Emerging professionals no more, AIA members describe what they learned on their first project

Emerging professionals no more, AIA members describe what they learned on their first project

Michael Maltzan, FAIA. Image courtesy of Monica Nowens.<br><br>The Inner City Arts Community Center in Los Angeles, designed by Michael Maltzan, 2005-2008. “One of the most important lessons for me was to affirm that architecture can exist in a very broad range of social, political, and economic situations,” Maltzan says. Image courtesy of Iwan Baan.

Marlon Blackwell, FAIA. Image courtesy of Marlon Blackwell Architect.<br><br>Marlon Blackwell’s Garden House in Wenham, Mass. “Working on my own, I was doing everything--designing, drawing, and doing administration in the field--and had a chance to be involved in all aspects of every phase,” says Blackwell Image courtesy of Kevin Latady.

Randy Brown, FAIA. Image courtesy of Randy Brown Architects.<br><br>Randy Brown’s House/Studio in Omaha. “It was a challenge to take a small project with an extremely small budget and make it high design,” says Brown. Image courtesy of Farshid Assassi.

Jeanne Gang, FAIA. Image courtesy of Chris Kitahara.<br><br>The Belden Loft in Chicago, designed by Jeanne Gang. “It surprised me that the duration of the project is dependent on so many things outside of design time,” Gang says. “It took eons longer than I expected.” Image courtesy of Tom McCluskey Photography.

Joan Soranno, FAIA. Image courtesy of HGA.<br><br>Joan Sorrano’s Bigelow Chapel at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities New Brighton, Minn., designed by HGA. “Projects that push technology are always filled with ups and downs,” says Sorrano. “On any given day, there may be four setbacks for every one triumph.” Image courtesy of Sieger/Dolan.

David Jameson, FAIA. Image courtesy of David Jameson, Architect, Inc.<br><br>David Jameson’s Capitol Hill Garage in Washington, D.C. “For a young architect who is about to take on his or her first major project,” Jameson says, “I have the same advice Hugh Jacobsen, [FAIA], gave me on the day I left his office: ‘Never take on a bad building project for the sake of work. It will stay with you and haunt you forever.’” Image courtesy of Hoachlander-Davis Photography.

Coren Sharples, AIA. Image courtesy of SHoP.<br><br>Coren Sharples’ Mitchell Park in Greenport N.Y., designed by ShoP Architects. “For an architect who's just graduated from school and is used to the vocabulary of the studio, the jury, and the critique, the vocabulary of the client and the public is something completely new,” says Sharples. “It's important for an architect to learn how to understand the language of the people commissioning the project, and to speak in ways that are relevant. Image courtesy of Seong Kwon.

The First Step on the Road to Success: Emerging Professionals No More,
AIA Members Describe What They Learned on their First Project

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