Annie Harris, B’Arch ’05, co-hosts from her part time job and Lindsay Masten Lopez, B’Arch ’09, brings new energy to the show and introduces us to the wild and crazy world of graphic arts.

Don’t forget to tell your friends about us, join our Facebook Group, leave reviews on iTunes, vote for us on Podcast Alley, and follow us on Twitter!

Check out the show notes for links and more!

We dissect why you might want to rethink being an architect, the world’s largest chimney, and would you want to live over a freeway?

Don’t forget to tell your friends about us, join our Facebook Group, leave reviews on iTunes, vote for us on Podcast Alley, and follow us on Twitter!

Show Notes

Site News

• New Facebook Fans
  • Steve Jones
  • Carlos De Haro
  • Jeannette Senn
  • Ryan Fetters

Cal Poly News

• “Deconstructing Japanese Architecture”
  • Lecture by Prof. Don Choi
  • Thursday, November 4th, 2010 11:00 to 12:noon
  • Bldg. 186, Room C-103.
  • Don’s lecture is part of the Asian Studies Lecture Series presented by the Asian Studies Minor.
  • Don is currently writing a book that addresses major themes of architecture in modern Japan form 1850 to the present.
• Hearst Lecture: Jason K. Johnson and Nataly Gattegno, Future-Cities-Lab
  • 4-5pm in the rotunda
  • Grasshopper Workshop with Future-Cities-Lab
  • Saturday, November 6th, 2010, 10:00am – 4pm, Berg Gallery, Room 05-105
• AIAS Cal Poly Presents: Pecha Kucha Night
  • See 6 Current 3rd year professor present information about their studios in the unique format of 20 slides for 20 seconds each for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
  • Monday, November 8 · 6:00pm – 9:30pm
  • The Fishtank (Courtyard Gallery, 21-105A)
  • http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
• Vellum Competition winners
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/exhibitions/vellum/vellum-10.html
  • Congratulations!

Pop Culture Feature

• “So You Want To Be An Architect? Think Twice”
  • http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/9543

General News

• More on the USGBC Class action lawsuit
  • http://www.glassguides.com/index.php/archives/1706
• Church implodes buildings to make way for $115 million project
  • http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5832/53/
  • http://www.5gstudio.com/newsletter/2010/november/implosion.html

• Exactly how many architects in the U.S. are unemployed?
  • http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/2010/10/101025real_employment.asp
  • NCARB’s 2010 Survey of Registered Architects-there are 105,312 of them
  • We already talked about this, but it popped up again and wasn’t sure if it would relate to anything we talk about tonight. If anything is serves as good reference for the previous article.
  • http://blog.aia.org/nac/2010/10/ncarbs_2010_survey_of_register_1.html
• Foreign work keeps Denver firms flying
  • http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_16504428
  • Colorado claims employment among architects in the state was down 25 percent last year, leading some to work overseas.
• Tallest structure proposed
  • http://architect-media.com/portal/wts/cemc6Fa9iBibaAnseezbyxa-jQFF2c
  • Planning is underway for a $700 million “solar chimney tower” that would be more than twice as tall as the Empire State Building. David Zax reports that EnviroMission hopes to get its concept going after receiving a contract for green power from the Southern California Public Power Authority. “The tower represents a hybrid of solar and wind technology,” Zax writes. “The bright surface at the bottom of the artist’s rendering is an expansive glass-covered greenhouse that bakes in the sun, heating air that pours into the 1,000-meter-high chimney, churning 35 electricity-generating turbines.”
• Freeway views
  • http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/roadside-attraction/
  • Architect Ronnie Self has built himself the ultimate Houston home, with skyline views and a freeway at his front door. William Middleton reports that the architect built his house in Houston’s Third Ward for its artsy vibe and inexpensive real estate. And the location next to 20 lanes of highway protects his views from Houston’s notoriously lax zoning rules. “It seemed that it was pretty much a guarantee that no one was going to block your view,” Self says.

Greg Wynn, Architect, Cal Poly Lecturer and Cal Poly Alumni teaches us a lot!  We discuss how to be a successful Architect, Greg’s theory on life and throw in a story about Dean George Hasslein for good measure.  We also talk about the alumni NAAB survey and saving La Sagrada Familia!

Don’t forget to tell your friends about us, join our Facebook Group, leave reviews on iTunes, vote for us on Podcast Alley, and follow us on Twitter!

Show Notes

Site News

• New Facebook Fans
  • Sergio Pena
  • Philip Li
  • Pete Rosado

Cal Poly News:

• Updates to Architecture Department Sustainability Links:
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/current/sustainability.html
• NAAB ALUMNI SURVEY (SUMMER 2010)
  • Strongly Disagree – Disagree – Neutral – Agree – Strongly Agree
  • Industry Readiness – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to make a positive contribution to the workplace as a result of their practice business and practice knowledge.
  • Productivity & Supervision – Recent Cal Poly graduates are productive in the workplace with minimal supervision.
  • Graphic Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to employ appropriate representational media, including freehand sketching and mechanical drafting, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process.
  • Leadership Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to quickly assume project management responsibilities, including but not limited to coordinating communications among all parties, managing personnel and budgets, and administering contractual agreements.
  • Communication Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to speak and write effectively on subject matter contained in the professional curriculum.
  • Computer Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to employ appropriate representational media, including computer technology, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process.
  • Research Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to employ basic methods of data collection and analysis to inform all aspects of the programming and design processes.
  • Critical Thinking Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to make a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of a building, building complex, or urban space.
  • Design Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to apply basic organizational, spatial, structural, and constructional principles to the conception and development of interior and exterior spaces, building elements and components.
  • Collaborative Skills – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to identify and assume divergent roles that maximize individual talents and to cooperate with other professionals when working as members of a design team and in other settings.
  • Detailing Knowledge – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to provide details regarding design specifications, systems, consultants, and materials.
  • Structural Systems Coordination – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to implement and coordinate structural systems, communicate with structural consultants, and integrate all documents.
  • MEP Systems Coordination – Recent Cal Poly graduates are able to implement and coordinate MEP systems, communicate with MEP consultants, and integrate all documents.
  • Design Theory – Recent Cal Poly graduates are conversant in principles of architectural design, history or architecture and theory.
  • Quality of Graduates – My company is satisfied with the quality of Cal Poly graduates
  • Comparative Quality – Overall, Cal Poly graduates are stronger when compared to graduates from other universities.

Other News:

• Sagrada Familia a little less endangered:
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spain-defies-vote-to-delay-rail-tunnel-near-gaudis-masterpiece-2013075.html
  • Spanish Parliament votes to halt high speed rail construction that would come withing seven feet of the famed church’s foundation.
  • Sagrada Familia Foundation getting ready to file it’s 6th official complaint in the Spanish High Court.
  • The architects and engineers fear the tunnel construction could shift the “slippery, sandy” ground beneath the church which could cause the building to partially sink and crack.
• To Build is to lose control
  • http://www.architectmagazine.com/blogs/postdetails.aspx?BlogId=beyondbuildingsblog&postId=95854
  • interesting commentary… paper architecture… plus the comments back and forth are pretty heated!
• Vanity Fair article
  • http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/06/latest_vanity_fair_has_archnerds_and_ange_fans_panting.php
  • Neal Broverman reveals the newly leaked cover of August’s Vanity Fair: “50 top architects pick the greatest buildings of the last 30 years.”
  • http://www.bdonline.co.uk/vanity-fair-reveals-vanity-voting-behind-list-of-best-modern-buildings/5002211.blog
  • http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-list-201008
  • If only the general public paid as much attention to architecture as they did to the tabloids and celebrities.

Rapid Fire Questions:

• Cal Poly or Berkeley? Cal Poly
• Autocad or Revit? Microstation
• Parallel bar or T-Square? Parallel Bar
• Facebook or LinkedIn? Facebook
• Arch Record, Arch Digest, or Architect? Record
• Drafting dots or tape? Tape
• Yellow trace or white? White
• Ad Markers or Prisma? Ad
• Pen or Pencil? Pen
• Mac or PC? PC
• What’s the Meaning of Life? Enjoy!

SCORE: 2,541

Interview

• Why did you become an Architect?
  • Coming from a very small High School, he got to take drafting and architecture classes and then actually build the house they designed on campus. (Lindsay H.S.)
  • Over the summer they’d auction it off to a contractor that would move the house to the desired location and the proceeds would then go to fund the following year.
  • Cal Poly and Architecture just made sense at that point. It took him 8 years, he was working while going to school.
• What did you do after graduation?
  • Left to work in Santa Barbara at a medium size firm for 3 1/2 years then came back to SLO to work and eventually teach in 2000.
• Why did you decide to teach?
  • Was a good opportunity to meet new people and do something different.
  • Great balance of teaching and working.
• What would you recommend for someone wanting to pursue a career in architecture education?
  • Being a practitioner is very important, it helps create that middle ground of design and practice and it’s great for the university to have that
• How do you balance your working and teaching schedule?
  • They both influence each other, but you have to work at that balance.
• What is the worst part of teaching at Cal Poly?
  • Grading is hard, design is so subjective and you have to get into the quality of the design, the effort, the student participation, it’s a very difficult aspect of teaching. It’s about the learning not always the assessment of the learning.
• What is the best part of teaching at Cal Poly?
  • Getting out of the studio to go visit and see things, walking through buildings, gaining knowledge just from looking at building elements and components.
  • The hands on aspect makes the students light up and absorb the building.
• What is the one thing that you hope to teach your students?
  • What we do is totally teachable, it’s not a profession where you either have it or you don’t, it’s very process driven so if you can teach the process and teach the “how we do it” part and someone works hard to learn it then they can become a great architect.
  • His role is more of coach and mentor than design instruction.
  • It’s about collaboration and love of the profession.
• Architect License = License to be Creative
• One of favorite books: “The Universal Traveler“, Don Koberg, Jim Bagnall
• What advice would you give the recent graduation class?
  • He writes a lot of letters of recommendation and currently most of those letters are for grad school rather than jobs.
  • If you have the grades and funds to do grad school then pursue that.
  • Things will recover, we’re seeing signs of it now, for the 2nd year students they’re in a great position.
  • For grads it’s great to stay active, even if it’s working construction or doing a kitchen remodel.
  • Be the best that you can at everything you do, even if it’s working in a jewelry store you can still apply the “process”.
  • Shout out to “Rolling Scones” up in the bay area
    • http://www.rollingsconessf.com/
    • http://www.yelp.com/biz/rolling-scones-san-francisco
    • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolling-Scones/286399065610
• Lengthy talk on being a successful business person in architecture.
  • It’s not that hard, just do it
• Parting words:
  • This is the best job in the entire world, take a break if you need to, but come back
  • Get your license, that’s the ultimate goal. Then do whatever you want after that.

We’re not outta here, we ARE here live at the Chumash Show!  Interviews with Henri de Hahn, John Lange, Eric Nulman, Ed Saliklis, Sean Graff, and many many more!

Don’t forget to tell your friends about us, join our Facebook Group, leave reviews on iTunes, vote for us on Podcast Alley, and follow us on Twitter!

Show Notes

Site News

• New Facebook fans!  Thank you!
  • Megan Cassidy
  • Henri DeHahn
  • Julie Zhang
  • Architecture At Cal Poly
  • Carolyn Tam
  • Bianca Pagnucci
  • Erin Ettenger

Interviews

• Taylor Gilmore – [Re]vision, Living in a New Light
  • Di Santo Studio
  • Bringing new life to a 1950′s home
• Linsday Matsen – Downtown Roots,  Urban Revitalization in Fresno
  • Di Santo Studio
  • Live/work farming in the air!
• Christopher Wagner – A Delicate Balance
  • Jackson Studio
• Alessandro Ortiz – Experience Art
  • Eric Nulman Studio
• Sean Graff – San Francisco High Speed Rail Station
  • Tom Di Santo Studio
• Stewart Jackson – Architectural Gastronomy
  • Lucas Studio
• Keith Houchin – Embracing Spectacle
  • Affective Environments in Architecture – cirque du soleil
  • Eric Nulman Studio
• Bianca Clayton – Phenomeno [ECO]LODGE-ICAL
  • Tom Di Santo Studio
• Megan Zeck – New Cafe Culture
  • Cohousing for Students
  • Lucas Lab
• Henri de Hahn, Professor, Architecture Department Head
• Alex Vincent – Poly Canyon Master Plan
  • Kirk Illingsworth Studio, 3rd Year
• Eric Nulman, 5th Year Professor, Lecturer Architecture Department
  • Architecture Department Publications
  • Full scale Installations
• Ed Saliklis, Associate Professor Architectural Engineering
  • Interdisciplinary work between Arch E and Arch
• John Lange, Professor Architecture Department
  • Cal Poly over time
• Elizabeth Wentling – Omgroflfashion
  • Micheal Lucas Studio
• Joanne Hong - Revitalization of Fort Baker
• Seth Mann – Cyprinus Carpio Airport
  • Laura Joines-Novotny Studio
• Alexsandra Jovic – Mannahatta
  • Tom Di Santo

Sarah Fleming, President of the Cal Poly Chapter AIAS, and Ben Hait-Campbell, Vice President, share their perspective of the Cal Poly Architecture program today, fill us in on the AIAS, and tell us what happened to the F-Stop!

Show Notes

News:

• Beth McIntire – ejw24 at hotmail.com
  • She’s an awesome professional resume writter
• Tim’s time without sight
  • spending time on the other side of the accessiblity coin
• Site News
  • 5 Star iTunes Review:
  • polygirl10 – Jan 18 2010: I really like this show so far. The hosts are fun and the guests aren’t boring like on other Architecture podcasts. I’m excited to hear more. Thanks for the great show!
• More on the Fly Ash problem
  • EPA’s administrator Lisa Jackson vowed to label it hazerdous
  • Portland Cement Association: 1 ton of CO2 is released/ ton of cement manufactured
  • Saves 159 trillion BTU, 32 billion gallons of water, 11 million tons of CO2 normally released into the atmosphere, and 51 million cubic yards of landfill space.
  • EPA Responds to TVA Fly Ash Catastrophe – http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/5283
  • Fly Ash Threat – http://www.concreteconstruction.net/industry-news.asp?sectionID=718&articleID=1167997
  • Fear Tactics Threaten One of America’s Greatest Recycling Success Stories – http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fear-tactics-threaten-one-of-americas-greatest-recycling-success-stories-82645872.html
• Michael Lucas ARCH 481
  • Annual Alumni/St. Valentine’s Day Massacre/Tough Love Thesis Critiques
  • Sat Feb 13, 10am – 5pm, Berg Gallery and Grounds
• Sketches of Frank Gehry – Fishbowl Wed 2/17/2010 6pm-7:30
  • http://www.sonyclassics.com/sketchesoffrankgehry/
• Spring Fieldtrip to China
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/opportunities/index.html
  • ARCH353 – Prof. Margarida Yin by Fri 2/19/2010
  • ARCH453 – Chris Yip now!- 3/18 – 4/5

Rapid Fire Questions:

Sarah (S) Ben (B)

• Favorite James Bond Movie? (S) Goldfinger (B) Quantum of Solice
• Shaken (B) or stirred (S)?
• Work at home or in the studio (B, S)?
• Dexter Lawn (B) or the Kennedy Library (S)?
• Best place to be on a Friday night? (B) Studio (S) Coffee shop
• Pismo Beach or Avila Beach (B & S)?
• Facebook (B & S) or LinkedIn?
• Yellow trace or white (B & S)?
• Ad Markers or Prisma (B & S)?
• Mac or PC (B & S)?

Scores:

• Sarah: Rubber Band Ball
• Ben: 5,012.7

Interview:

• What year are you?
  • Ben – Tom Fowler, 3rd year, straight from H.S.
  • Sarah – Jim Doerfler, 3rd year, transfer from Cuesta
• Why did you choose Cal Poly Architecture?
  • Ben – one of the schools he got into, from Seattle, picked schools along the westcoast, Cal Poly tuition was more affordable, easier application than Oregon
  • Sarah – from CO. knew in H.S. that out of state tuition would be crazy so planned on going to Cal Poly, but decided to go to Cuesta for a few years to establish residency before transferring to Cal Poly
• They both agree that Cal Poly has been the perfect place thus far
  • the environment is ideal
  • the architecture program has a great program, you’re surrounded by great people and create a community with your peers
• What are you working on?
  • Ben – Mind/Body entity in NY
    • working to apply abstract ideas into something tangible
    • Fowler overwhelms with deliverables to help get you working towards the end product
  • Sarah – Aquatic Center in downtown SF (1st and Folsom)
    • actually got to visit the site, large pools/gym/community center, a larger project than usual but fun
    • while in SF they visited SOM and some other firms
• Do you plan on getting your Architect Licence?
  • Sarah - definitely
  • Ben – maybe, it seems like a very intimidating process, he’s not interested in codes or any of that other stuff, if he could just do cool stuff and get paid for it he would be happy
• Have you done any internships?
  • Sarah – hopefully going to Switzerland, she had an internship a few summers ago mainly educational work
  • Ben – hasn’t had any internships yet
• What do you like/dislike about the program?
  • Ben Sarah – registration process for classes, your educational career is dependant on your studio experience,
• What has been the hardest thing so far?
  • Sarah – balancing classes with a job and extra cirricular activities, finding time to sleep
• What is the AIAS
  • Sarah – National Organization, four quadrants around the U.S, currently have around 50 members, she also started the Cuesta chapter but students there transfer so the membership fluctuates more
• Why/How did you become involved?
  • Sarah – Passion for architecture from an early age, while at Cuesta it was a way to start meeting people with similar interests which is how/why she started the Chapter at Cuesta, that involvement carried over to Cal Poly after transferring from Cuesta
  • Ben – As a freshman he just jumped in to get involved and became VP sophmore year
• Why/How did you become and officers?
  • Sarah – Her experience with the organization made her a natural choice
  • Ben – Second year as VP, working to continue to develop a clear presence and identity on campus
• What activities, services, resources does the AIAS provide?
  • Ben – They’re putting on the movie nights, brought in local professionals to speak to students about life after graduation, model building in Sequoia Hall, hosted Finnish architecture professions lecture on lighting and architecture,
  • Sarah – Working on Freedom by Design Program: a program where AIAS architecture students go into the homes of elderly citizens and help make their home more accessible such as handrails/ramps. They also bring in career services to speak to students about interview skills and such.
  • http://www.aias.org/advocacy_service/freedom_by_design.php
  • Working to get more involvement and interaction between the classes and years of architecture students
  • While the natural tendancy is to isolate yourself in study, AIAS offers an outlet for architecture students to get that diversity of peers and upper or lower classes
• F-Stop
  • the tiny forgotten space of the architecture building across the hall from the photo lab
  • They’re working to get the space up and running again as the student lounge and hangout
• aias.calpoly@gmail.com
• AIAS Cal Poly Chapter
• GET INVOLVED!!!

We are now on the official Cal Poly Architecture department webpage and we remember that the Burj Kalifa was “finished”.

Special guest Antonio Avila, B’Arch ’92  AIA LEED AP. an associate with Darden Architects, joins us for a great conversation about the recession, the journey of the emerging professional, and how Cal Poly prepares you for entering the work force.

Don’t forget to tell your friends about us, join our Facebook Group, leave reviews on iTunes and vote for us on Podcast Alley!

News:

• We are now on the CalPoly Architecture Alumni Page!
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/alumni/index.html
• Man on Wire
  • First featured film on Wednesday,
  • January 20th, 2010
  • 5:30pm – 7:30pm
  • Architecture Building, Berg Gallery
  • Soft drinks and Sandwiches will be offered
  • Go to Man of Wire trailer web page
• Kiplinger’s Names Cal Poly a “Best Value in Public Colleges”
  • http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2010/January/Kiplingers.html
  • http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/pubcollege.php
  • remember that the Architecture Program is also ranked 3rd among undergraduate programs in the 2010 Design Intelligence survey ranking public and private degree programs nationally.
    • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/prospective/ranking-2010.html
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/prospective/campus-visits.html
• Cal Poly Alumni Update
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/alumni/alumni-news-form.html
  • This is a link for alumni to enter information about what alumni are currently up to, here is the scabbed text from the form for our own reference:
  • Send your professional and personal news to share with other alumni and friends.
    • What are you doing?
    • What personal milestones have you reached?
    • What has changed in your life?
    • What professional successes have you experienced?
    • What is your firm doing?
    • What awards or recognitions have you or your firm received?
• Burj Kalifa (Dubai) opened officially (Forgot to mention this last week)
  • Jan 4th, 2010
  • 828 m (2,717 ft)
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Khalifa
• Another Steep Decline in Nonresidential Construction Activity Projected for 2010
  • http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB082023

Rapid Fire Questions:

Tony scores: 412 points

Talking with Tony

• Who is he?
  • Fresno native
  • Cal Poly striaght after HS, graduated in 1992.
  • Worked in San Francisco bay area
  • Moved back to Fresno to work at Darden Architects again
  • Got licence in 1996
• Advice to Cal Poly students, Start taking your exams as soon as you can.
  • Cal Poly does a great job preparing students for the AREs
• The people and being allowed to design has kept him with Darden Architects for over 15 years
• We talk about some of the differences about working in a smaller versus a larger firm
  • While some small firms are closing their doors, others are busy, the type of work can help keep a firm busy
• Thoughts on recent Cal Poly grads
  • The Cal Poly “learn-by-doing” approach is unique
  • Recently Cal Poly grads seem to be stronger in design while still maintaining the strong technical knowledge that the school is known for.
• A small number of Architects actually design, so what else is there?
• The people who succeed in Architecture have good people skills
  • You need to be comfortable talking with clients and understanding that clients are different
  • In school we are talking to our peers, in the real world it’s a different presentation and language
• Is there something you wish you had done or known when you were still at Cal Poly?
  • Study Abroad for a year, go to Europe, you need to see those buildings up close and it’s much easier to travel when you’re a student, try to get exposure to another country and architecture elsewhere
  • Take advantage of the quarter Internships working at a firm to get work experience and credit
• What kind of advice can you give to recent grads who are out of work?
  • If you haven’t been able to find a job in architecture just hang in there, things will pick up, people will be hiring at sometime in the future
  • Take this time to start your AREs, get LEED accredited, listen to theStudio!

• Part 1: Administrative Code (231 pages)
• Part 2: Building Code (2 Volumes, aprox. 1,600 pages)
• Part 3: Electrical Code (829 pages)
• Part 4: Mechanical Code (419 pages)
• Part 5: Plumbing Code (516 pages)
• Part 6: Energy Code (110 pages)
• Part 7: Elevator Safety Construction Code (merged with other parts)
• Part 8: Historical Building Code (40 pages)
• Part 9: Fire Code (579 pages)
• Part 10: Existing Building Code (32 pages)
• Part 11: Green Building Standards Code (80 pages)
• Part 12: Referenced Standards Code (178 pages)

The entire set costs a little over $1,000 and Architects are expected to know or at least be aware of all of it.   Not surprisingly, a lot of our time is spent scouring over the code trying to make sence of it all.

Yesterday a coworker of mine and I stumbled across this little gem of the building code when designing the threshold into an accessible shower stall for an apartment building.

1. Showers within a unit, outlined in section 1134A.6 #5:
   • “When a threshold is used, it shall be a maximum of 2 inches (50.8 mm) in height and have a beveled or sloped angle not exceeding 1 unit vertical in 2 units horizontal.”
2. Showers located in common facilities, like lobbies, clubhouses, game rooms, etc. are described in 1127A.5.3 #2:
   • “When a threshold or recessed drop is permitted, it shall be a maximum of ½ inch (12.7 mm) in height and shall be beveled or sloped at an angle not exceeding 45 degrees (100 percent gradient) from the horizontal.”
3. Showers in commercial and public buildings are referenced in section 1115B.4.4.2.
   • “Thresholds in roll-in type showers shall be ½ inch (12.7 mm) high maximum and shall comply with Section 1124B.2.”
   • Section 11124B.2 talks about all level changes:  “Changes in level up to ¼ inch (6.4 mm) may be vertical and without edge treatment. Changes in level between ¼ inch (6.4 mm) and 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) shall be beveled with a slope no greater than one unit vertical in 2 units horizontal (50-percent slope).”

I understand the logic of making the restrictions less stringent, 2″ for private units then 1/2″ for common and public spaces.  But why the more stringent 1:2 sloped bevel for private uses, then the more relaxed 1:1 slope for common spaces on private property and back to 1:2 slope for public spaces?

Why not just make it all the same and make things easier for all of us?

Threshold of a 72" x 49" Multi-Piece Barrier Free Shower by AP

Just a little disclaimer: The content of this post is my interpretation of the code.  I may be 100% wrong so don’t use this to design anything.

Fast forward to the computer age and the AutoCad revolution in the 90′s.  During the last decade architects have relied less and less on perspectives and more on the more easily produced plans and elevations.  Renderings were only done once the design was nearing completion because the cost of producing high quality computer graphics was prohibitive to a multitude of revisions.  Our clients, more often than not, were expected to interpret the floor plans, site plans, and elevations.  Often times the draftsmen themselves didn’t fully understand how the building was going to look, let alone how all the pieces worked together in three dimensional space.

Today we have Revit with the easy to use Mental Ray rendering engine and a 3d model of the building at our fingertips at all points in the design process.  Below are a few shots of a design I’ve been working on.  The project has gone through numerous revisions and it’s relatively easy to create a new rendering after every change, not to mention the almost constant use of the non rendered 3d model.  Since all of the topo and site data are in the Revit model I can place my camera at the exact location where the real world contextual photographs were taken resulting in some fairly accurate results in a short amount of time.  In house, on the fly renderings have once again become a cost effective part of the design work flow!