Blog
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05 June 2010
Golf is a passion of mine. I play as often as I can and even though I started to play relatively late in life my game, through hard work, excellent assistance in the form of professional lessons, I was able to attain my competitive goals.
I thought about this the other day and realized that this “game” I enjoy so much is in many ways a microcosm of life. To succeed you must have goals and a plan to achieve them. Success doesn’t come without dedication and hard work. Certainly the assistance, guidance and support you receive as you move forward with business, family and friends is invaluable. Philosophically those are valid comparisons; however, in practice, it is absolutely true.
Someone once said, “You can really identify the character of someone by playing an 18 hole match with that person.” In my opinion, that statement says it all.
Golf, through its rules of conduct and rules of the game, demands personal integrity. You are on your honor at all times to report yourself to your opponent if you violated any rule that would incur a penalty.
If you accidentally cause a ball to move, it is a penalty. The fact that some referee is not there to see the violation doesn’t matter. You are your own referee.
Life is not a game but there are rules that should apply in all of our dealings with others, whether it be our personal lives or our professional lives. We are our own referees. We set the moral tone of dealings with others. We have to live with the consequences of our actions. Our personal rule book is called a conscience.
My intent is not to pontificate. It’s just one man’s opinion. Life is not a game but golf is a game from which we can learn some of life’s rules. Best of all, if it doesn’t always go as we hoped, there is always the next tee to make it right.
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21 May 2010
There are virtually no business enterprises that have not been affected by the recession we are experiencing today. No market segment is immune particularly ours…architecture and construction.
That marketplace is basically a jig saw puzzle. When all the pieces are securely in place, the resulting “picture” is beautiful and reflects the effort, skill sets and thought process required to complete the project. If one of the pieces is missing it just doesn’t work.
If money is tight and loans are hard to come by, it doesn’t matter how low the interest rates get. If the general business environment doesn’t reflect the near-term possibility for growth, new projects will be few and far between. As long as there is available space on the market, and a dearth of prospective tenants, developers will be reluctant to create more spaces. Those are the current facts of business life today. However, you don’t need me to point this out to you nor do I wish to be the “prophet of doom and gloom”. My intent is merely to set the scene. That having been said, there is still business out there, a fact to which we can gratefully attest.
Over the years our philosophy has been to build significant and solid relationships with our clients. Establishing ourselves early-on with prospects enables the process of converting the prospect into a client. Maintaining that association and building upon it constitutes relationship building. That is the foundation upon which we built our business and it has enabled the success we have enjoyed and the wherewithal to withstand the negative impact of the current economy.
No developer has ever hired us to tell them how run their business. However, is certainly helpful to all parties involved if we learn as much as possible about their philosophy, what their goals are, what their successes have been and why, and yes, what problems if any they have experienced in the past. Having this knowledge going forward enables us to identify with the prospect, address their needs and (selfishly but understandably) develop a proposal that has the best chance of being approved. It also creates a foundation of trust and confidence upon which we can build.
We make it clear that the client objectives are our objectives. We establish CSR as the client’s advocate. We take that role seriously, assume it happily and we act with that responsibility uppermost in our mind, even if it means disagreeing with the client when it benefits them. Once we have established that relationship we do everything in our power to make it a sustainable one. We stay in communication, we offer information, we provide counsel as they require and we make it perfectly clear that the client can depend on us at all times, under all circumstances.
This philosophy has enabled us to address the unfortunate shortfalls this current economy has created and continue to work productively and serve our loyal client base. We thank them for their continuing confidence and favoring us with their business.
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19 April 2010
As architects and builders we are very aware of our responsibility to preserve and protect our planet’s natural resources. Concurrently, this environmental concern enables us to create long-term savings and efficiencies for client structures we design and build.
Effective sustainable design considers multiple strategies which include site selection, energy requirements, materials employed, indoor environmental quality and water requirements. In a “perfect world”, when designing and building a “perfect project”, all of these factors are considered and should be employed. Realistically, budget availability becomes the common factor in determining which of the strategies will be employed. That notwithstanding, there are environmentally sensitive considerations which can be employed without “budget busting”.
The building design should consider orientation to the site to either maximize or minimize heat gain from the sun, dependent of course, on building heating and cooling demands. The shape of the building ideally should take advantage of optimizing daylight which will reduce electric lighting cost. However, daylight can create cooling load increases which must be considered in evaluating the design.
HVAC has a voracious energy appetite. Low-e windows and increased insulation, along with the staging of multiple HVAC chillers, as opposed to one large chiller can help. Oversized ducts will deliver air at lower speeds and will allow for reducing the size of fans and their energy consumption.
We can maximize water efficiency in many ways. Utilizing waterless urinals, low flow or composting toilets and high efficiency faucets should be considered. By installing a plumbing system which recycles water the site can use the “gray water” as it is called, to fill cooling towers, flush toilets or irrigate landscaping on the site.
There are countless ways in which we all can be conservators of our planet. As architects and builders we have a responsibility to do our part and are in a unique position to make sustainable design a watchword rather than a buzz word.
Clients as well have a responsibility and an opportunity to join the ranks of conservators of our natural resources. They can do this by working closely with their designers. By sharing their concerns, identifying their needs, their resources and commercial objectives, building owners can not only help to preserve our resources but enjoy savings in both the short term and the long term. We invite you to share your conservation experiences with us or to feel free to ask us questions concerning sustainable design. We look forward to hearing from you.
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27 March 2010
In my opinion there is no greater sense of accomplishment for an architect than seeing his or her idea come to life. The transition from rendering, to blue print, to foundation and framing to finished product has always been an exciting and exhilarating experience that never grows old.
It is very important to remember that a successful design does not come about solely because of the architect. It is a culmination of a process that combines a client’s dreams and desires with the architect’s vision and clarity that creates a successful project conclusion. Nowhere is this more apparent than in residential design.
To ensure a successful result it is imperative that the architect and the client cooperate. That seems like such an obvious statement, why would I make it? I make that statement because often the relationship becomes a competitive one before either party recognizes it. The client definitely knows what they want even if it might not be attainable and their expectations are that the professional they have hired can make it happen. The architect on the other hand knows from his or her training and experience that the very difficult can be accomplished given enough time and resources, the impossible takes a whole lot longer. Accordingly, this creates confrontation and a competitive and sometimes contentious relationship.
This scenario is far less prone to occur where there is a prior relationship between the client and the architect. So, how do we avoid this when trying to establish a new relationship? As architects we can employ respect, reserve and resolve. By openly respecting the client’s wishes and desires and not just paying lip service we will build mutual respect which makes further dealings with the client much easier. We can and should practice reserve in our criticism of clients’ ideas, suggestions and stated desires. Remember, these are the clients’ dreams we are treading upon, so tread lightly. Last but most certainly not least, is resolve.
As professionals we can resolve the differences between desire and do-able. Remember the client is seeking to hire a professional to assist them in this major investment of dollars and desires; and, as in any relationship between provider and purchaser it is the provider’s responsibility to take the lead, to guide, to recommend and to encourage. This approach is a relationship builder and nothing moves forward without that.
I personally love what we do as architects. To be able to bring someone’s dream to reality is a blessing which instills pride and a tremendous sense of accomplishment. It is why I chose this profession and what continues to keep the creative juices flowing. Here are a few dreams we have helped to fulfill.
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13 March 2010
As we continue to move forward in these difficult times, we feel there is no better time than this to thank the clients who have made our success possible. So many have become good friends over the years and all have been and continue to be highly valued by all of us. Accordingly, we thought it appropriate to send out this letter as food for thought for those who are visiting us for the first time.
None of us needs a doctorate in economics to know that some difficult times continue to lie ahead for all of us. Media can be so full of doom and gloom and that affects the way we react. We were recently interviewed by a reporter for an industry magazine concerning our take on the situation as Architects and Builders. He focused on a statement we made and told us that this is the quote he will use in his article:
“In the more than 25 years we have been in business, we have seen and worked through two recessive economies. We survived the first one in the eighties and enabled our clients to withstand it as well. The “new economy” presents unusual challenges but none so very different from those of the eighties. We were positively positioned then and we are positively positioned today.”
That statement may sound frivolous at first glance but is indeed factual. Our approach worked, still works and will help to withstand our latest challenges as our economy and conditions improve.
Credit markets will improve and as they do confidence will be restored. When, requires a crystal ball and that’s one piece of equipment we don’t have. We do have faith in our system, our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and the positive conviction of those who stimulate our economy…people like our clients and you.
What can CSR do to help in these difficult times? Basically the same things we did 20 years ago that work today. Back then we developed a design/build program that centralized architectural design, engineering and construction fulfillment under one roof. The net effect was fewer spoons stirring the “broth” resulting in lower administrative costs, faster turn-around, and tighter budget control. Moreover the concept creates enhanced and unambiguous communication. All of this equals substantial savings.
We have also been proponents of value analysis and value engineering which simply defined is the process of finding a less expensive means of attaining the same result without sacrificing quality. We are proponents of logistical planning. We often pre-purchase material on the construction side (such as steel) at the right price. The mills knowing they have a commitment in the pipeline are more than happy to accommodate us. Long-term equipment delivery such as mechanical is also pre-ordered to take advantage of savings.
Currently, we are focused on sustainable designs which results in long-term savings for building owners. We have recently invested in an emerging alternative energy firm which will enhance our ability to reduce long term operating costs for our clients and help them meet new regulatory requirements concerning alternative energy. We are looking at solar, wind and geothermal alternatives in our designs.
Contrary to what some might think, now is the time to take advantage of lower costs, availability of labor and manufacturers anxious to move product. If you are considering making a design, construction, renovation or re-development decision in either the short term or long term, let us know. We can help you make an evaluation without obligation.
