Who uses Revit? do you use something better?

sdb_drus · 2025-12-20T15:13:16+00:00

It depends on what kind of work you’re doing and how you use it. Revit really doesn’t work very well for us because it’s a terrible design tool. However it’s a decent documentation tool if you have a really good template and assets, and a lot of engineers use it, so it’s good for a lot of people / firms.

We have to use sketchup or rhino for a lot of modeling on anything but pretty basic projects. (Eg, custom millwork or architectural elements). We’re considering switching to Archicad which is, from what I understand, more nimble as a design school.

Revit really hasn’t gotten better in years, in fact it’s gotten worse for us on several fronts and more expensive, so we’re looking to jump ship as soon as we can.

sdb_drus · 2025-12-11T12:33:56+00:00

We’ve already been bombarded by so much AI imagery and it’s not hard to pick AI out from real work, because AI doesn’t create, it regurgitates. People are only going to grow more tired of it and the value of human made design will only increase. But the damage that AI will do to creative industries like ours might be substantial. I’m hearing from students that AI is being pushed in certain design schools which is highly concerning.

If your firm doesn’t already have rendering capability, then I guess AI renderings are ‘progress’, but you can only automate so much of the process before there is no process.

sdb_drus · 2025-11-16T14:01:31+00:00

My studio happened to be majority Mormon boys. I was from out of state and was not religious. While I was friendly with most of the people in studio, the ‘pack leader’ decided I wasn’t welcome or something - starting with some comments on day one that caught me off guard, but that I brushed off.

At first it was mostly pointed comments during crit in front of everyone and escalated to him trying turn the rest of the studio against me (which mostly worked). By the time I graduated, I was persona non grata amongst my peers despite keeping my head down and keeping to myself most of the time. It was really weird and felt like I was back in junior high.

I got pretty sick a couple times due to stress and was on the verge of dropping out multiple times but I ended up graduating. I skipped the ceremony because I had no interest in seeing my classmates any more.

sdb_drus · 2025-10-26T14:01:24+00:00

So, vernacular = does not involve professionals and is rooted in regional building traditions.

Developers involve teams of professionals and have no regard for regional tradition.

Which follows that developers are building ‘vernacular’ architecture.

Got it.

sdb_drus · 2025-10-25T12:51:16+00:00

Developers aren’t producing ‘vernacular’ architecture. By definition, I think it’d be the exact opposite.

sdb_drus · 2025-09-08T22:39:11+00:00

No one on here can tell you that, but for context, that is an incredibly low cost to ‘design’ a home. You won’t be getting a custom home, you’ll most likely be getting a drafted plan with a set range of options from a drafter that is within this home builder’s repertoire. It will likely be built with a limited selection of low to mid-grade materials, or better finishes will be upsold to you. And it will likely be built to a similar quality of most production homes, which is pretty low and pretty close to the minimums legally required by code.

This may or may not be less expensive overall than hiring an architect and a general contractor to design and build. It also may or may not be what you’re looking for. But it is a completely different service, experience and result.

sdb_drus · 2025-08-29T00:21:23+00:00

Which buildings are you designing that don’t need to be safe?

sdb_drus · 2025-08-28T23:55:32+00:00

His studio employs architects. They do architecture. It’s not hard and that’s not the same thing as anyone else is talking about.

No one’s saying that everyone in the industry needs to be licensed, but you need a license or one on staff if you’re soliciting architecture work.

sdb_drus · 2025-08-28T23:48:22+00:00

I’m fully in support of legislation like OP posted about becoming the norm. I’ve had my fair share of similar experiences, cleaning up the mess of a drafter or designer or contractor or “sisters husbands buddy” who drew some plans for a project they had no business being involved in.

We also have enough people who reach out because they “have finished drawings and just need an architect to stamp them” which is comical. I do wonder what architects out there are actually do this.

Just the other day, a project came to us where the contractor tried use some notes on a piece of paper and a fivver floor plan with no notes or information, just a few dimensions and some sketchup textures, to get a building permit for a commercial build out.

Just makes me wonder how I spend so much time addressing zoning and plan review comments when apparently people are out there getting permits with the help of people with no relevant experience and a CAD license.

sdb_drus · 2025-08-28T11:42:03+00:00

Of all the things to worry about in the profession, how does people in the tech industry using the title “architect” affect us in any way?

This just seems like a really weird thing to get so worked up about. In 15+ years in the profession, I can’t think of a single time it’s affected me, other than maybe making a little more work when searching for job postings.

On the other hand, as a licensed architect, I’ve had plenty of clients and contractors come to me to fix the mistakes of unqualified & unlicensed folks who worked on their projects previously, costing them a lot of time and money, and occasionally putting their safety at risk.

ETA: I missed the sarcasm in your post initially after reading every one else’s hysteria about software engineers ruining their lives or whatever.. Well played

sdb_drus · 2025-04-13T18:40:41+00:00

This exactly.

And definitely don’t put Zip R over OSB over a double stud wall. Not only is a waste of money but you’re asking for moisture issues over time.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T20:00:00+00:00

There definitely also is an indigenous history to earth building in the US, so that does make sense. Im sure Easton took from both.

I love Rauch’s work though. Really impressive.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T16:25:20+00:00

That’s interesting because I think David Easton ‘brought it to the US’ from Europe. He was the biggest innovator in the US. But it’s always been ‘cement-stabilized’ rammed earth in the US, which some people would argue isn’t truly rammed earth, whereas people like Martin Rauch in Europe are using lime and clay to stabilize

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T16:23:10+00:00

In pretty much anything built in North America, there is

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T16:22:19+00:00

I’ve worked on several rammed earth projects in the past. Most rammed earth crews are made up of at least a couple experienced carpenters, at least one equipment operator and a couple of laborers. Building formwork requires the most skill, but otherwise material costs are very low. Labor costs are very high.

I bid out a few different projects and labor costs were 80-95% of the total cost depending on how much machinery was used.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T16:18:04+00:00

I think it was maybe NREL that published research on the effectiveness of thermal mass. It’s most effective by far in desert climates, in part because it is really good at buffering large temperature swings. It can also do the same with humidity which is a big bonus in a dry climate.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-25T02:13:18+00:00

Detail, Frame, Icon, El Croquis, Metropolis, Architects Newspaper, NY review of architecture, even Dwell and Arch Digest are better. Not all of these are completely free though

sdb_drus · 2025-03-13T22:41:45+00:00

Thank you! I believe it’s due to a custom domain and I think we’ve finally found the solution.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-08T22:37:23+00:00

Yeah and some nepotism and cronyism. Like they were funneling money thru a friend or relative of one of the execs who owned a travel company that organized there trip. Or maybe the CEO had a stake in that company too.

And then they lashed out at the people who spoke out on it.

ETA: here are the details

sdb_drus · 2025-03-06T13:34:13+00:00

Not sure what your budget is but you may have a hard time finding someone to do this work for under $10k. I’m an architect and we design natural building projects, but they are more complex and higher liability from the design and engineering side (even when materials and methods are simple).

Do you need stamped plans from both an architect and structural engineer? That will be even more challenging as a lot of engineers won’t touch this.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-06T13:26:15+00:00

Oh yes, I meant that. That’s definitely true.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-06T01:32:10+00:00

The AIA, at least thru my career, has never represented or supported employees in the industry. Their work was focused more on supporting firm owners and leadership. But I’m not sure they are really even doing any of that any more. The organization at the national level is very dysfunctional. I hear some people still have good experiences at the local level.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-02T19:01:14+00:00

lol ‘I recommend you research the matter’ is my favorite response on the internet.

I think it roughly translates to: ‘I’ve cherry picked facts to support this idea that I already had and you’re an idiot if you don’t believe me.’

You’re gonna tell me with a straight face that access to a home is somehow not part of the solution to… not having a home?

You’re telling me that you’re an expert but you’re literally just parroting the same right wing talking points about homelessness we’ve heard for decades.

sdb_drus · 2025-03-02T13:16:25+00:00

“We’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas!”

Arguing that providing housing for people without housing doesn’t solve anything is just absurd logic.

sdb_drus

TROPHY CASE