Norman Alston Architects

They just don't design 'em like that anymore.

Thanks to Katie at the office for sharing this link with me. I just had to pass it along and have even waived my devotion to black and white photography so that you could get the full effect.

It's a Better Homes and Gardens decorating book from 1975. I was in college at that time and have long said it was the low point for design and fashion, and the high point for music in the 20th Century. Boy, does this back me up on the design/fashion part. We've decided this particular room is where architects and designers go after they die if they have been especially bad. There are SO many more examples in the book. Be sure and have a look but be forewarned, you can shoot an entire afternoon at this link.

Looking for that first job in architecture and/or historic preservation

During this spring break season, many of those scheduled to graduate in May with architecture degrees will be using this time to get their job hunting in gear. It's still a very competitive market, so I though I would make a couple of recommendations based on the applications that come to me.

1) The internet and the proliferation of firm websites provide a wealth of information for new graduates to research and find potential employers. Use this information to the fullest. No, I mean really use it to the fullest. Like, read them and know something about the firm you are applying to. Before the internet, this kind of information was essentially unavailable for most firms. Only the largest and most prestigious had news articles and monographs about their work and their approach. Consequently, new graduates would broadcast their resumes' with generic cover letters and everyone knew why and expected that.

No longer. Using my own experiences as an example, anyone who has obtained our email address has likely found it on the "Careers" portion of our website. Our website clearly illustrates that we have a specialty. Even the Careers page refers to "those who share our passion". So anyone who harvests our email address but sends a cover letter discussing their highly develped and cutting edge design skills with no mention whatsoever of how they think that makes them a better preservationist suggests that they haven't been paying attention. That is no longer a job application, it's spam. Not the best first impression. Potential employers understand that most new graduates will have little or no relevant experience with whatever the firm's specialty might be. Face that head-on and acknowledge that  you have at least toured their website. Perhaps suggest that you recognize what valuable experience that working on schools/office buldings/large houses/apartments/churches/airports/warehouses/hospitals/museums/Wal-Marts might be in your overall development as a well-rounded architect.

2) It is testament to the quality of our universities that students come from all over the world to study in the US. And it's great that many talented students seek to stay and practice here. I don't know of any firm that does not value cultural and ethnic diversity. However, for those students for whom English might not be their first language, it is important that the cover letter be coherent and free of grammatical or spelling errors. That's because there is no reason for it to be otherwise. For the cover letter (and any other written material in your resume) there has almost certainly been plenty of time and opportunity to get these things worked out. Get a native English-speaking instructor of fellow student to proof read it for you. It's not an issue of not knowing the language, but the suggestion of lack of prepartion, of thoroughness or attention to detail. It's evidence of an opportunity wasted and that's not good. There are so many skills in architecure that a new graduate is not expected to know and that must be learned over time. However, attention to detail, checking your own work and seizing onto  available resources to improve your work are qualities that would be appropriate in school and that all graduates are expected to have. And I don't mean to pick on anyone. This admonition applies to everyone, including the native English speakers.

3) A small thing for me, but I suspect others would appreciate it also. I like to address my responses with "Mr." or "Ms.". If you are a new job applicant and I have received your resume "over the transom", I certainly don't know you well enough to address you by your first name. So give me a hint, please. If there is no photo of you, then names like Jordan, Taylor, Pat, Leslie, Kerri, even Michael can leave me unsure and uneasy. Then there are creative spellings of otherwise common names, the proliferation of creative, one-of-a-kind  names (I know of a guy named Skye. I guessed and guessed wrong) and, of course, the names of many foreign students. A little help here would be greatly appreciated by all.

Otherwise, good luck and keep up the good work!

Renovation of the Empire State Building: Perhaps some lessons for historic preservation

Thanks to Bob O'Neal for bringing this article from Daily Finance to my attention. Not normally a place to find useful historic preservation information, this article recounts the recent energy upgrades performed on this most recognizable landmark. Of interest on the historic side are the windows. In the article, Bruce Watson recounts how the existing windows are retained and retrofitted to substantially improve their energy efficiency. This was not done at the mandate of the powerful New York Landmarks Preservation Commission, but to SAVE MONEY. As it turns out, they retained the existing metal sashes, frames and even the existing glass, but added a low-e film and other improvments. The result was a retrofit cost of $700 per window versus the original $2,500 per window costs when the default replacement option was considered. To me, another example of what can happen when working with design and construction team members that are not intimidated by the notion of retaining, renovating and restoring.

In fairness, there are a few questions. The article notes that the existing windows are already double paned. This suggests that they have been replaced previously, but I have so far not found information on this one way or the other. I have confirmed that the building is a listed New York City Landmark, as I knew it would be, and subject to the control of the Commission, which is not known for suffering foolish preservation attempts. So clearly, they have approved the work, right down to the color. This appears to be another contradiction to the widely held misconception that historic preservation necessarily costs more than conventional new construction.