Architects and their pretty pictures!
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I decided to address this Article in the NY Times that has gone around on Twitter and Facebook titled “Skipping the Architect: Wise or Otherwise?”. WAS THE AUTHOR SERIOUSLY TASKED WITH WRITING THIS DRIVEL? I am not an architect but a designer but the misinformation in this piece taints the entire industry.
This is how I am feeling right now.
I am not advocating hiring an architect or even MOI for every project you tackle on your house. Quite frankly, I often talk my way out of jobs because I am truthful with people and tell them when they really do not need me. OF COURSE you do not need an architect or designer for every household project! Geesh.
But this dude Steven Kurutz must be a M O R O N. I say this because if he is “journalist” then he should know enough about his topic to be able to sift through the crapola. Right?
This is what happens when you do not have a PLAN which is not the same thing as a piece of paper with lines drawn on it! I have an entire post dedicated to this next week!
Let me enumerate Mr. Kurutz’s comments and my rebuttal. ( I’d like to rebut him into the middle of next week to be honest)
***”…a spate of computer software programs has made it possible for homeowners to skip the architect altogether and do the design work themselves”
Oh yeah. Right. People are forgoing architects or designers because they now can wield a mouse over a computer screen and generate DRAWINGS of their space. Wow. And by this comment Mr Kurutz, you mean all Architects or Designers DO is draw plans? That is what you consider design? Apparently Mr. Kurutz has not been able to afford his own designer or architect or he may know what they really do. Oh, or he could do a bit of research. Of course, it is just the NY Times.
*** “Mr. Bekkers believes that the necessity of his profession is overstated..”
Well of course he does. He is the creator of a program called floor planner and is making money off of it. Kudos for him. It lets you create floor plans. Novel idea. Guess no one ever thought that for centuries, people have used pencil, ruler, paper, and a pink pearl eraser….to achieve same thing. If they wanted to do it. And as apparently that is all you need to be a good architect …is to be able to draw a floor plan.
****As for the decision to forgo an architect, she said, if you don’t need someone to “tell you onyx is in” and “define what you like because you don’t know,”
This is my personal favorite. A quote by “extreme DIY’er Sherry Petersik. This woman must have gone to the same school of higher learning that Mr. Kurutz attended: where they teach you that architects and/or designers tell you what is “in” and tell you what you “like”. Yep. That is certainly what I do all day. ( And on what planet is ONYX IN?? Did I miss the memo?)
NO YOU DO NOT BUT YOU WILL LEARN!
And another super smart quote from Ms Petersik
****Ms. Petersik estimated the new kitchen cost around $7,000, far less than the $30,000 to $40,000 it would have if they had needed a professional’s opinions on onyx.
Oh Yeah Ms know nothing…. It would have cost you 30 to 40k to hire your sweet little self an architect. Probably would have cost you at least 50k to hire ME. Because I routinely charge that much to design a kitchen when idiots walk through the door. I guess Mr. Kurutz thought this was a good quote because it seems soooo true. I think my 17 yr old would call B U L L —- on this comment.
Sweetie, you might want to stick to your “Bloggy” and leave the thinking to those of us who can do so.
The only person with any sense is Pam Rodriguez who stated the obvious: “Can it be built?’ And ‘Should it be built?’” She goes on to say that she ran into issues when she found out her plans were not usable because of load bearing wall placement.
But do you think Architects have this problem? Not seen it happen. Heck, we do not have this happen either on our watch! You find out what the heck your parameters are before you begin designing! The article goes on to quote a couple of architects about this new “phenomena” of client’s drawing out what they want and I am just hoping they had more to say and their words were cut. I hope.
So the upshot of the article is Architects make pretty pictures. That’s it folks according to Mr. Kurutz. I cannot even imagine what he thinks of people like me….egads…a designer! Guess we probably just pick out some “purty paint colors” and maybe a few pillows to toss around.
Oh the ways I amuse myself!
Don’t get me wrong. Computer aided drafting programs can be great for a layman to use to “think” about their project and maybe if simple enough, or their taste is simple enough, the plan can be used to build something. But please Mr. Kurutz. Cut the design professionals and Architects some slack and try not to perpetuate the myths of what we all do for a living. It is bad enough that HGTV fills people’s heads with unrealistic design. We do not need a journalist doing the same.
Two words.
FACT CHECK.
Comments
well and truly said, cheryl. altho i would add: three words—’get me rewrite’.
Great post Cheryl. That article has had me seething since it appeared and I’m glad you wrote this post.
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