After years and years...
PL
Where's your credit? No serious pictures.
I've got mixed emotions about it... It's cool because they actually built it. I'm a fan of "modern" architecture, but I've long since ceased to be a fan of the object in space called architecture. To me, there's too little human in it. It's just geometric sculpture.
Congrats anyway...as much as we can give you.
Yeah. Where do we send our resumes? ; )
Being the PA and doing CM work for the GC won't get much credit. Specially when the GC isn't listed. Didn't you notice that it's all Van Berkel, Van Berkel, Van Berkel in the PR?
The only place I've been listed in credits is in construction rags... but that's OK I know I worked on the project since day one.
How do you think you get to be a Van Berkel?
Sounds like a joke setup... OK I'll bite... I dunno, how DO you get to be a Van Berkel?
Otherwise, the formula is simple really.
By being enthralled with and talking a lot of BS on theory and architectonics, schmoozing with architecture rag publishers in social circles, spending a lot of time hanging around with the "right crowd" in museums and conferences, teaching at the university, authoring books, getting on the lecture circuit, opening a "high end" design firm using only unpaid interns, hiring only "star" students from your university, spending a couple years only designing theoritical unbuilt projects and entering and winning or doing well in design competitions and waiting for that one client to finally take a bite of the worm on the end of your line. And most importantly, having tons and tons of cash to be able to afford doing all of that so as to "tie you over" until you can become a star architect.
If you do all of the above you can get published in about 5 years.
Easy right? Now get to it!
That was going to be my advice to you, Pierre.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? I didn't hobnob enough to get a listing in a NY Times article? Gimme a break.
Mike, I don't need your advice frankly. If I wanted to get into details for what my agreement was, what credit I was to get etc, I'd have posted and done that a long time ago. I posted because a lot of people in this NG were interested in this project as it developed over the past 4 years.
A little history: I met with the owner (BTW it was at one of those "right crowd" situations at MOMA) in 2001 and was introduced to the designer's US representative shortly after that. I introduced these folks to my friend (the GC) and played "the game" to the best of my ability. I convinced them that my friend was the right guy for the job. Shortly afterwards it was determined that I would provide the owner a separate CM agreement. I coordinated the construction documents and prepared the bid package to negotiate a contract between the owner and GC. Things went well with all the negotiations and preparations to get the job started. The construction contract was executed and for whatever reason, the owner preferred that I just work "on the contractor's side" to make sure the job gets detailed that way it was supposed to be. I said OK and our agreement was superceded. The only stipulation was that I would get CM credit "if" the project were to be published.
Somewhere along the line (not too suprisingly) the GC and owner had problems over change orders etc since the architect's office didn't have experience with US methods. The relationship got strained though as you can see it got built as detailed. And quite well. Very fine work. Unfortunately, the strained relationship led to the GC (and me in effect) to only being listed in "less important" publications.
No big deal frankly. I have received credit in several of these "less important" publications. It's not going to prevent me from showing the project to interested people. and I couldn't care less about becoming Van Berkel.
The job is done and I was involved in another fancy swanky design project. Who cares. It was a nice gig, it provides something to show and I'm quite proud of having had a hand in the execution of it. Is that so wrong?
Hey Paul! I think we have a new question that might be added to the FAQ! :)
I'm not speaking for Mike, but I think he was a bit tongue-in-cheek with his comment...
No doubt!
I'm afraid I should have used a smiley. You took me seriously.
Yup.
Methinks the gentleman doth protest to much ;-) EDS
Maybe so but I don't think you were having around alt.architecture when this project started so I guess I was just bringing you up to speed on the history...
Does this NG qualify as "hanging around with the right crowd" on the list 'how-to' of how to be a Van Berkel? ;-P
You know the answer to that question, Pierre.
BTW, not too long ago I at first accepted an offer to do similar chores for Alsop. The team started to push me around, so I "started to stop", then they eventually dismissed me. Prolly did us both a big favor. A suspicious fire destroyed a historically designated church on a site the developer on this Alsop project owed and wanted to develop.
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