Sunny California
Here in, for today, sunny California for a site visit to a project.
Senior Architect, some of our sub contractors, the client, the end user, and the client's consulting architect, and me.
It's at times like these when I can clearly see how involved and complex this job can be.
And it's at times like these that I feel completely inadequate.
Everything to keep track of, from Site work and coordination, to the design, to construction staging, to financing, to fighting the buget constraints, to people skills.
That last one being a biggie.
I flew in with a guy who didn't want to be here.
Didn't like the flight delay, (electrical problems forced us to change planes) and the fact that this caused us to miss dinner, and the choice of airports, (John Wayne instead of LAX). Add in a two hour difference and I stayed calm, but there wasn't anything I could have done to change things.
But I did have to listen to him complain.
What could I have done to have resolved this?
I guess I could have told him I wasn't to blame. And I didn't want to hear it. And save it for Senior Architect.
***************
Sometimes I worry as I talk with Zelda that I complain too much.
That would be my gut telling me, "Shut up, I can't do anything about it (which is the Real Source of the problem, powerlessness) and complaining only makes a meditation on the negative, rather than the positive. That is a habit I must break.
She hasn't complained back to me about it. But I can't think that it's pleasant to listen too.
********************
For those golfers in the crowd, in about one or two years time, you can visit our finished product.
For those non golfers out there, I being one of you, we are designing and planning the new club house at the course where a very talented young man learned to play at his father's elbow.
(I'd love to share his name, but since I have bad mouthed my employers, I have to abstain.
Though I may post photos and a model later on. That or I could post a disclaimer.
Anyway.... karmic retribution on me!)
*******************
There is SO much to have to remember.
I have run projects of much smaller scale, through from begining to bidding. But I have not seen many of my jobs built.
This is a design/build.
What is design/build you ask?
Normally the architect is hired by the client and does the complete working construction documents before the contractor is ever brought in.
Design/build combinds the design phase with the construction. The contractor is brought in and pricing is done while the "ink is still drying".
This can be more economical for the client because construction time, and thus the bank loan, is shorter. Less interest. Quicker turn around.
This also means the number$ are in before the final design is, and thus a competitive bid is not possible.
The complexities are magnified ten fold.
It's the Chicken or the Egg.
I don't feel like I am ready for a complex project. (Which I'm not. But then, who ever is?!?)
If it was MY complex project, I bet (if I wasn't totally over whelmed) I would very quickly get up to speed. It's that "ownership" thing.
And I AM learning an incredible amount.
Right now I am focussing on HOW Senior Architect classifies and notes things.
The SYSTEM to use when it's MY baby (and Ass).
************************
There is also the Boss factor.
Senior Architect knows how to get the job done.
He has to go-around-the-boss, Akido like, to accomplish what he needs.
We have another job in house that is right up my alley.
A multi family project.
But the client is the Bosse's wife's sister.
The Bosse's wife being the office VP and Interior Designer.
There is efficiency in using the same size units and same layouts in multifamily for many reasons.
Stacking of drains. Ease of the layout of construction documents. The Coordination with consultants. Efficiency of construction.
The boss has never done a multi family.
Neither has the wife.
His ego is vested in the design.
Her sister doesn't have particular requirements for the unit sizes.
I am going to have to make THEIR mess work.
So I have to develope my go-around skills really quickly...
The client and the city liked my exterior design.
It meets the venacular (the local designs for a region) of the state.
Boss didn't like it, since it wasn't his design. (not complaining here, just sharing the situation).
I was suprised at the emotional responce from him when he saw it and it wasn't similar to his.
(Totally inappropriate for the neighborhood, let alone the construction).
It may be given over to a new guy, should we ever hire one.
My ego wants to be the one to build it...
(Senior Architect,
on the other hand,
is Humble.)
I'm learning...
We'll see...
**********
Hey ZELDA!!!
Marry ME?!
Karlthebunny
Loves
Zelda!!
******
Senior Architect, some of our sub contractors, the client, the end user, and the client's consulting architect, and me.
It's at times like these when I can clearly see how involved and complex this job can be.
And it's at times like these that I feel completely inadequate.
Everything to keep track of, from Site work and coordination, to the design, to construction staging, to financing, to fighting the buget constraints, to people skills.
That last one being a biggie.
I flew in with a guy who didn't want to be here.
Didn't like the flight delay, (electrical problems forced us to change planes) and the fact that this caused us to miss dinner, and the choice of airports, (John Wayne instead of LAX). Add in a two hour difference and I stayed calm, but there wasn't anything I could have done to change things.
But I did have to listen to him complain.
What could I have done to have resolved this?
I guess I could have told him I wasn't to blame. And I didn't want to hear it. And save it for Senior Architect.
***************
Sometimes I worry as I talk with Zelda that I complain too much.
That would be my gut telling me, "Shut up, I can't do anything about it (which is the Real Source of the problem, powerlessness) and complaining only makes a meditation on the negative, rather than the positive. That is a habit I must break.
She hasn't complained back to me about it. But I can't think that it's pleasant to listen too.
********************
For those golfers in the crowd, in about one or two years time, you can visit our finished product.
For those non golfers out there, I being one of you, we are designing and planning the new club house at the course where a very talented young man learned to play at his father's elbow.
(I'd love to share his name, but since I have bad mouthed my employers, I have to abstain.
Though I may post photos and a model later on. That or I could post a disclaimer.
Anyway.... karmic retribution on me!)
*******************
There is SO much to have to remember.
I have run projects of much smaller scale, through from begining to bidding. But I have not seen many of my jobs built.
This is a design/build.
What is design/build you ask?
Normally the architect is hired by the client and does the complete working construction documents before the contractor is ever brought in.
Design/build combinds the design phase with the construction. The contractor is brought in and pricing is done while the "ink is still drying".
This can be more economical for the client because construction time, and thus the bank loan, is shorter. Less interest. Quicker turn around.
This also means the number$ are in before the final design is, and thus a competitive bid is not possible.
The complexities are magnified ten fold.
It's the Chicken or the Egg.
I don't feel like I am ready for a complex project. (Which I'm not. But then, who ever is?!?)
If it was MY complex project, I bet (if I wasn't totally over whelmed) I would very quickly get up to speed. It's that "ownership" thing.
And I AM learning an incredible amount.
Right now I am focussing on HOW Senior Architect classifies and notes things.
The SYSTEM to use when it's MY baby (and Ass).
************************
There is also the Boss factor.
Senior Architect knows how to get the job done.
He has to go-around-the-boss, Akido like, to accomplish what he needs.
We have another job in house that is right up my alley.
A multi family project.
But the client is the Bosse's wife's sister.
The Bosse's wife being the office VP and Interior Designer.
There is efficiency in using the same size units and same layouts in multifamily for many reasons.
Stacking of drains. Ease of the layout of construction documents. The Coordination with consultants. Efficiency of construction.
The boss has never done a multi family.
Neither has the wife.
His ego is vested in the design.
Her sister doesn't have particular requirements for the unit sizes.
I am going to have to make THEIR mess work.
So I have to develope my go-around skills really quickly...
The client and the city liked my exterior design.
It meets the venacular (the local designs for a region) of the state.
Boss didn't like it, since it wasn't his design. (not complaining here, just sharing the situation).
I was suprised at the emotional responce from him when he saw it and it wasn't similar to his.
(Totally inappropriate for the neighborhood, let alone the construction).
It may be given over to a new guy, should we ever hire one.
My ego wants to be the one to build it...
(Senior Architect,
on the other hand,
is Humble.)
I'm learning...
We'll see...
**********
Hey ZELDA!!!
Marry ME?!
Karlthebunny
Loves
Zelda!!
******
posted by karlthebunny at 10:03 PM
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