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| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 06:29 am: |    |
111710
DO WE NEED TO CHANGE ?
by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Cincinnati, OH
In March of 1977, a new book was published that impacted architectural students and instruction. Called, ARCHITECTURAL WORKING DRAWINGS, it was formalized delineation about each of the possible working drawings, with hints, techniques, checklist, etc. It sold for $14.95 and contained about 225 pages with illustrations taken from actual working drawings [errors and all]. Not too soon after, John Wiley and Sons advertised it as ¡§a classic¡¨. It lasted on the market for 33 years, through 4 editions [the last selling for $89.95 with 425 pages] and something over 42,000 copies sold.
Wiley was not interested in a fifth edition! Not that the book was obsolete, or dated [it was a reference book with basic information], but simply that the market for a ¡§college text¡¨ on the topic no longer exists!!! The associated instruction has "slipped down" [curious term!] into the 2-year and community college courses. The message: working drawing fundamentals are no longer taught at all too many colleges [¡§professional education] level, but at the ¡§staff level¡¨ mainly to potentially unregistered personnel and not those who choose to follow the full professional career path. Further, this change has not been something that was formalized or arranged, but something that merely happened as the 2-year curriculum developers paid more attention to the reality of the profession. Again, quite curious!!
Consequently we have a disconnected educational sequence, in which those seeking full professional status have no direct access to the production and mechanics of the products they need to produce. And since there is little if any, direct relationship between colleges and the community level institutions, the student is left to find out what he/she really needs [in the office] and where to find it-- and then it is merely ancillary information, usually not a credit that is transferable to the college program.
Do we need to changeƒÎƒÎƒÎ-- well, I¡¦ll tone it down to simply, YES! We need to acquire a new target, and pursue it. We are one of few organizations that have decent and creditable access to both levels of education if we do change and become more involved and inclusive. It is a new market! It will produce added income! It will enhance our status, influence and prestige! We can offer our expertise in both drawings and specifications!
Do we need change! Duuuhhhhhh!!!! Fill in the blanks; __ __ __ !
The point is that even with BIM [and other computer software now and coming], Revit, sustainability, ¡§green construction¡¨, cutting edge, etc. there is still a residual and lasting need to know and understand what needs to be drawn, and what specified to ensure that the project is correctly built-- and no matter the format of communication or whatever. The project parameters, nuances, quirks and construction are pieces of invaluable information that MUST pass from one place to another-- or we go back to trestle boards on the site, verbal directions and lots of arm waving!!!!
Oh, yes, there will be a new book [423 pages, about $80, BUT also in e-Book formatting] before the end of the year with most of information from the 4th edition, plus other information not taught in most collegiate schools-- what is the architectural profession¡¦s breadth, direction and how it functions-- something called ¡§practice¡¨! The information is a good addition to the community level efforts since they don¡¦t teach practice [nor do most college program], but could at least offer their students a ¡§peek¡¨ inside the profession. After all, their student/graduate are the ¡§grunts¡¨ who will wind up doing the actual documentation, so why not know what all is swirling around any particular project?
Do we need change? What all can we do? When can we start?
[Yes, the books discussed are mine] |
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