In the first article of this series, Architects as Storytellers we looked at the possible historical and etymological origins for why we call the levels of a building “stories.” The main idea is that the frieze of an ancient Greek temple often featured sculpted scenes honoring a god or goddess. The frieze was a narrative […]
Architects as Storytellers
My fellow architects, you may not know it, but you have a rightful claim to the status of storyteller. Your professional roots of designing and constructing buildings are deeply connected to language, communication, and to storytelling in profound ways. Let me ask you a question: The last building project you completed – how many floors […]
Is your architecture website hurting your firm?
Imagine you’ll get hungry tomorrow while you’re out and you decide to pick up some quick lunch. What would happen as you drove down the road if you didn’t see signs for McDonald’s or Chipotle—but instead only “Fast Food” or “Eat My Lunch?” Or let’s say you needed a new pair of shoes. What would […]
10 Rules for Building a Powerful Brand in Architecture
When Annmarie and I launched our architecture studio in 1999, we knew that we wanted to give our firm a unique identity. Every other firm in the region was named for their founders. Another “Smith and Smith Architects” was not what we wanted to be. (No offense to any Smith and Smiths out there.) Our […]
Architects Are All The Same
Clients see us as all the same. One architect is just like another. We are all expected to be wonderfully talented designers. We are expected to know the codes and technical details required to construct safe and healthy buildings. In the eyes of our clients, we are all the same… unless we do something to […]
How To Build a Powerful Brand in Architecture
When Annmarie and I launched Fivecat Studio in 1999, we knew that we wanted to give our firm a unique identity. Every other firm in the region was named for their founders. Another “Smith and Smith Architects” was not what we wanted to be. (No offense to any Smith and Smiths out there.) Our plans were to […]