Creative Energy

By Christian F. Mergner - What do restful sleep, a happy romantic life, serious legal problems, and custom residential architecture all have to do with Chinese metaphysics? Custom residential architects have an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives with both subtle and dramatic design choices. Read More

Do the Work Quicker and Better

by Rena M. Klein, FAIA - Architectural practice can be described as an endless and simultaneous cycle of "get the work, do the work, get the work, do the work, etc." However, managing the processes of how these tasks are accomplished is also a significant part of the effort, even for a solo-practitioner. This requires tracking of financial results to be sure, but it also includes awareness of work process effectiveness, staff (and personal) satisfaction, and the ongoing need to learn in order to stay relevant in the marketplace. Read More

►  The following articles are submissions from our emerging professional members.

Full Circle, Full Speed Ahead

By Kyu Young Kim, Assoc. AIA - I am a 28-year-old architectural intern/designer at a small, mostly residential architecture office in Palo Alto, California. My background as a young designer is uniquely diverse. After having grown up in Palo Alto and graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, I took it upon myself to learn more about my ethnic and cultural background in Seoul, Korea, by working under Korean Architect, Byoungsoo Cho, AIA. Read More

Great Recession Survival Tactics for Generation Y Architects: Become the BIM Manager

By Jared Banks, AIA - At my interview for the job in the summer of 2007, I chatted with my future bosses about how the residential market was softening. Needless to say, my entire time with SALA Architects was during the Great Recession. The traditional paths for a bright-eyed go-getter were virtually non-existent; both design opportunities and client interactions were meager and sparse. As such I had to find other ways to provide value to the firm and help grow my career. Read More

First Week of the Real World 101

By Thomas Murphy - Congratulations! You've graduated. You survived the long nights, caffeine overdoses, brutal criticism, and guilt-filled socializing before a deadline. You've networked your way into an internship and start on Monday. Your parents are so proud. You, on the other hand, have worked yourself into an empty stomach. Your mind races; will your co-workers like you? What if they ask you to lead a project and you can't make decisions? What if they shove you in a closet and make you draw bathroom elevations all day without breaks for the rest of your life? Read More

Working in a Studio Environment

By Aaron Bowman, AIA - I am a licensed architect in the Neal Prince Studio (NPS), the residential studio of LS3P Associates, Ltd. Shortly after joining LS3P in July of 2012, I moved to the Neal Prince Studio to focus on custom residential and affordable housing projects. Though LS3P is a large, multi-state firm, the Neal Prince Studio offers a collaborative, small-firm environment in a specialized area of practice. Read More

Form Follows Function, Job Follows Education

By Julius Richardson, Assoc. AIA - As a recently graduated Intern Architect I count myself as being extremely fortunate. Not only was I able to find a job upon graduating, I landed an intern position with a niche firm for which I was well suited. My educational credentials include two Master's degrees; the first of which is a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation and the second is my Masters of Architecture. I understood that being so specialized could potentially make my initial job-hunt difficult, but I knew precisely the type of architecture I was passionate about and wanted to practice. Read More

Charleston CRAN

By Bill Huey, Past President - Most of our activities focus on the local level. We believe that by addressing local issues, we represent the profession in a positive light to our community. We are proud to be one of the most active CRAN Chapters in the country, and would be glad to reach out to any groups who may be interested in getting started to tell our story. We are also fortunate to have Chris Rose, a CRAN Steering Committee member, in our chapter. Read More

Baton Rouge CRAN

By Kevin Harris, FAIA - Mark Montgomery, AIA; Tommy Cockfield, AIA; Kevin Harris, FAIA; and Chris Remson, AIA gather at the January 2013 Custom Residential Architect Network meeting. Client education was the topic of the day. Each firm shared their best practices in conveying design and construction knowledge. The peer-to-peer environment creates a mastermind where each participant has something to offer, fostering mutual respect and trust among its members. View the Gallery

Orlando CRAN

By the AIA Orlando CRAN Committee - If you are interested in joining this committee, attending a meeting, or learning more, contact Brian Lucas at brian@blocarch.com. The next meeting of Orlando CRAN will be Tuesday, February 12, at 11:45 a.m. at the Central Florida's Builders Exchange. CRAN meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Meetings begin at 11:45 a.m. Meeting locations, effective March 2013, to be determined.  Recent Newsletter (PDF)

A Toolkit to Get You Organized Locally!

CRAN offers local chapters wanting to start a residential committee the tools to help establish a committee and a network of successful local groups from which to draw ideas and inspiration. Download the Toolkit (PDF)

►  The following articles feature interviews and/or quotes from AIA CRAN members in national media.

Is a design-build firm right for you?

By Christopher Solomon of MSN Real Estate - So you're considering remodeling that tired basement — or even building your dream home. You may have heard the buzz about the "design-build" approach. What is design-build? Is it right for you and your remodel? And what are the pros and cons of this approach, compared with a more "traditional" method? Read More

Video: Architect Goes Out On His Own

By ForResidentialPros.com - Architect Goes Out On His Own; Frank Bain, AIA, launches new firm as the housing market picks up momentum. Watch the Video

United States of Style

By Matthew Strozier | Wall Street Journal - Americans are on the hunt for new homes—on the Internet, at least. Google's real-estate search volume was up 65% year-over-year in November, perhaps another sign of life in housing market. What are house hunters looking for? Google analyzed searches for eight house types for The Wall Street Journal, ranking the top states where people were searching property terms such as "Colonial," "Ranch" or "Craftsman." Read More

Value of Residential Architecture Video Series

residential architect magazine introduces a new video series that explores the importance of residential design and the value architects bring to the housing industry. Throughout the year, we'll talk with residential architects passionate about their profession, among them Will Bruder, AIA, Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, Ted Flato, FAIA, Elizabeth Gray, FAIA, and Alan Organschi, Dan Shipley, FAIA, Vincent Petrarca and Katherine Hogan, Assoc. AIA, and John Carney, FAIA. Please join us for the entire series and find out how the spaces we occupy in our everyday lives shape us as human beings and as a society. Watch the Videos

KnowledgeNet Discussion Forum Roundup

by Brenda Nelson, Assoc. AIA - The forum page at  www.aia.org/CRAN continues to be an active and engaging way for CRAN members to interact. Over the past few months, several topics have generated multiple responses. This section offers a highlight of those discussions for members who don't always have time to join in on the discussions. Read More

Free Webinar: The Future of Specifications

February 19 | 1-2pm ET | 10-11am PT | Earn 1.0 LUs
Project contract documents contain drawings and specifications. Yet the active industry discussion is about BIM (drawings) and almost no discussion about specifications. Surely there have been technology advances for specification authoring and linking to BIMs. Well-coordinated drawings and specifications reduce project risks. Is it possible to author specifications in parallel with design activities, providing critical data to designers to make well-informed decisions? This presentation is for all project participants responsible for authoring and coordinating project specifications.

This presentation is a part of the ongoing AIA Technology in Architectural Practice webinar series.

Tools for Clients: How Design Works + You and Your Architect

Architecture is about people: how buildings can enhance people's lives. The process of design is also about people: clients and architects working together to realize the full potential of every project.

The following resources are to help you and your clients throughout the design process. From selecting an architect, to establishing a legal contract, these free tools can help make each stage a little easier. Read More