictating design aspects of your building are:

Passive House
Global Climate Monitor
www.weather.com

That's a few...plenty more resources to google based on your location.

As always, I recommend comments and suggestions from the passers-by out there. I am not an expert, I just see the common sense part of it.