What’s in my Feedly: websites for architects
After sharing a blog recently on how to curate quality articles with Feedly, I had a couple readers ask what specifically I like to read. While I’ve answered all of them individually already, I thought it would be great to share those websites for architects who may also be interested. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy finding new sources of interesting information. Enjoy!
As I showed in the Feedly blog, I follow websites that speak to a variety of topics. While I *love* architecture and my career, I also understand that part of working to be the best architect I can be means keeping an eye on adjacent industries, business, politics (sigh), and reading up on things that I’m passionate about. That means my list of websites for architects may not completely jive with what you think is interesting – and that’s okay! That’s what makes us unique and able to come to the design table with different views and ideas. So I’ll highlight some of the main websites that I consistently find value in, but show them all in case you want to research some of them on your own time. (If you do – I’d love to hear what you think, or if you have others you’d add to the list!) So let’s break these down into subject:
Architecture Websites for Architects
It would be really easy to build this list up and go on and on about different websites for architects within our own industry. Instead, I’ll highlight a couple within each subcategory.
Pretty pictures: Everyone knows ArchDaily and Architizer, but until the last year or so Contemporist was unknown to me. It has quickly become a go-to source if I’m looking for quality images surrounding architecture and design. The graphics are great, but it doesn’t take nearly as long to load as other sites (like HomeAdore or HomeDSGN).
Make you think: Build LLC and CityLab both run great informational sites from different ends of the architecture spectrum. Build is a well-kept blog, consistently maintained by the architecture firm behind the info. They do a substantial amount of research for their projects and share their findings with us – lucky us! CityLab is an arm of The Atlantic that looks specifically at, well…cities. From architecture to urban planning to social anthropology…they put out insightful articles regularly enough to keep you up to date on new research and trends without flooding your “inbox”.
Mentors and industry peers: As I mentioned in the HootSuite blog, it’s always good to stay up to date and champion the work of your mentors and peers. Throw them in the Feedly queue and it’s a snap to keep up with the awesome work they’re doing.
Blogger Websites for Architects
Architects are a hard bunch. We always push ourselves – which in most respects is a good thing, but can sometimes get overwhelming. I keep these blogs in the queue to pull me back to Earth when I’m getting too hard on myself. I may be an architect, but I’m a human first. And remembering that helps me be an even better architect because I act with a dose of compassion.
With that in mind, Wait Buy Why provides funny little explanations on life and what makes the world tick. The others provide a dose of compassion, love, and humility. And Mark Manson provides a kick in the pants to re-light the fire, as needed.
Business Websites for Architects
What architecture school doesn’t teach you is that 20% (maybe) of the work you do will be the fun part of design. The other 80% is construction drawings, herding cats (also known as consultants and contractors), and the logistics of running a business. If you ever want to be anything more than a BIM b!tch, it’s important to understand that 80%. This is what that 80% currently represents to me.
Strategy, a section of Business Insider, is actually called their “war room”. It talks the ins and outs of job searching/interviews/hiring, trends in employment, work culture, etc. Fast Company’s Leadership section has the same business bent, with more articles on how to grow your career and make yourself worthy of leadership within a larger company or your own.
TEDTalks gives me something to watch at lunch to get my mind out of a project or something to listen to while I’m slaving away. It’s always great to hear/see the globe’s best and brightest doing their thing.
Design Intelligence and Social Media Examiner both cover talent, best practices, and continued growth in an evolving digital world. It’s important to stay on top of the game if you want to continue to grow and lead.
Cooking Websites for Architects
Who has time for cooking, right? Well – one of my goals as I start this new decade is to take more time doing things that are good/healthy for me in the long run. As I’ve gotten back into cooking, I’ve realized how much I enjoy it. I like trying new recipes and it’s easy to zone out…shutting off that part of my brain that handles the to do list and seems to constantly be frantically running around in the space between my ears. It’s a nice getaway that ends in a healthy meal.
To that end, I’m always looking for recipes. The Kitchn (arm of Apartment Therapy) has some interesting finds, but Thug Kitchen makes me laugh while eating healthy. And who doesn’t love a show with their meal? It’s sarcastic and sassy – just be aware, it has language.
The other cooking-based website that I *love* is Adventures in Cooking. This website sure knows how to get to the heart of a designer with all of the beautiful imagery. My Thanksgiving turkey last fall was actually a recipe from this website – the images sold me.
Design Websites for Architects
Oh, design. Of course it’s as big – if not bigger – than my architecture list. It’s the catchall for everything design adjacent.
Fast Co Design, Impact Design Hub, and Creative Market all speak to different paths of design. Sometimes graphic, sometimes product…but always up to date on trends and new research. If you want to see these things in person, check out Creative Mornings to find your local source of monthly design inspiration. I’ve been going since last fall and have never been disappointed.
Desire to Inspire is hands down my favorite website to look at residential design. Kim and Jo make it so fun to read about the homes they feature, and it helps they have great taste. Along those lines are Elisabeth Heier – an interior designer from Norway, My Scandinavian Home – run by a British girl in Sweden, Design Salvation – a tumblr account with an image a day from an interior designer from Hungary, Scandinavian Homes – pretty self-explanatory, and Stil Inspiration – more Scandinavian awesomeness. Noticing a trend? Yeah I love modern, minimal architecture with a sprinkling of European elegance.
Marketing Websites for Architects
Architects are great at talking with architects, but we’re godawful at talking to the world and potential clients about what we do and what our value is. That makes this category really important. It helps that the duo at UnMarketing make it insanely easy to learn about how to properly market and grow any sort of business. Brian Solis also provides some really great content on the subject – because poking your eyes out from boredom due to a bad article doesn’t really help anyone.
News Websites for Architects
News…it’s there, and much to my dismay it’s kind of important to stay on top of what’s happening. While I rarely *watch* any sort of news, I do read – if you haven’t caught that yet. Sports, business, local, etc – it all goes in this pile. The website of note is yet another arm of The Atlantic, this one on gender and equity in the business world. Because sadly that’s still a thing we’re having to fight for.
Photography Websites for Architects
Architects love pretty pictures, and while Instagram is awesome for that, there are some websites that you know you’ll want to pin something from. Darling be Daring is definitely one of those. Some of the images are more personal fashion, but about 30% are of gorgeous architecture and that’s just enough to make it awesome. The others on this list are sites that help the hamster upstairs stop running around for a bit.
So there you have it – a run down of my favorite websites for architects…or at least this architect. What do you think? Are there any you’d add to the list? Let me know in the comments!
