Posts Tagged ‘Musser’

Architects See Things Differently

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

I was conversing with an engineer the other day about a public works project for a local city we had been asked to help his firm work on. We were going to prepare renderings of the proposed street elevations for the property where they were designing and installing a water tank and a pump house building.

The project manager for the city – a city engineer – asked to see examples of our work prior to authorizing the engineering firm to engage us for this work. We submitted a couple of examples of rendered street elevations we had done for recent housing projects. They showed trees, walls, landscaping intent, massing of the buildings and other structures beyond the walls, as well as the relative level of the street to the proposed construction.

The city project manager, after viewing the submitted sample drawings, asked whether or not we had any examples of pump station buildings in our resume’ that she could view. At first, I laughed, and then fired off an email to the engineer we were attempting to be hired by, somewhat facetiously asking – does it matter what kind of building it is behind the wall and landscaping, we are architects, we can draw it. We are professionals. It is a building for goodness sakes! (more…)

Blog Introduction

Friday, February 12th, 2010

avatarI am an architect in private practice in Southern California. I graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, in 1981 with a Masters in Architecture. I actually began working in the profession as a draftsman in 1976. From 1987 through most of 1991 I was a partner in a private architectural firm, which grew to a staff of twenty before eventually being dissolved. Since that time, I have been the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer at Musser: Architects, Inc.

My staff and I are able to effectively provide a wide variety of design and consulting services to our clients. A large portion of our work involves renovation and forensic work, and much of that is focused on affordable rental housing and private, higher density housing projects. We perform peer review services, accessibility reviews for a wide variety of building types, and expert witness services for professional services complaints, construction defects, contract disputes, and accessibility issues.

This blog will be a regular exposition based on observations about the profession of Architecture and my experiences as a member of the profession. Some will be serious (but not too serious) and others may be tongue-in-cheek humorous. They will all be intended to be informative as well as instructive. I intend to allow comments, and will post those that are not profane, foolish, stupid, or ad hominem in construct.   I will be the sole arbiter of the previous definitions.

To all those who choose to visit, welcome.