ARRRRE

When someone asks what I do for a living, I usually say I am an architectural designer.  I am an architect in training since I still need to pass many exams in order to become licensed.  So, for those of you who do not know how one becomes an architect, let me explain.

Step 1: Attend a NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) accredited program.

Step 2: Experience through IDP (Internship Development Program) – accumulate 5,600 hours in specific areas of learning.

Step 3: Take the 7 ARE (Architectural Registration Examination) sections

1.     Programming Planning & Practice

2.     Site Planning & Design

3.     Building Design & Construction Systems

4.     Schematic Design

5.     Structural Systems

6.     Building Systems

7.     Construction Documents and Services

Step 4: Take the CSE (California Supplemental Exam)

When you pass and complete the above steps, then you finally become an architect.  This process, after your education, takes at least 3-5 years. I am currently finishing my hours for the IDP and beginning to study for the ARE’s.  When I finished school a few year ago, I was excited to start working in the real world and understand how the business actually works.  I was also excited about leaving my work at work and enjoying my life at home.  Well three years have passed and well, that break is over. In order to study for the ARE’s, I need to exam our practices in the office as well as learn many more areas in architecture.  You can say it has been a slow process reverting back to becoming a “student” again.

Keep a look out for updates on my attempt to tackle the ARE.

Blocks, Blocks, Who's There?

When we have some downtime in the office, we have the opportunity to enhance our CAD standards for drafting efficiently. This week, I started creating AutoCAD blocks of cabinetry. I am doing traditional cabinets as well as modern ones. The key is to make the blocks dynamic, so that each block has the ability to be stretched to the appropriate size and use a simple drop down box for a choice of doors, drawers and all types of fun things. Next....Furniture Blocks!

The Fantastic Mr. Sox

Sox is a feral kitty that I adopted from the SPCA.  I spotted him through the window of his room and he had both of his front paws over his nose and looked completely depressed and pathetic.  I went in to visit him and found him to be an extremely sweet, unusually calm kitten.  I thought to myself, “This is my kind of cat!”  As I approached his room, two people were outside of his door ready to snatch him up and I decided to adopt him immediately.  I took him with me back to DMA.   Despite the fact that I am allergic to cats, Sox won me over. I was sitting on the sofa watching television holding my brand new baby kitten and suddenly, I noticed that the bottom of my shirt was soaking wet. I knew that this definitely was not a good sign.  I had only had him for about five hours and I was on the phone with every animal hospital in town and rushed him to the emergency room.  Little Sox had a fever of 104 degrees and apparently had an abscess that had gone unnoticed at the SPCA and ruptured when I got him home.  They gave me medicine to give to him twice a day and told me that he would have died if I wouldn’t have adopted him and gotten him treated. Little did I know, but this would be the first of many trips to the animal hospital with Sox during our first few months of being buddies.  Every time he would start getting better, something would go wrong.  Right when his abscess was just about to heal, I came home and he ran to the door to greet me, squinting his eye like a little drunken pirate and he had conjunctivitis, then a cold….and on, and on.  I definitely had no idea what I was getting myself into that day, but I am thankful that I adopted him.  He came from the street and is quite a character that has made my house a much more interesting place.

They Don't Build 'em This Way Anymore

Even though Saturday was grey and gloomy the sun came out on Ocean Beach for the Leap's 27th Annual Sandcastle Contest. The sunshine came in the form of 500 plus kids and their families, more than 25 Architectural firms, and over 100 Construction Industry companies all working together to build 25 glorious sandcastles. The theme this year was "Sand Francisco" and the subjects were all home grown wonders. From replicas of Alcatraz, to Lombard Street to ATT Park, San Francisco was immortalized in sand if for only a day. With Ryan Associates leading our group, DM+A worked alongside of William Duff Architects and Miraloma Elementary to create ATT Ballpark. I don't know who had more fun, the kids or the adults. Even though I wasn't in the best physical form to do manual labor (look for my blog on "House of Air" ouch!) I had a blast helping the grownups corralling my new best friends while they made giant mounds of sand, stomping and packing it higher and higher to form the grandstands and outfield. When the bulk of the grandstands were complete the kids constructed all sorts of cool ballpark sculptures in sand like the famous Coke bottle slide, McCovey Cove and assorted ball park features. Of course there were entire cities of drip castles skyscrapers. You can only corral kids for so long, you know!

Even though this contest was for amateurs only the fun was first class, prizes will be given out October 20th at the after, after, after after party. Look for our blog from that event in the coming weeks.