Name: Mary Cerrone, AIA Firm: MCAI Family: Kevin (husband), Anna and Peter (kids) Years in practice: almost 20 Education: University of Virginia (UVA), Yale University Your first job: Concession stand at Wheeling Country Club; first architectural job: Historic American Building Survey (HABS) Building you would like to tear down: Any Sheetz service station…they are way too bright; also several buildings at Pitt. What is the best part of your job: Working with great clients and excellent builders. What would you change about your job: Less sitting. What have you always wanted to tell your clients: Similar to advice for travelers: pack what you think you need, then put back half. What is the most annoying thing that architects do: Think...

Within the profession, it’s the dreaded “I” word — Intern architect. It’s that glorious period after graduation, after securing that first real job with the paycheck, before becoming a registered professional. Each seasoned professional can tell at least one story of a time during that period of their career that was good, even extraordinary; a story that was bad, so bad it shouldn’t be repeated; and perhaps even a story that was downright ugly. At IKM, it took a culture shift at the firm to make the experience award-winning. The American Institute of Architects announced IKM Incorporated as a recipient of the National Intern Development Program (IDP) Firm Award 2012-2015. This award recognizes IKM, one of only 11 firms in...

The last article was a general introduction about the importance of keywords, and if you had an opportunity to attend the panel presentation on social media at Build Pittsburgh in April, you may have a better understanding of the value and usefulness of keywords. Keywords are those three to five words that define who you are and how you want your clients to know you. Are you familiar with the classic marketing book, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, by Al Ries  and Laura Ries? Law Number 5 says to “own a word”, with examples such as Volvo owning “safety,” or FedEx owning “overnight.” During the seminar, we talked about keywords in relation to LinkedIn profiles. I also recently read...

“Life is right, and the architect is wrong,” said Le Corbusier toward the end of his life. He may have been pleased however, to see his Paris Plan Voisin vision fulfilled in downtown Pittsburgh’s Gateway Center. A green park was planned within this urban space.  Through an integration of nature and architecture, we learn about both in a comfortable public place. Tall trees and a central fountain soften three 1950s modernist-style buildings, bridging time and technology. The matured landscape has become symbolic of our city’s green leadership over the last fifty years. “The architect must be a prophet; if he can’t see at least ten years ahead then don’t call him an architect.” – Frank Lloyd Wright During the 20th...

Name: George D. Halkias, AIA Firm: Stantec Family: wife Mary, daughter Lydia Years in practice: 20 Education: B. Arch – Penn State University Your first job: Student Intern with Tasso Katselas at the old Pittsburgh Airport. Most embarrassing moment: In my first year back in Pittsburgh, I labeled the cover sheet for a permit set with the wrong contractor name. It did not take long for my phone to ring. Building you would like to tear down: Allegheny Center. It creates a barrier between the North Shore and the North Side. What is the best part of your job: Working with people who care. What would you change about your job: As my daughter says, Architects have too many meetings....

I have written here a lot about social media strategy. Comments and feedback have suggested that there are not a lot of actionable items. First, I think it is important to start with strategy before jumping into tactics. Understanding the strategy, the “WHY” you want to do something, leads to better results – the how, where, when, what.  Clearly, I’m not an architect, but you wouldn’t start building a new building and then work out the details of the design of the foundation, would you?  (…that’s for a different section of this publication – not my area of expertise!) This is one more strategy-related article. I promise tactics are coming, soon. Whether it’s social media, website, or email marketing, marketing...

It’s been 54 years since Frank Lloyd Wright’s death on April 9, 1959, and it goes without saying that his influence on architects continues to this day. A decade later, in 1969, Paul Simon wrote a song seemingly in tribute to the revered architect. “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright,” with its gentle bossa nova beat, is just one of 11 songs on the landmark Simon and Garfunkel album Bridge Over Troubled Water released in January 1970. While the most famous songs on the album, “The Boxer,” “Cecilia” and the epic title track, are still played on radio to this day, it’s worth calling attention to this lesser known gem. And really, how many good songs do you know about architects?...

IT’S ABOUT ENERGY As a species the exploration for, and generation and transmission of energy is by far the most environmentally destructive thing that humans do. Yet the reason we perform this operation with such zeal lies in the fact that we are an energy-hungry species. Energy demand is not only at all-time highs, but will continue to grow. Even if we mentally outsource energy or are focused on living wirelessly, we are all a part of this system. We are an integral part of our nation’s, and indeed our planet’s, voracious appetite for energy. IT’S GOOD TO SAVE The environmental imperative for saving energy comes in the reduction of emissions from the combustion of fuels. According to the U.S....

Name: Barry Svigals, FAIA Firm: Svigals + Partners, LLP Years in practice: 36 years practicing architecture Eduction: Bachelor of Arts, Yale College; Master of Architecture,Yale School of Architecture Your first job: With Herbert S. Newman and Partners, a former professor and mentor who was an inspiration to work with. Project you are most proud of: I wouldn’t want to suggest that any one project is more important than another, each is the most important to our clients. As a segment of our work, however, creating schools for small children has been enormously rewarding. Most embarrassing moment: On the first day of my first job, incorrectly  feeding an original drawing into the blueprint machine (can we remember those?) and not having...

Name: Luke A. Havrilla, AIA, LEED AP Firm: Stantec (formally Burt Hill) Family: Parents Tom and Lynn in Northern Cambria, PA, and brother, sister-in-law, and niece in Johnstown, PA Years in practice: 5 Education: The Pennsylvania State University Your first job: Lifeguard at the local community pool, but architecturally, a summer intern at Weber Murphy Fox in State College, PA. Project you’re proudest of: My 5th year thesis. What’s the best part of your job? Working with people I love. What would you change about your job? Reduce the commute. What have you always wanted to tell your clients? You can have it cheap, reliable, or pretty, but you can only pick two. What’s the most annoying thing architects do?...