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Email: kevin@your-architect-ally.com

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The older I get the more frustrated I become with

The older I get the more frustrated I become with the way design, architecture and planning are covered in mainstream media.
Only when we connect old with new, comfort with aesthetics, technology with use of resources, housing targets with thoughtful land use, human nature with best practice and democracy with the need for long term planning (to name just a few) will we move forward as a society.
Homes for all: yes. Save our countryside: yes. Legacy, community, levelling up and sense of place all matter.
This recent sunset taken from my house seemed to sum up the enormity of the task. If we don’t get it right, nature is ready to step in.
#onlyconnect #architecture #planning #design #society #wherearewegoing #allinthistogether #nevergiveup

As Douglas Adams might have explained it, I've bee

As Douglas Adams might have explained it, I've been on an intergalactic cruise in my office for a few months, but am pleased to be back now.
There's a lot to catch up on, but first a return to one of my pet beefs.
Just like any occupation or profession, architects have their own peculiar vocabulary. This often hampers understanding between the pros and the public. I’ve made efforts in my working life to bridge the gap when talking with non-pros because I think architects need all the help they can get to put across what they do and why they do it.
However, a recent communication from the architects’ institute (RIBA) to its own members managed to defeat me, a veteran of the architectural jungle. A flavour of the article:
“The Construction Playbook seeks to transform how the government procures and manages public works programmes. It calls on departments and non-government agencies to set targets for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and already calls on contracting bodies to collaborate on platform solutions for their own and other sectors."
For more on this see the link to my website.
#plainlanguage #plainenglish #communication #onlyconnect #architecture #architects #jargon #plainspeaking #design #builtenvironment #construction #building #democracy #access #participation

Apologies for my absence recently. Nice to be back

Apologies for my absence recently. Nice to be back!
Regarding drawing with pencils,there are numerous types of pencils but probably the most common is the basic mechanical pencil.
Pentel has for years produced a solid range at a reasonable price. Four of them are shown here. The difference between them is the thickness of ‘lead‘ that they take from 0.3mm to 0.9mm.
The last pencil on the right is a Kuru Toga by Uni that rotates and feeds the lead automatically. We’ll come back to that in a later post.
On the left are different hardnesses of lead, all of which are available in the different thicknesses.
Which combination to use when depends on the drawing task and most importantly, what material you are drawing on.
More to follow…
#architecturaldrawing #architects #pencils #pencilleads #drawing #drafting #toysforarchitects #yourarchitectally #obsessive #obsessivemoi #therighttoolforthejob #lookafteryourkit

You can’t measure something unless you’re sure

You can’t measure something unless you’re sure where it begins and ends.
This applies Particularly to lines on architectural drawings. See part two of the series on architects drawings on the website.
#YourArchitectAlly #ArchitecturalDrawing #freehanddrawing #cleanlines #phantomlines #phantompoints #understandingdrawings #measurement

A very very Happy Birthday today (90th) to Dieter

A very very Happy Birthday today (90th) to Dieter Rams, the German designer behind Vitsoe furniture, classic Braun consumer products and one of the most concise yet comprehensive expositions on what makes good design. A colossus and venerated hero.
#design #designer #furniture #productdesign #lessismore #tenprinciplesofgooddesign #formfollowsfunction #dieterrams #braun #vitsoe #gooddesignforall #firmnesscommodityanddelight #hero #livingwell

Scale can be a somewhat abstract idea in architect

Scale can be a somewhat abstract idea in architecture. But scale drawings are fundamental to design and construction.
Understanding scale drawings is a helpful skill for clients as well as professionals. On the Resources section of the blog I’m running a series on architectural drawings and start with the basics of the scale rule.
#yourarchitectally #architecture #design #architecturaldesign #drawing #scaledrawing #architecturaldrawings

I decided to reproduce this post from my 'work' fe

I decided to reproduce this post from my 'work' feed because I believe
learning about architectural drawing can be fun and edifying for men of mature years (assuming they are not already proficient!) and something to keep us off street corners.
Architectural drawings hold a fascination for both architects and clients. Whilst they are a primary source of communication within the industry they often confuse clients.
I think it can be very helpful for clients to try a bit of very simple architectural drawing to begin better to understand the relationship between the design on paper and what gets built.
I will be doing a series of posts on the website about how to start drawing for yourself. For now I show the basic kit you will need: a sheet or pad of A4 graph paper; a measuring tool – either one of the nifty electronic gadgets so beloved of estate agents (bottom left) – or a good old-fashioned tape measure.
Obviously you need something to draw with. This can be anything really but I suggest a pencil. It doesn’t have to be a fancy mechanical pencil such as the blue one in the picture. An ordinary bog standard sharpen – it – yourself job will do. No need for an eraser.
The most critical thing, and one you are most likely to need to beg, borrow, steal or buy is a scale rule, seen here at the top of the picture.
I’ll bet you can’t wait for the next post to tell you what we’re going to do with this lot!
#yourarchitectally #architects #architecturaldrawing #architectstoys #drawing #technicaldrawing #drawingtoscale #doityourself #onlyconnect

Architectural drawings hold a fascination for both

Architectural drawings hold a fascination for both architects and clients. Whilst they are a primary source of communication within the industry they often confuse clients.
I think it can be very helpful for clients to try a bit of very simple architectural drawing to begin better to understand the relationship between the design on paper and what gets built.
I will be doing a series of posts on the website about how to start drawing for yourself. For now I show the basic kit you will need: a sheet or pad of A4 graph paper; a measuring tool – either one of the nifty electronic gadgets so beloved of estate agents (bottom left) – or a good old-fashioned tape measure.
Obviously you need something to draw with. This can be anything really but I suggest a pencil. It doesn’t have to be a fancy mechanical pencil such as the blue one in the picture. An ordinary bog standard sharpen – it – yourself job will do. No need for an eraser.
The most critical thing, and one you are most likely to need to beg, borrow, steal or buy is a scale rule, seen here at the top of the picture.
I’ll bet you can’t wait for the next post to tell you what we’re going to do with this lot!
#yourarchitectally #architects #architecturaldrawing #architectstoys #drawing #technicaldrawing #drawingtoscale #doityourself #onlyconnect

One of my problems with Instagram is finding image

One of my problems with Instagram is finding images to illustrate the rather nebulous services I offer.
It’s important for me to remember all the things I learned in many years as a project architect.
This shows an extension to an office building where it was important to maintain natural light to the offices below the mezzanine area shown here. The client agreed to go with a structural glass floor which was the correct solution but put me on a steep learning curve, not having done one before. But every day is an opportunity to learn and my view is that we should share knowledge whenever we can.
#YourArchitectAlly #Architects #Design #ArchitecturalDesign #StructuralGlass #Problem-Solving #ElegantSolutions #OnlyConnect #OldAndNew #EveryDayANewChallenge #LifelongLearning

I believe in life-long learning. No individual can

I believe in life-long learning. No individual can ever hope to know everything. Not least because we discover new things everyday.
I also believe in learning by different methods and exploring fields outside our usual comfort zone.
As a predominantly cerebral child I didn't take easily to manual tasks so tended to shy away from them.
Nowadays I get a kick out of learning new 'skills' and can bodge away with the best.
Some people question the value of education beyond a certain age as people approach the end of their lives. What good will it do?
Firstly if you know when you are going to die you will have a different mindset from most of us. But who is to say that knowledge you gained two days before your death might not benefit someone the following day?
Let's change the famous greeting to "Live long and learn."
#livingwell #bestrevenge #lifelonglearning #educationeducationeducation #workwithyourhands #workwithyourhandsandyourmind #onlyconnect

Our culture is skewed towards the visual. In build

Our culture is skewed towards the visual. In building and architecture that can lead to the prominence of style over content and the ongoing battle of classical v modern.
You may quite reasonably have a preference for a particular way of dressing but that doesn't mean you ignore how well (or not) clothing fits, how it's made, if the materials are good quality, how long it might last and - in the event that your body shape changes - whether it's capable of being taken in or let out.
Because I believe buildings should be designed for a long life a certain timelessness will help. By that I don't mean stuck in the style of a particular time. I mean having qualities that will endure such as 'firmness, commodity and delight'. Use your ears, nose and brain as well as your eyes when assessing buildings.
Get too bogged down in mere looks and you might miss the fact that the building sits in shade half the year, suffers from traffic noise and needs external redecoration every spring.
#yourarchitectally #architects #expertwitness #design #architecturaldesign #architecturalconsultancy #planning #building #buildingdesign #development #lifelonglearning #learningandgrowing #learningbydoing

In my view the first step when embarking on a buil

In my view the first step when embarking on a building project is not to appoint an architect.
The first step is to familiarise yourself with the broader world of planning, design and building, and how your project fits into that world. You also need to give a great deal of thought to your brief - what you want to achieve with the project - plus your budget and timetable.
Armed with these you can set about finding the right architect for you.
But if you don't know how to take those first steps, this is where I can help.
#yourarchitectally #architects #expertwitness #writing #speaking #design #architecturaldesign #architecturalconsultancy #planning #building #buildingdesign #development #developmentcontrol

Thought it was time to learn how to put together m

Thought it was time to learn how to put together more sophisticated images so this is the result of my first efforts with Canva.
Was it worth it?
Probably not but you can’t learn less, thank goodness. Better to come I hope!
#yourarchitectally #architects #architecturalconsultancy #design #buildingdesign #construction #development #planning #expertwitness #youdontknowifyoudonttry #learnbydoing #betterlucknexttime

How do we solve the problem of Architects? Arroga

How do we solve the problem of Architects?
Arrogant, opinionated and expensive, architects are a continued drain on society’s dwindling resources. Despite progress in recent years there continue to be far too many of them clogging up the planning system and persuading the gullible to open their bank accounts to them.
Read more on this urgent problem @ www.your-architect-ally.com
#architecture #Architects #ModernProblems #HowToSolveTheProblemOfArchitects #Planning #BuildingDesign #YourArchitectAlly #ASoulWhoseIntentionsAreGood

When you’re young it’s hard to know what you t

When you’re young it’s hard to know what you think you want to do with your life will still be the same 10, 20, 30 years on.
Architecture schools generally concentrate on making you a building designer.Fair enough, most architects want to design, me included. But a few years out of university you begin to realise the thousand and one ways your training has prepared you to venture further afield to make use of your abilities.
I love to design but I have also learned that I can contribute in other ways too. Hence my current concentration on pre-planning advice, expert witness work and writing/speaking.
There’s nothing wrong with an architectural training that ends up being used in other spheres. In fact I think the more architecturally trained non-architects we have the better!
#Architects #Architecture#BuildingDesign #YourArchitectAlly #ExpertWitness #Writing #Speaking #OnlyConnect #TheWorldIsYourOyster #HowCanIHelpYou

Wisdom says I need to remind the world what I look

Wisdom says I need to remind the world what I look like every so often. So here’s me looking pensive with a decent chunk obscured.
So my heart says don’t do it but my head says you should.
Our responses to design and architecture always have intellectual and emotional components as well.
Architects are generally well grounded in the rational aspects, but understanding a client’s emotional triggers requires a different set of skills. There has to be human relationship to produce great places and spaces.
#architecture #yourarchitectally #design #architecturaldesign #onlyconnect #headandheart #yourmummusthavefedyouwithacatapult

Everyone knows that a chain is only as strong as i

Everyone knows that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The longer the chain the greater the statistical chance of failure.
In planning, architecture and construction the chains can be long and intertwined. The architect used to be head of the team, but that changed a long time ago. Project managers came along and were going to show Architects how it should be done.
So why is it that when something goes wrong on a project, the client always makes the architect the First port of call; sometimes months or even years after completion?
I remember one sizable project that ran into some difficulties. By then we were on our third project manager and of course each pleaded ignorance (and innocence) of what had gone on before buying. By the end I was the only member of the professional team still in touch and regarding it as my duty of care to the client to help resolve matters.
Codes of conduct should apply to everyone involved in a project with a determination to work together to resolve problems. Too often the weak links in the chain take the attitude of “not my problem old boy“.
Image: Eva Tyler on Unsplash
#architecture #design #architecturaldesign #codesofconduct #codeofconduct #teams #teamwork #dutyofcare #responsibility #chains #chainofcommand #notmyproblem #architect #projectmanager #teamleader #gettingitoffmychest

When the opportunity to build your own home comes

When the opportunity to build your own home comes along may I urge you to remember Vitruvius’s three requirements for good building: firmness, commodity and delight. Not bulk, ostentation and contempt for the neighbours.
Firmness means that it should be designed to last a long time. Architecture is not contained in transient images. Commodity means it should work for you. A living room capable of hosting Crufts is fine if you’re into showing dogs but may militate against intimate fireside conversations.
Please think about the neighbours. Do unto them as you would have them do unto you if you can.
And delight. Don’t forget delight. There’s more to delight than simple size and bling, the thrill of which will not last. Find a sympathetic architect and be guided.
And think of what you could do with what you will have saved of your nest egg!
#livingwell #architecture #architecturaldesign #design #longlifeloosefitlowenergy #houses #housing #building #construction #planning

This is the refurbished chair from my earlier post

This is the refurbished chair from my earlier post

Bought by my wife’s parents in the 1920s this ch

Bought by my wife’s parents in the 1920s this chair was showing signs of a hard life. Stained and damaged upholstery and the wood had been poorly coated with some treacly goo which in turn was badly scratched.
Alison Coates at Cobweb Antiques in Slaithwaite totally refurbished it, returning the mahogany frame to its original beauty and reupholstering to perfection.
It now sits comfortably in our distinctly non-traditional interior, proving that quality matters more than period compliance.
#onlyconnect #renovation #repair #furniture #longlifelesswaste #thejoyofrenewal #buylessbuybetter #renewrepairrestore #longlifedesign #timelessstyle #timelessdesign

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