The ripples of surprise and confusion radiated across the lecture hall!  At the end of the presentation, one of my fellow students was brave enough to ask aloud the question we all were asking ourselves:  “why would an architect hire another architect to design their home?”  Since the fourth grade I had been keeping a folder of all the dream house sketches I could possibly imagine.  Don’t architects by their very nature have a burning desire to create a custom home for themselves?

I have learned that the old saying is true:  the cobbler’s children have no shoes.  As many of my friends are fellow architects, I find that as a rule our homes are all in various stages of disrepair and deconstruction.  Projects started and stopped abound, and we will guide our guests on tours that consist of “and here’s where I’m planning to build a _____,” or “this is where I’m working on turning this into a _____.”  But what have we done?  Well, not as much as we’d like… and unfortunately there’s always more.

On the flip side, when a cousin (non-architect) had a housewarming party, she took me on a tour and described the recent several weekends of rigorous work projects.  Hanging pictures, putting in a landscape, adding shelves… everything was now in its place.  “We’re done,” she said.  Done?  DONE?  How could anyone ever possibly be DONE with home?  It was a foreign concept to me.

Mr. Prince answered the student’s question by pointing out that in any project, there are mistakes, shortcomings, and of course that pesky 20-20 hindsight vision.  His client, like all architects, couldn’t walk through a space without being confronted by all those mistakes, all that potential, without seeing how it “could have been better.”  So who wants to be surrounded by all of their own shortcomings in their own home?  At home, his client wanted to be able to turn that all off.

At the end of the day, wouldn’t it be nice to leave work at work?  But it is possible when work is more than just a job, it’s an obsession?  In the end, I think I don’t WANT to design my own home, but I NEED to.  It’s a compulsion.  Maybe someday I will overcome this madness, as did Mr. Prince’s client, but I can’t imagine getting there today. 

Fortunately, the office next door has the most helpful IT manager I’ve ever met, and he took pity on me.  It wasn’t the first time, and it likely won’t be the last.

All I can say is this:  always be friendly to those who know more about computers than you do!  I am forever in debt to this kind gentleman, but nevertheless, repairs left me for two days without my most critical business tool.  Up until this point, I don’t know if I had realized how utterly dependent I am upon this glorious machine.  What happened to the days when all an architect needed was a pencil?  And what will we do when our international (or interstellar) enemies use an electromagnetic pulse to disable all of our electronics?   I shudder to think.

The week was ending and I was woefully behind on my current project by the time “my precious” was back in full working order.  Luckily the deadline wasn’t until Monday, and this meant I could play catch up over the weekend.  Unluckily, this meant I could play catch up over the weekend…

My client was willing to work with me in the face of this utter calamity, and made herself available during the downtime to answer my string of last-minute questions.  (What color did you want the trims to be?  What do you think of this solution for lighting the skylight?)  The product was finished to her satisfaction, and that week we visited the building department together with positive results.  And let me tell you, after that, I made two more backups of my computer’s hard drive.

Now I need to send a thank-you gift to my IT savior.  Any ideas?

I read an interesting article last week which suggested that high voltage charging stations could make the future of electric cars much more viable. The premise is that long charging times have been one of the many hurdles to the mass production of electric cars. The idea of 480 volt charging stations certainly raises some safety concerns, and there is always a question of how much energy goes into creating the electricity in the first place; but the idea seems to have merit.

I have always been skeptical of hybrid vehicles that average 40 miles to the gallon or less; so I am optimistic of the high voltage charging stations. But, this also got me thinking about fuel efficiency on the whole.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that new vehicles sold in the US averaged 23.1 miles per gallon in 1980 and 24.7 in 2004.  A 1984 Ford Escort is listed as 35mpg city and 47 highway where a 2010 Prius is listed as 51mpg city and 48 highway.  I’d like to think that over a 26 year period we would have seen a much better improvement than this!  It’s hard to look at just the numbers, though; certainly the features, comfort level, power, safety and amenities have all vastly improved in that time span...  So, what does the average consumer want? More comfort features or better fuel efficiency? I wonder why we can’t have both?

Some time ago I was shopping at the local home improvement center (nope, I am not going to name names) for some red paint for a project I was working on. Being very inspired by the modernist art movement, I was looking for primary red. Standing in front of a wall of color samples, I must have looked something like a deer caught in headlights. The sheer amount of color samples is simply overwhelming, and to some extent amazing. Anyway, looking bewildered in a home improvement store is one way to get a sales associate to help you, and sure enough I was approached by someone who was indeed trying to be helpful when they asked if they could help me find anything. I said yes, I would like red paint, to which the (trying to be) helpful associate responded “what color red?”  I found this question to be a bit odd, you see I always assumed that red was a color, so I responded that I simply wanted red, period. Again I was asked “yes, but what color red?” I am pretty sure at this point I went into some diatribe about red as a primary color, nothing more, and nothing less. The long and short of it is that at the home improvement center there is no such paint with the label “red”. In our efforts to give ourselves more choices, better selections, more options to keep up with our busy lives we have overcomplicated our world to the extent that red no longer exists. Simple is not always a bad thing…..

For our firm, this represents little change.  Most of our projects have been subject to special green regulations for the past decade.  Local jurisdictions and public/private funding usually require these measures already – reduced water use, recycled-content carpets, and efficient energy use have been par for the course.  Alameda County Waste Management created the green standards which eventually became the statewide GreenPoint Rated program, and cities like Oakland have always asked recipients of city funding to follow this checklist.

We’re excited to witness California’s adoption of the greenest building standards in the US, and look forward to seeing sustainability become business-as-usual in the construction marketplace.

Gary and I, as the founding principals of Struthers Dias Architects, have a very unique and cooperative relationship.  Having worked together now for about 8 years, we know each other pretty well.  We have tremendous respect for one another’s talents – but we’re also good friends.  We would have to be, to have survived the process of getting this company off the ground in such a weak economy.  But survive we have.  In fact, all signs point to 2010 being a year of exciting growth for SDA.

Some people mistakenly assume we’re a married couple because of our excellent rapport.  Many folks have concerns about working with a husband-wife team: that there would be outside drama and distraction in the workplace.  Some clients have gone so far as to express relief upon learning that we DO in fact have our own spouses and families to return to at the end of each day.  (This article suggests that husband-and-wife teams are frequently unbalanced and one-sided.)  Actually, we offer our clients the best of both worlds – two equally talented and attentive principals focused on high levels of customer service. 

As members of a team, Gary brings fierce dedication to the table and I counter that with a practical, problem-solving approach.  I connect with people and groups on a personal level, and understand how the spaces need to function to fit their special dynamic.  Gary has a straightforward vision of how the materials and elements can fit together simply and cleanly.  We believe our clients deserve the best we both can offer, and so we choose to work in a collaborative fashion.  One of us may be the day-to-day project manager on a given project, but the other is the overseeing principal in charge, offering design input and quality enhancement throughout.  Being business associates means that we are able to be honest and uncompromised in making the best decisions possible.

Starting a business can be a lonely enterprise – making the switch from spending every day surrounded by a crew of compatriots, to eating that sandwich alone day after day.  It would not be as much fun without a partner – for bouncing ideas around, for motivation and cheerleading, and companionship.  But the bottom line of our partnership is this:  each project is simply better when we both have input.  As the Edge (from the band U2) puts it, we’re “greater than the sum of the parts.”  Gary and I have a synergy together, and our clients benefit from that – which is why we make it a policy to both be involved on every job.

This gem of a quote came from my business partner last week, in the middle of a fairly important project interview. It got quite a laugh, including from myself; however it was a very serious point that she was making. Her point was this: at the end of a project (and this really doesn’t matter if we are talking about a very small scale single family renovation project or a very large scale multi-family housing project) few people walk away with a remembrance of the design process. What sticks out in their memory is the construction process.

It makes a fair amount of sense; design happens in an office, at a desk, often on a computer. It’s a process that few people see in great detail; it is largely intangible. Construction happens.  It happens at your home or possibly on a new plot of land -- but regardless of where it happens, it is very tangible. A quality construction project relies heavily on a good contractor; again this applies to all scales of projects. But it also relies on a good design by an architect who understands the process of not only the design side, but what needs to be well-communicated to the contractor so they can do their job (and do it well).

Too many times, architects and contractors are seen as adversaries with different goals, objectives, and priorities. The most successful projects are the ones in which everyone is working as a team to achieve common goals and objectives.  The owner can help set this tone by selecting the architect and contractor early, and based on qualifications – not based on the lowest bid (which immediately sows the seeds of competitiveness and blame).  Creating a sense of “teamwork” from the very beginning is crucial if there is to be “teamwork” at the end as well. 

You’re probably making plans for 2010, and updating your home likely falls somewhere on that list.  We’ve provided here a list of relatively simple steps you can take to stretch a little further into sustainability.  The list runs from simplest to more complex.

1              Get a programmable thermostat!  This is the easiest thing in the world.  Just unscrew that old dial-type one from the wall, and you will find a little low-voltage wire sticking out of the wall.  Tie this into the back of a battery-operated programmable thermostat from the hardware store, and voila!  Now all you have to do is actually program it (don’t worry, it’s easier than programming the VCR was, remember that?) We recommend setting the heater to 68 degrees in the mornings and evening when you are home, and to 62 degrees when everyone is gone or is asleep in their fleece jammies.  (Guess what, it’s winter!  You’re supposed to need a sweater.)

2              Integrate recycling more fully into your home garbage systems throughout the house. Do you have a recycling container in the kitchen that is at least as big as your garbage can?  In my house, the recycling has to be taken out even more frequently than the trash – there is a lot you can put in there.  What about the other trash cans throughout the house – how are you collecting toilet paper rolls and toothpaste boxes?  And most Alameda County residents can put their foodscraps and pizza boxes in the greenwaste bin – an easy first step in the direction of composting…

3              Use a HEPA MERV-8 filter on your forced-air heater.  Use HEPA (high efficiency) filters and bags on your vacuum cleaner.  Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s about your health – and getting some of the dust and allergens out of the air go a long way toward making everyone feel better.  Get the one that looks like a pleated fan, not the fiberglass mesh.  MERV refers to how small the particulates are that get filtered out, and 8 is tight enough to make a difference in the air quality at home – but not so tight that it will be a burden to your air-handler.

4              Take showers, not baths, AND, switch to a low-flow showerhead (or add in-line flow restrictors). A reasonable shower actually uses less water than a soak in the tub – and let’s face it, a soak in the tub starts out hot and clean, but it doesn’t end up that way… Use a low-flow showerhead and make a good thing even better.

5              Switch to fluorescent lightbulbs!  Just because you can still find the incandescent type at the store doesn’t mean you should buy it.  They have some really attractive ones now without the coiled-snake shaping, and don’t forget they use 75% less energy.  Just remember that these bulbs do contain mercury and take care not to break them or throw them in the garbage (they must be safely recycled).   Now there are also available low-mercury fluorescent bulbs, which are a win-win!

6              Get rid of your front lawn!  Irrigation accounts for 70% of home water use, and opting for shrubbery in lieu of lawn could cut that in half.  (Not to mention it’s lower maintenance… and you aren’t picnicking out there anyway.)  In fact, put in a Bay Friendly Landscape or even a xeriscape (using plant choices that don’t require any irrigation at all).  Now if you MUST keep all that turf because the kiddies are practicing for a soccer scholarship, then at the very least switch out your sprinkler heads to the low-flow non-misting type.

7              Re-seal around all your exterior doors and windows, and seal around electrical outlets and baseboards too.  This is two-fold:  having a tighter building envelope will prevent heat loss (or heat gain in the summertime) and energy consumption;  also be on the lookout for a low-VOC caulking option.

8              Plan ahead to buy no-VOC interior paints for any interior updates you do during Spring Cleaning.  What a difference a can of paint makes, so choose the right one!  I used a low-voc version a few years ago for my daughter’s room, and was amazed that the smell was very minimal and didn’t permeate the whole house – but now there are even better no-VOC paints available.  Smelling all those fumes is bad for brain cells, and is the cause of sick-building syndrome – a serious problem.  Be on the look-out for minimizing fumes from new upholstery, carpets, and other finishes as well.  You may not be able to find this on the shelf at your big-box retailer (yet), so call around and find a retailer who stocks it.

9              Add more insulation to your attic.  This very well might have the greatest impact overall on lowering your family’s energy consumption and thereby lowering that PG&E bill (because really, you should have already replaced that thermostat years ago).  Have you noticed how much more you pay for utilities in the wintertime?  Start here for instant savings, and get a rebate to boot.

10           Are you planning a larger-scale renovation or addition?  Definitely use a green score card to help evaluate some of your priorities and decisions.  Making more sustainable choices will directly improve your comfort and quality of life in your home renovation, and you can rest easy in trusting a scorecard, rather than wading through the myriad of claims made by various product sales representatives.  GreenPoint Rated for Existing Home is a reliable, accessible rating program – and you can apply for the certification if you want to demonstrate to others in a more public forum the great choices you made!

You may be surprised that we didn’t say, ‘dump that old water heater!’  Or, ‘buy a new furnace!’  That is because if your appliances have 15-years of life remaining (or more), then please don’t throw them in the landfill.  If you do want to upgrade to new machinery, then at least be sure to sell the old one (or give it away) through Craigslist.  Dumping these things in the landfill is an even worse waste of materials and resources.

It’s no secret that architecture has traditionally been a male-dominated field.  When I was a student, the proportions were probably close to equal, and thus we all assumed that we were on the cusp of change.  However, in the profession, it’s another story – women are without a doubt in the minority of the over-30 (and certainly the over-40) age group. 

Regardless, how has this affected me as a professional?  The truth is, not too much.

As a result of being a housing designer, I find myself working with women clients every day.  For whatever reason, an inordinate number of project managers for non-profit developers are also women, and so that may in fact be an advantage for me.  Certainly when it comes to single family homeowners, the wife is frequently the one with a more vocal role in the renovation process – and as a fellow wife and mother, I can relate well to her concerns.  I find that being a woman actually lets me connect easily with my clients on a friendly level.

I don’t mean to imply there haven’t been disadvantages.  While fellow designers give me commensurate respect for my talents and skills, I find that older construction managers sometimes do not take me seriously at first.  I’ve noticed that my concerns don’t always get addressed in meetings, or my questions may hang in the air unanswered.  This is when I have to go out of my way to “prove” myself – to talk up a similar project experience, or state a professional opinion out loud even when I think it’s not new information – just to show that I do, in fact, understand the conversation at hand.  Another technique I use to help them perceive me as a ‘peer’ is to adopt a more masculine body language – to spread out in my chair as opposed to sitting with my hands folded.  So far these methods have served me well enough, but I’m aware there are times when I do have to go an extra mile just to get equal respect.

This double standard becomes apparent to women in the profession early on.  I knew a talented fellow student who found that her professor was consistently giving her lower marks than the men in the class – even though my friend was certain that her work was in fact better.  When she confronted the professor, the response was, “yes, I am harder on you – and it’s BECAUSE you’re a woman.  Out in the real world you will have to work twice as hard as a man to get recognized.”  I have to suspect that experience contributed to her eventual decision to leave the program – after all she was one of the most talented and hard-working first-years in the ranks.  And ‘out in the real world,’ I believe the double standard happily is not quite what this professor remembered.

Most of the younger people who have approached me for mentoring and professional advice have been women, although I think this has just been a numbers game.  I find that a lot my younger counterparts in residential architecture are in fact women like me, and so I wonder, is this true for hospital design?  for institutional building design?  Is the high number of younger women designers a phenomenon for residential design only, or industry wide?  And will they stay with this profession as time goes by?  So far history says 'no,' that a high number of them will change careers. This guy has his theories, but I’m not sure he’s right about the “why.”  Clearly, though, it remains a fact that there are few women principals of design firms.

Years later as a principal in a woman-owned firm, I give equal credit to my own dogged determination as well as blind good luck in getting here.  What do YOU do to overcome a perceived disadvantage in your workplace?

House, by Tracy Kidder, 1985, published by Mariner Books.

I always thought this should be required reading for anyone considering building a new home from scratch, or for that matter undertaking a sizable addition or remodel. In fact, I have given this book as a gift to several friends over the years! If you are thinking of taking on such a project, it’s a good read. The book can be a bit dry and somewhat slow, but well worth the time. It follows a couple who hire an architect (now very well known) to design their first home. The book is unbiased in covering the entire process of the design and the construction of the home from all perspectives -- the homeowners’, the architect’s, and the contractor’s.

What is worth taking away from this read, and understanding if you are going to brave a renovation, is that it is a process. While you are in the midst of a home remodel it can seem like a very long process. You should be very comfortable with the people you are working with; they will be intimately involved in your life for a period of time. For most people, cost is the single largest factor in selecting an architect or a contractor, and that is reasonable. Just behind that should be the relationship you have with the people you are inviting into your life. Think of it this way: ‘I am inviting someone to come and live in my house for several months; I will see them every day.’

I think the other important thing to take away from the book is that it is not a perfect process. No set of architectural documents answers every question that will arise -- it is a physical impossibility. Particularly in a remodel project (though a remodel is not the story line of this book), so many variables arise when you start a remodel project that are unpredictable. Be ready to be part of the process, and plan for contingencies;  Most homeowners see opportunities during the process to add or change things, so make sure your budget allows for this. Good architects and contractors are versed in the give-and-take nature of the process. If you are comfortable with the people working with you, you will survive the undertaking and enjoy the benefits of the project for years to come.