Finger Art by Engineers & Architects I

Nelsons Column - London, UK

Grand Central Station - NY, NY

The Shard - London, UK

Sydney Opera House - Sydney, Australia

Texas State Capitol Dome - Texas, USA

The Hacienda - Manchester, UK

Our first lot of #doodleengineer entries. It's all a bit of fun, so please keep them coming in!

Previous Posts: Doodle Engineering Competition, Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

Engine[er]

Wiggle wiggle wiggle

It's a reminder!!

A week has passed, and so far we have received 7 #doodleengineer sketches. Fabulous. See last post here

Today we decided to #fingerartist you up an reminder of how easy it is to enter...
























Of course you can simply search up your favourite structure or building on the Internet and sketch it directly into your tablet or smart phone for us. Beats travelling.

Watch out for our weekend post.


Engine[er]

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:St Stephen's Hill,St Albans,United Kingdom

6 Tips for Architects. Finding the right Engineers.

Architects. Are you getting back from your engineers the same effort that you put into your projects?

Wanna know why?....

It is very probable that you have been fighting; and scrapping to be creative. Perhaps you are still waiting for that time where the REAL essence of your designs live long enough in the minds of your clients, so that they are built the way they should be built. You have a hunch that everyone will thank you for your perseverance... eventually.

If only you had back up, just when you needed it the most. Sterotypically the contractor is more interested in getting on and off the job in the quickest time, with as little fuss as possible. They are delivered to you complete with 'eye rolling' one liners like "I've worked for 20 years on countless home builds, and not one client ever complained about the finish of their door knobs!"

Even the presence of an educated colleague, the professionally qualified engineer - does little to further your cause. Economy, practicality, buildability are the engineers mantras. "Give the client mediocre and cheap design, and they will love you for it!"

Architects know different, they know that mentality will not be rewarded in the long term. It will definitely not have a strong enough appeal to get you automatically novated to the next build project.

Times are changing though. Contractors are slicker, they understand that sexy design and quality finish pays for itself, time and time again. Engineers are remembering how they achieved so much success in business in the past, and once more they are flashing their personalities and creative side.

If you find yourself regularly referring work to structural engineers, it would be a fair assumption that these projects are the ones which you yourself have been personally recommended to by a recent or previously satisfied client. It is also very likely that you have not had to endure a beauty pageant style bidding process to land it either. They trust your judgement.

The following 6 helpful hints have been developed to be of value to your practice on any given construction project; but have a particular potentcy if your clients are homeowners or developers, and your those projects are residential in scale.

The next time that you hand a list of preferred engineering partners to your valuable clients, think on these points. You may find yourself forging new and ever more productive relationships with some of your biggest fans and game changers... Structural Engineers.

I thought that I would start you with an obvious one first...

1. Insurances and qualifications. Very important, as this protects you, the client, and contractors from footing the bill for costly engineering mistakes. In certain countries [some US states included] it is legally required that engineers must be professionally accredited before before being able to certify design calculations. Elsewhere, even though it has been said that academic and professional qualifications alone, are not necessarily proof that you have the best suited engineer for the job - they do however, give you and your client a great deal of peace of mind. Professionally qualified engineers the world over will have been pier reviewed, and essentially have built up enough experience to know their limits. They also understand where they can bring real value to your project. Stack the odds heavily in everyone's favour by referring the professionals.

2. Engineers are not just a technical resource. You probably heard this a lot in college or university, and the reason why you heard it a lot is because it's true! Engineers are your reinforcements. If you got a problem, they'll solve it, and if properly utilised they are adept in helping you maintain control over a project brief. If you consider this to be the start of a REAL relationship, then engineers [in most cases] represent the realist 'Yin' to your dreamer 'Yan'. They can just as easily make the most amazing things come to life, as well as put the breaks on certain illogical project decisions. So let them in on your dreams. You will be surprised with the results.

3. Engineers can be an extension of your businesses personality and vision, and their solutions reflect upon your hard work and creativity. Do not introduce them to your valuable clients as the 'party poopers'. If you feel this way about them, then find another engineer to partner with. Should you chose to refer them, bare in mind that they need to not only accentuate your branding and image [incredibly important], but assist your client with understanding why they made the right choice by selecting you as their architect.

4. Finding a competent engineering resource is easy. Let's face it, they know what they are doing - but who wants to be known ONLY as being competent? So insist that the engineers you refer to clients are engaging, thoughtful and live to share knowledge externally, as well as within the design team environment. You may go through a number of engineers before you find the right practice, group or freelancer who 'gets' what it is that you are selling, but don't give up too easily. Watch the online forums for that spark of interest, and talk to them if they drop in on your institutions meetings.

5. Social entrepreneurship and interaction. You want engineers to openly share, and use their personal marketing efforts to help you sell your ideas to your clients too. Mentioning to a client that your preferred engineer is innovative and an award winner, may only result in them scrutinising the fee estimates as they roll in, "so how much extra am I paying for my award winning engineer then?". This is not condemning an engineers need to be brave, and to take on exceptional projects briefs, but more a criticism of the fact that many clients will not realise what it is that an engineer can do for them. What you really want to hear from your clients are responses like "Ooo I've heard of them!", or "they're the ones who ......fill in blank here..... aren't they?". Promoting a sense of family in the community, fills us all up with a satisfying glow, which if nurtured can lead to enticing, powerful and productive project relationships. Take advantage of this by looking out for these socially dynamic behaviours from your engineering neighbours.

6. Distance and localism. I'd like to finish off with another obvious one. Engineers are certainly more likely to be able to attend a larger number of site meetings if they are selected for projects which have a close proximity to their offices. When the majority of your projects are regional, then instruct engineers who are in or very close to that region. My experience has shown me that engineers [due to logistical reasons] are far more responsive and able to act upon design developments and unforeseen circumstances, because of that closeness. This statement by no means represents every single engineer or practice in the world, but it is a preference that you should be taking a very seriously. Note: specialisms in certain construction techniques, or a very strong preference towards a particular engineer may force you to consider non-local help. If so, then consider asking the preferred engineer to seek to partner with another local engineer to provide a 'site support service', incase of complications. If you refer engineers who are naturally more open and collaborative, then this should not be too daunting for them. Engineers are problem solvers - they will find a way to make it work for the benefit of the project.

I hope you found my hints and tips useful. It's time that you get out there and begin asking some hard questions about the contributions of some of your engineering colleagues.

Engine[er]


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Watton, Norfolk, United Kingdom

6 Golden Rules for Structural Engineering Start-Ups

We are rare beasts. Why aren't structural engineers as common as architects?

Firstly, the law of supply and demand suggests that since engineers spend less time on construction projects than architects, and that we need several architects to keep us busy, then logically there will be less of us out there to fulfil what the market needs.

It makes perfect sense to me. How about you?

Therefore if we follow this line of thought, perhaps we can draw some further conclusions.

Firstly. To win enough work to keep ourselves and/or our employees busy earning money for the business, we must try to be on as many architects, contractors and developers short lists as possible. This will give us more project opportunities.

Great. How's this done? Lucky for us, some golden rules do apply.

When I left my last employer and set out on my own, I was not intending to move to a different area, I wanted to live and work in Hertfordshire. The difficulties began when I took the decision to remain outside of my previous employers client base. This was tough, but i am still managing to do it. In fact I recently refused some work, passing it on to a fellow engineer because I felt it to be unethical to accept it. It is especially tough for us first time business owners who have not yet nurtured a network of business colleagues in our geographical areas.

Very tough indeed.

I've been self sufficient [8 months], built my client base up from zero, and I have enough work to keep myself busy, and 2 part-time subcontractors.

How did I do all this?

The very short answer is - lots of hard work raising my profile. The longer answer follows on from here.

Even though I am still very busy building an exciting new client base, I am also managing subcontractors, gazing into my crystal ball, predicting where the next few weeks of work will come from, and somewhere in between - I personally complete enough work to keep my business running healthily.

With that in mind, I am happy to share with you 6 Golden Rules to help you get started becoming a self sufficient structural engineering entrepreneur. Please bear with me here, as I am assuming that you are ethical, and do not intend to directly OR indirectly subvert work from a previous employer.

So here goes.

1. The amount of work out there is FINITE. No matter which way you look at it, if you are not doing work for a particular architect/contractor/developer, then someone else is. THEREFORE, if you are winning that work, then your competitors are not. You have to be absolutely clear on that fact. I hope you are now beginning to understand who you need to compete with to remain in business. DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THEM! You know who they are.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Try not to undercut your competition. Out perform them, make yourself available and provide a great service.

2. Market research. Yes, horrendous isn't it? We spend 10-15 years at university and in consultancies, building up the necessary knowledge and confidence to strike out on our own... and just as we do, we then have to assume the identity of a flouncy creative marketing type, just to pull in some work. How embarrassing.

NOTE: you could employ a marketer here, if you have the savings available. But trust me, only you will understand your business aspirations and technical strengths. The marketing strategy you employ should be centred around YOU, and not just what you are capable of delivering.

Ask yourself searching questions about what kinds of work you will be comfortable with. Do it now before it's too late, and for Gods sake - write down your conclusions. Sorry to disillusion you at such an early stage, but we are a technical resource. We are not special in anyway... but you as a person... well let's just say there's only one of you.

TOP TIP: Cold call potential clients. Prepare for the conversation with 10 questions, and grow a thick skin. Write everything down. I said that already didn't I?

3. Your third realisation must be that by simply setting up a stall called 'structural engineer for sale' will not get you any meaningful work by itself. An effective strategy would be to get a notepad, and fill it full of your access passwords to freely available online classified websites, social networks, and professional profiles. It is seriously important in this age to get your net presence as pervasive as possible. MAKE EACH AND EVERY PROFILE ENTRY CONSISTENT. This will help the search engines identify you.

Be a tart, be you. Find me at @AvatarEngineers. I'm a tart.

4. Architects are well know for being fussy and only referring to their clients responsible professionals. Quite right too. This means that you must be a fully paid up member of the institution WITH insurance. If you cannot afford to buy yourself professional indemnity insurance then forget engineering [full-stop]. We may personally enjoy taking on a risk or two in our line of work [educated risk obviously], but if you were to fall foul to a heavy claim, and subsequently found to be negligent, then you could be saying good bye to your car, or your house as a result [or both!]. Not to mention your career and possibly your freedom. PII will not save you against the latter 2 unpalatable but rare outcomes.

5. Be natural and consistent. This has been touched upon previously. What this does for you is any potential business referrers will see you as predictable, reliable and a safe bet as a result. Being natural is just about being you, enjoying your work and not stressing too much. You should also be striving for this 'feel' with your marketing voice. The up and coming generation are a social networking generation. If you fancy working for and with them on cool projects in the foreseeable future, then get an online mojo and flaunt it.

One of the best compliments I have ever had was from an architect friend of mine. We met up just after I had started up my company. She had read my blog and commented that my whole online persona was identical to my real life persona. She congratulated me on a job well done. We all should strive to deliver our personal message as best as we can.

6. Network. Yes yes and yes! Tart yourself about a bit. Learn from other business people, ask questions. BE INQUISITIVE. Early on I managed to find a great networking group local to me who are doing fantastic business with one another. It is a great way to raise your profile, and be known as a team player. Life's a team sport, sign up and stake your claim.

In this post I have avoided talking about the lists of essential engineering skills which you will need to master in order to survive as an engineer in the real world, but you will already own these - because you are thinking about setting up on your own, aren't you.

We all have a responsibility as engineers to raise our profiles, even if we do not yet have the fantastic honour of working for ourselves. Our engineering community is a small one, and the faster we get noticed as creative, industrious, and reliable professionals - the easier it will be for us, and all of our fledgling engineering entrepreneurs.

I am constantly telling everyone how great we are. More often than not though, I have been informed that I do not fit the 'template' for a typical structural engineer.

This is disappointing. But the way I see it is, the more people who I meet that have those preconceptions about us structural engineers - the better. You see I can help change that particular mindset, one client at a time. With everyone's help that is.

Could you do the same? If so, contact me.


Engine[er]

Location:The Peahen, St Albans, Hertfordshire

The Fall of the Design Dynasty

Updated! 7:37pm

Firstly I have got to say that I heard about this RIBA debate through Twitter. @Bldg_Futures were retweeted by one of the Architects that I follow on Twitter. As soon as I saw the title, I was hooked.

"THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT 'CONTRACTORS ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF THE FUTURE'" &
"IS TRADITIONAL, INDEPENDENT PRACTICE SET TO BECOME A THING OF THE PAST?"

What a wonderful topic. I booked a seat and headed on into London under cover of darkness.

I was very impressed by the turn out and settled into a great spot to watch and listen for anything of particular interest to us Engineers. I knew that the subject was going to be both an expansive and generative one, and if you haven't quite twigged why yet... then let me slowly reveal it to you.

Architects identities are under siege by heavily funded and motivated contractor war machines. Now, their tactics are not to storm the castle gates and over throw the design team monarchs by brute force alone. However, this tactic worked very well whilst assimilating quantity surveyors, then later [the easier prey], project managers: and of course our very own industry was one of the first to experience 'the grand assimilation'. BUT our industry has already lived through 5 or 6 generations of 'middle ground' engineers who have been marginalised, and stripped of their mojo. I make it sound like we were ambushed and sold into slavery, but in reality we allowed it to happen. Plain and simple.

Now Architects must allow it to happen to them too.

Why? Fighting the tide of this magnitude is a mugs game. In reality, the contractors need not have turned up to the debate or even justify their plans to deliver a single path of responsibility for the clients benefit. Again, why? Well, they have the clients ears already - that's why. Contractors, whether you agree with the motion or not, are delivering on their contractual promises. So why humour us? If this divergence of power is inevitable... why turn up at all? To rub the Architects noses in it? Perhaps. Because they felt obliged to thank Architects for putting up a valiant effort? Possibly.

My opinion is this, they are happy to wine and dine the motion because they currently do still NEED Architects. Never more than now, when change is afoot and clients are again tightly holding on to their purse strings. Currently Architects still hold massive amounts of trust and the ultimate Master Builder Status. Society and the client understand this. Bulldozing through Architects sensibilities is not a viable option for contractors - yet. Interestingly, I think there is more to this than meets the eye. I believe that Contractors are in fact trying to save Architects from themselves too.

An industry unable to agree amongst themselves on what to do, will go the way of the dodo. Contractors are demonstrating pity for Architects indecisive nature. A helping hand has been extended, and the burning question is... what are they going to do with it?

Well the vote result of the debate suggests that they are still frightened of the inevitable. Hence a vote against the house on Wednesday.

Do Architects think that by taking their proverbial ball away and restricting the use of the RIBA title to only Architects who are not affiliated with Contractors, is a winning strategy? If this is the truth, then I predict a future where they will experience the very same loss of social identity that plagues us engineers today. You lose out RIBA, big time.

Children will grown up and wish to be Bob the Builder or Colin the Contractor, and not an Architect. No one will know what it is that Architects do. Harsh predictions, but I wouldn't bet against it.

So what can Architects do? Study what happened to Engineers and learn from our mistakes. Do not waste energy abstaining or avoiding the grand assimilation. Once inside the inner sanctums of Contractors businesses, work towards owning them from the inside out. For example, some of the managing directors of large contractor firms are either run by Engineers, or were founded by them [Balfour Beatie, Osbourne, McLaren]. The same could be said of Architects for the future.

During the debate, a number of times infact, an observation was made that the polarisation of each industry present was indeed a fallacy; that the facts were that we all wanted the same thing. I'm not so sure about that one.

"Architects are the Bursars of the construction industry. No matter how bad you treat them, there will always be enough of them to go around" Paul Morrell, Chief Construction Adviser to Her Majesty's Government.

The same could be said of Structural Engineers.

If money was not as important, and as large a reward as it is in construction, then how many contractors would continue with this line of work? I know plenty of Architects and Engineers who would, AND DO! There is no need to take pity on ourselves though. We have ingenuity, design minds and feel such a social responsibility that indeed, Paul is right - we are and will forever be what's left when financial fall-out finally balances. Cockroaches of the construction industry. Indestructible. Not an entirely romantic expression to coin, but I stand by it for now.

The debate was lively and glimpses of Architectural futures were available for the assembly of Architects to see. For example, an Architect stood up and announced himself to be the go between for a contractor and series of Architectural practices wishing to 'date' their clients. He had the peculiar air of a man going to confession and seeking to off load an almighty guilt. This Architect represents a change in attitude, he may not feel comfortable or particularly loyal to the RIBA, he may have even been sneered at by his brethren.... but in my opinion he has the right idea believe it or not.

For your information, a collection of Architects is called a Curiosity. A collection of Contractors is a Murder [joking!] and a collection of Engineers should be called an Entourage... until we get our acts together that is.

Thanks for reading.


Engine[er]

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Engineering Blogs.

Engineers and Architects fight back: Part One

Sitting in the Slaughtered Lamb just round the corner from my destination for this evening. A debate organised by Building Futures.

This is an organisation who have come together to create space for open debates upon which questions surrounding the built environment and developments affecting big cities can be chewed over and documented. Great idea.

This evenings debate fundamentally asks the question, what is the future of Architects?'

This caught my eye obviously, but what is it that an Engineer might find interesting about this topic?

THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT 'CONTRACTORS' ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF THE FUTURE and ARE TRADITIONAL, INDEPENDENT ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICES TO BECOME A THING OF THE PAST?



Team 1 [FOR THE MOTION] Peter Trebilcock – Director for Design @ Balfour Beatty Northern
Chris Boyce – Design Director @ Capita Symonds


Team 2 [AGAINST THE MOTION] Jane Duncan – Director @ Jane Duncan Architects / RIBA Vice President, Practice & Profession
Paul Morrell – Chief Construction Advisor to HM Government


Well apart from a great line up, the two opposing teams of successful Directors, Contractors and Architects are going to pitch arguments for and against the undeniable trend of Architectural services being marginalised and absorbed into the contractors duties. Some would say that the contractors are doing quite a good job of it too...

Tell me Engineers, does this at all sound familiar to you?

I think that you know where it is that I am going with this, and why I am intrigued as to what the arguments for and against this phenomenon may be.

Is this a last stand being mounted by the beleaguered Architects? Or a monumental coup which will set the scene for a creative come back? OR is this a great template strategy for gathering back our Engineering Mojo?

I'm here to find out, and It all starts in 1.5 hours. As long as I can stay sober that is - this beer is going down a bit too well!


Engine[er]

Scales of Engineering and Feel Good Friday

Would you employ a Structural Engineer who has spent the last 15 years designing concrete bridges, for a single storey house extension?... Would you even bother talking to a local one-man-band-engineer who is advertising loft conversion design services, when you need a 30 storey tower in Dubai built...?

As with many professions, there is an economy of scale... and when I say that - I mean that your chosen consultant will have more design experience in one field over another [i.e. a specialism] and hence be able to provide an enhanced service for the same fee as a lesser prepared pier. I hasten to add that reduced fees and cutting costs do not help anyone. BUT increased levels of customer care and positive communication DOES!

Bear that in mind when you are thinking about your next marketing campaign. Narrowing the field of play could net you a very appreciative and loyal set of clients. I'm excited just thinking about the potential of uncovering a niche market...

OK time to very quickly discuss the avenues available to us as engineers when we finally decide where to market ourselves.

1. Working direct for consumers [private clients]. Please take a step into a world where most of your clients are people who do not know what it is that you are doing for them. I am of course referring to small scale residential clients. They will be able to see where the time was spent...a small parcel of calculations and sketch drawings will be testament to that fact. This however will not stop them from feeling confused and maybe even 'slightly' robbed. The question on their quivering lips is why was your input required in the first place! This is why they employ builders right? To build? Answer: EDUCATE BUILDERS & CONSUMERS. Build trust and take every opportunity to inform them... but not lecture them. Be a great diplomat and advocate for safe sustainable design. Everything the Institute asks of you and more.

2. Work for the construction professional [Architects, testing engineers, builders, project managers, Surveyors]. Without trying to hurt your feelings, our construction contacts may well pick and choose us based upon past project experiences and our 'apparent' specialities. There are also other factors like work load and insurances too, but you may well get first dibs on projects from your most avid supporters. Answer: If you have a good working relationship with these contacts, then they are less likely to muddy the waters by giving your competition a chance. Therefore build in extra value and take time to understand how you can help them best serve their clients. Be the best advocate for their company that you can. Respect is paramount.

3. Partnering Professionals. These contacts will seek you out every time they get sniff of a project. They will require constant help and advice. If you have negotiated a monthly retainer fee then you are one of the lucky ones. Weldone and please share with us your secrets! Potentially these clients [partners] will advertise your services alongside their own. For example, design and build contractors or multidisciplinary design offices. Answer: Getting an invite to join a well established party of hard hitting construction junkies is what I would call the 'golden' opportunity. I would describe a 'silver' opportunity as when two or three established firms collaborate in a consortium style arrangement. All partners bringing to the table a wealth of happy clients to share. Finally the 'bronze' or 'rusty' approach. Two or more non-established companies decide to huddle together for comfort and to share the good times with the bad. A potential slow burning partnership, promises lots... with no proven track record. Buyers beware.

More often than not, your ability to exhibit your infectious personality with your ability to make your clients problems vanish is what gets you chances in the business world.

How do you do that? It takes time, experience, persistence, excellence, knowing when to listen and when to speak, to give, learn, teach, run [had to shoe horn that in], exposure to the unknown, to explore. Please add some more in the comments box below.


Engine[er]