Architecture and...

My Generation.

There will always be shifts in who our leaders and clients will be.  Currently, we are seeing a shift in that the decision makers are in my own generation.  But it is just as true that this will shift again in time.  We, as architects, are a service driven industry.  As our clients change, so must we.  Cue The Who song...

"People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)."

The Who, My Generation.  

We were in our staff meeting and our longest tenured partner was entertaining the staff with a PowerPoint presentation outlining the distinguishing features between the various generations represented by the employees in our office. There has been a shift, of course, in the almost 40 years he has been with RLPS. The firm began with the Silent Generation, not only for our original partners but for our clients as well. 

The Baby Boomers, the group to which the presenter belongs, has been at the helm of the ship for some time now.  The characteristics provided by the study included optimistic, confident and goal-driven.  About 28% of our 75 staff members currently belong to this group.  Mostly positive traits were conferred on this generation, raising my suspicions as to which group the author of this study belongs.

Then to my Generation, which got shafted with the singular letter X designation.  Also called the MTV generation (which isn't much better) Gen X makes up another 25% of our staff.  Our traits are somewhat burdened by our experiences as latch key kids, but we also are shown to be way more comfortable with change and diversity than our predecessors.

June 9, 1997 cover of Time.  One of the first articles that said, "Hey, maybe they're not ALL bad".

And last but not least, the Millennials, where our office has seen a large bump in population in the last few years specifically, accounting for over 46% of the current staff makeup.  Along with negatives like fickle and lazy, they also called optimistic and socially and environmentally conscious.  This mixed bag of traits may become more definitive over time.  This generation will surely mature into itself, just as my own generation did, as referenced in the Time Magazine article from 1997.  But I think we can agree that Gen X has been kind of the middle child, situated between Boomers and the Millennials.

For the last two-and-a-half years, ever since the first baby boomers started to hit 65 -- which they will continue to do at a rate of 10,000 a day for another 16 years or so -- media attention on generational change has tended to focus either on them or on the socially tolerant, liberal-leaning politics of 20-somethings, or millennials. Generation X has been an afterthought. Which pretty much figures, given how its members have always viewed their inattentive treatment by society at large. Yet it is members of Generation X who are coming into full maturity and thus leaving their stamp on community life.

Bob Gurwitt

Governing.com May 2013 Article accessed 03.04.16

How Generation X is Shaping Government

The point of our partner's presentation was to summarize some of the characteristics of each generation to show how we can complement each other and work together. Many of the buzz words used to describe each generation surely came from noteworthy sociological articles.  Though by definition they are generalizations, the terms seemed pretty spot on, at least when I thought in terms of myself.  For Gen X the descriptions listed were: adaptable, independent, prefers to work alone and cynical.  But when he came to one term for Gen X, our partner asked the group what it must mean: “hesitant to share”.

I happened to be in the front row, and as he looked around the room his eyes fell on me.  So I responded.  As opposed to a reluctance to share our toys, I said "I think we're slow to share emotionally".  Being a father to two Gen X'ers himself, a look of realization came over his face.  But he must have thought I could articulate the reason for such hesitance as a representative of my group.

"Why do you think that is?" he asked.

It came to my lips so fast, there couldn't have been any thought getting a laugh. Not even for someone like me who uses humor as a coping mechanism.

"I would rather not say."

Hmm.  Some generalizations may just hold true.

This post is part of the ArchiTalks series in which Bob Borson of Life of an Architect selects a theme and a group of us (architects who also blog) all post on the same day and promote each other’s blogs. This month’s theme is "Architecture and…" which either left a lot to the imagination or allowed me to shoehorn the topic I was already thinking about into this post.  A lot of other talented writers who also are architects are listed below and are worth checking out:

Marica McKeel - Studio MM (@ArchitectMM)
Architecture and Photography
Jeff Echols - Architect Of The Internet (@Jeff_Echols)
Architecture and a Future Without Architects
Lee Calisti, AIA - Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
architecture and __
Lora Teagarden - L² Design, LLC (@L2DesignLLC)
Architecture and Travel
Jes Stafford - MODwelling (@modarchitect)
Architecture and Gaming

Eric T. Faulkner - Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
architecture and m&ms
Rosa Sheng - EquitybyDesign [EQxD] (@EquityxDesign)
Architecture And the Era of Connection
Michele Grace Hottel - Michele Grace Hottel, Architect (@mghottel)
#ArchiTalks 18: architecture and... the bigger picture
Meghana Joshi - IRA Consultants, LLC (@MeghanaIRA)
Architalks 18: Architecture and Mathematics
Michael Riscica - Young Architect (@YoungArchitxPDX)
Architecture and Yoga
Michael LaValley - Evolving Architect (@archivalley)
Architecture and Ego / The Architect's Unique Struggle with 'Good' Design
Sharon George - Architecture By George (@sharonraigeorge)
Architecture and Kids
Emily Grandstaff-Rice - Emily Grandstaff-Rice FAIA (@egrfaia)
Architecture and More
Jarod Hall - di'velept (@divelept)
Architecture and the Myth of the Master Builder
Jeffrey A Pelletier - Board & Vellum (@boardandvellum)
Architecture and Interior Design
Samantha Raburn - The Aspiring Architect (@TheAspiringArch)
Architecture and Wrestling
Keith Palma - Architect's Trace (@cogitatedesign)
Architecture + Memories
Adam Denais - Defragging Architecture (@DefragArch)
[#ArchiTalks 18] Architecture and Strange Travel Etiquette
Collier Ward - One More Story (@BuildingContent)
Architecture and Storytelling
Amy Kalar - ArchiMom (@AmyKalar)
Architalks 18: Architecture and ... Parenting
brady ernst - Soapbox Architect (@bradyernstAIA)
Architecture and Ego
Greg Croft - Sage Leaf Group (@croft_gregory)
Architecture and Real Estate

Architectural ABC's - Part Four of Four

Part Four:

Let's just say I didn't think this series out fully.  The final three letters were the most challenging, as any elementary school kid could have guessed.  These aren't quite as traditional as the previous terms, but they did teach me a lesson (literally and figuratively).

Although architects may know these terms and even use them often, the history and source of these terms in relation to their modern usage was in fact an interesting journey for me while researching them.  Aside from their alphabetical first letter, there was neither rhyme nor reason as to their selection, other than the etymological ancestry.  Here are X, Y and Z.

Xeriscaping - is a landscaping method that originated in Colorado.  The term derives from the Greek word 'xeros' which means dry.  The point of xeriscaping is to provide attractive landscaping that does not rely on irrigation.  I happened to have been introduced to that term years ago working on a project in Boulder, Colorado.  At first I thought I was hearing zero-scaping, but that was just a result of my own hearing loss - it does not mean plant less. It may have started in dry climates, but the concept is a valid part of best design practices for any climate.  Make use of rain runoff and use hearty plants that can use the runoff instead of piping in water.  Design credit: Martin/Martin Engineering in Colorado (www.martinmartin.com).

Vegetation is concentrated where the water will go.

Plants are hearty and drought resistant and provide visual interest even at dry times. 

Yoke  - is the top rail of a double hung window sash joining the two side rails or a pipe fitting that combines a drain pipe to a vent pipe.  The term is related to wooden beam used to pair two field animals to enable them to pull in unison.  A pair of oxen can be called a ‘yoke’ of oxen.  Many languages have words stemming from the animal related definition, including German, Latin and Greek.  A “yoke” that is an archaic unit of measurement is actually the amount of land that can be cultivated by a pair of oxen.  These units of measurements are also derivative in many languages.  They are notably described in the Great Survey of much of England in 1086, called the Domesday Book.

This member is more commonly referred to as a top rail.

The vent pictured is called a yoke vent.  Illustration Credit:  McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. 

Zamboni - okay, this is a stretch.  But my other options were ziggurat and zigzag; and for word origins Zamboni is way more interesting.  The word for that awesome between-the-periods entertainment at a hockey game comes from Frank Zamboni himself.  According to the company website (zamboni.com) Frank developed his namesake machines to resurface ice after working in both the auto repair and refrigeration business.  In the 1940's, ice skating was very popular and there was a real need to smooth out that ice after tons of teenagers scuffed it up.  The prototypes used tractors and Army surplus gear.  By the 1950's, he was on his way, selling to both the ice skating rinks and NHL for hockey, eh?

The first patent for an ice resurfacing machine.  Source: zamboni.com.

So there you have it.  Architecture terms A-Z.  If you missed the previous editions of this series, just go to YeomanArchitect.blogspot.com and keep scrolling backwards.  To learn more, use one of my sources:

Dictionary.com

Dictionary of Architecture and Construction

myEtymology.com

Wikipedia.org

Zamboni.com

All photos and diagrams are either my own or, to the best of my knowledge, fair use under U.S. copyright laws.

Architectural ABC's - Part Three

Part Three:
Although architects may know these terms and even use them often, the history and source of these terms in relation to their modern usage was in fact an interesting journey for me while researching them.  Aside from their alphabetical first letter, there was neither rhyme nor reason as to their selection, other than the etymological ancestry.  Here are 'Q' through 'W'.  Any help on X, Y and Z would be appreciated.

Quoins – are the expressive corner pieces in masonry wall.  They are often ‘faked’ in contemporary architecture using coated foam shapes.  Originally they were a legitimate reinforcing technique to support corners of walls that were spanned between with thinner stones.  In the Renaissance, quoins became exaggerated in order to impress upon the onlooker a feeling of strength.  Its origin is the same as the English word ‘coin’, both coming from the Latin ‘cuneus’ for wedge, or wedge shaped stone.  I guess you can say one is the cornerstone of an edifice, the other is the cornerstone of a free democracy.

Quoins on both corners at this intersection in Rome.

Reglet – is a linear architectural trim piece.  The term is often used when it involves flashing, or shedding of water from one surface to another.  The word is derived from the Latin ‘regula’ meaning straight edge.

The reglet here is along the rake, transitioning between stucco and metal flashing.

Scaffold – is a raised platform often seen used in the present participle of “scaffolding”.  Prior to its common use as a work surface for people and building materials working on architectural endeavors, it was commonly used to refer to the raised platform for the execution of criminals.  Earlier origins may be in the Italian word catafalco, which was the wooden framework supporting the coffin or body of a person during a funeral.  Maybe that is why erecting scaffolding is so darn expensive, because in the past, it was literally your last stop.

Scaffolding used to lay up masonry in a stair tower.

Terrazzo – is a flooring material made from chips of marble and granite set in a binder that is polished to give it a very smooth finish.  Many schools and public buildings have these floors because they last nearly forever and are abuse resistant.  The word terrazzo literally means “terrace” and the latin root terra means “earth”.  Invented by Italians to be a low cost alternative to stone slab floors, it is now a very high end material in terms of cost.

Used in schools because of its bullet proof nature, this is the school I went to 30 years ago, exactly the same today.

Urn – this form is found in Federal and Georgian Revival styles of architecture in decorative treatments in wood façade features as well as other decorative carvings in buildings.  The urn was very popular in furniture making in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and as the two fields shared woodworking crafters, it may have migrated.  Urns symbolize immortality and the word comes from the Latin ‘urna’ for earthen vessel for ashes or water.

The urn often makes its way into the pediment, as in this example from downtown Lancaster.

And another here.

Vinyl – what architectural materials cannot be made of this stuff?  Most commonly, building materials are made from PVC, or polyvinyl chloride.  But who knew that the word origin of vinyl comes from the Latin ‘vinum’ which means wine because of ethyl alcohol’s role in the chemistry of it.  The word as we know it originated with German Chemist Hermann Kolbe in 1851.

Vinyl can do a lot of things - here is is shown on the inside and outside of the building at the same time.  It can look pretty convincing and also meet fire ratings and smoke spread requirements. 

Wainscot – or ‘wainscoting’ is the paneling on an interior wall, typically on the lower portion and today for aesthetic purposes only.  The term in its current use has been around from the 1500’s, but the term may come from the Low German ‘wagenschot’ in the 1300’s – having to do with wagon and coach building from boards used for paneling.  I’ve come to realize that almost everyone has their own pronunciation for this word.

Some of the nicest I've ever seen in a skilled nursing facility, wainscot can really set off a room.

Resources:

Dictionary.com

myEtymology.com

Wikipedia.org

Next:  Part 4, X Y and Z