Archispeak Episode #346 – Balancing Academia and Professional Practice

Hosts: Evan Troxel & Cormac Phalen
Date: September 12, 2024

Episode Overview

In this episode, Evan and Cormac explore the intersection of architectural academia and professional practice, reflecting on Cormac’s new role as an adjunct faculty member and drawing on their extensive experience in both worlds. Through candid discussion, they examine the value of specialties versus generalism in architecture, the practical realities of teaching (and learning) architectural design, and the importance of critical inquiry and reflection in both practice and education. The episode offers authentic insights for students, educators, and professionals alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entering Academia: First Impressions and Challenges

• Cormac’s New Adventure:
  Cormac shares his excitement and uncertainty about joining Lawrence Technological University as adjunct faculty after 25+ years in practice. He highlights the difference between mentoring junior staff in firms and teaching students in an academic program, especially in terms of theory versus pragmatic application.
  “It's going to be really interesting to kind of immerse myself into the world of academia because of my history...it's significantly different when you are teaching the next generation.” (02:15)

• Academic Culture & Credentials:
  The hosts address the role of advanced degrees (notably the PhD) in academic circles versus practical architectural work, questioning what value such titles genuinely bring outside academia.
  “What is the importance of a PhD in architecture?” (Cormac, 04:39)
  “I don't think you need anything else besides a bachelor's degree in architecture...but there are specialties that do matter for sure.” (Evan, 04:53)

2. Specialists vs. Generalists in Architecture

• What Do Specialists Bring?
  Evan and Cormac consider the rise of specializations (sustainability, building envelopes, acoustic consultants) and how they’re marketed as a differentiator for firms.
  “Specialties are where it's at in architecture…for your career and career development.” (Evan, 07:07)
  “Architects have to orchestrate the entire thing…specialists, it's so specific because architecture is nuanced.” (Evan, 07:17)

• Are ‘Specialists’ Still Generalists?
  Cormac notes that people often cross between focused project types, blurring the line between specialization and general practice.
  “There's the specialty and the generalist application of that specialty that they're able to kind of go across the board.” (Cormac, 08:59)
  “A building is a building. I'll figure out how to program a building.” (Cormac, 13:31)

• Academic Implications:
  They debate whether academia may prioritize advanced credentials and specialization for career progression, compared to practice, which values proven experience and adaptability.

3. Bringing Practice to the Studio: Teaching Plans

• Studio Scope:
  Cormac outlines his upcoming Integrated Design Studio 5 (ID5) course, a senior-level project-based studio focusing on urban infill in Flint, MI. Students will engage with real clients and integrate skills across design, sustainability, and urban studies.
  “I'll be teaching...a senior level course...that basically builds upon all the other integrated design courses...They always constantly build onto that until they get to their final projects.” (Cormac, 18:15)

• Collaboration in Teaching:
  He’ll teach alongside other instructors (including a long-time friend of the show, who remains unnamed as an ongoing in-joke), discussing coordinating studio and lab content for consistency across the curriculum.
  “We're going to be working on an urban project...in the city of Flint. They'll have an actual client that they'll be able to meet with...” (Cormac, 19:55)

• Juggling Tech and Tools:
  Lighthearted banter about the quirks of official university-issued hardware versus personal devices and the ongoing headaches of using Microsoft Teams for remote collaboration.
  “My machine's better, just...I totally love and appreciate this computer now, I just don't understand how a Windows machine does not work well with Windows software.” (Cormac, 22:37 & 25:01)

4. Realities of Teaching: Student Dynamics and Expectations

• Class Sizes and Teaching Load:
  The logistics of managing roughly 40 students split among three instructors, and playful “isn’t that cute?” banter about workload compared to large lecture classes.
  “Dividing 40 by 3. And that's all you need to worry about when you're teaching.” (Evan, 28:08)

• Professional Expectations in Academia:
  Cormac reflects on the importance of instilling real-world practice expectations in students—deadlines, responsibility, and the financial/logistical impacts of delays.
  “When you're in practice...and you think you can not do the work…you won't have a job for long.” (Cormac, 30:23)
  “A couple of weeks turns into couples of millions of dollars or more.” (Cormac, 32:15)

• Graduate vs. Undergraduate Students:
  Evan observes that graduate students often exhibit higher maturity and self-motivation than undergraduates, given the additional life context and responsibilities they bring.
  “Grad students were way more on top of things than the undergrads…a different level of maturity.” (Evan, 33:01)

• Engagement is Key:
  The hosts discuss how engaging teaching—not mind-numbing lectures—is crucial for student involvement and learning outcomes.
  “Architectural history. Interesting subject. Boring monotone delivery equals Evan sleeping in class.” (Evan, 34:52)

5. Mentorship, Buy-In, and the Power of 'Why'

• Teaching the ‘Why’, Not Just the ‘How’
  Cormac stresses the importance of explaining the rationale behind tasks, both to junior firm staff and students, arguing it leads to greater buy-in and professional development.
  “Teaching them the point behind what it is that we're asking them to do and what it builds on…” (Cormac, 35:30)

• Critical Thinking Over Monotony
  Both hosts advocate for questioning processes, understanding underlying reasons for tasks, and eliminating needless busywork—within reason.
  “I sit and listen to all these conversations…what people feel like are the complexities or the pain points in the profession. Then why are you doing it? Like, just cut that out…It’s more streamlining.” (Cormac, 37:15)
  “I don't know if that's true…there’s a lot of stuff in the system that just hasn't worked its way out yet.” (Evan, 38:01)

• Story Time with Practicing Architects:
  Evan suggests offering students real-world stories to bridge the ‘reality gap’ faculty-only backgrounds often create—something listeners of the show have repeatedly valued.
  “Thanks for telling us what it's really like to work in the profession of architecture because our professors don't know.” (Evan reflecting on listener feedback, 41:00)

• On-Site Learning and Practical Application:
  Cormac highlights taking emerging professionals to project sites to contextualize drawings with their real-world impact, reinforcing the connection between design, construction, and user experience.
  “When I'm going to ask them to do stuff, I want them to see what it actually means...So when I ask you to do this...you're understanding that it's not just a line on paper.” (Cormac, 41:18)

6. The Importance of Asking 'Why' and Deep Reflection

• The ‘Five Whys’ Approach:
  The value of persistent inquiry is compared to how children question relentlessly—an instinct that fades with time and professional pressure, but is vital for meaningful design.
  “Why? And then you say the answer and then, why?...It's the five whys.” (Evan, 44:01)
  “That's what I've always wanted. Remember, I said I, like, pin up a question mark on my desk…Question everything. Ask why all the time.” (Cormac, 44:19)

• Maintaining Design Intent:
  They reflect on supporting original concepts from programming through construction by continually interrogating if decisions serve the project’s founding ideas.

• Reflection in Deadlines:
  Despite high-pressure schedules, Cormac insists professionals must carve out time for reflection if quality matters, even if only in “sacrificing your own time.”
  “Even with the tight budgets and tight schedules, there is still time to reflect while you're doing it. Sometimes it requires sacrifice of your time to do that, but if it's something that you feel is worth it, you're gonna do it.” (Cormac, 48:07)

7. The Powers of Ten and Seeing the Micro/Macro

• Inspiration from Eames’ Powers of Ten:
  Cormac recounts how his introduction to architecture school involved viewing the short film "Powers of Ten," emphasizing the importance of zooming in and out, seeing both big picture and detail—an approach he carries into both practice and teaching.
  “There was a point behind it…always look at it from the big picture, the small picture, the intermediate picture…” (Cormac, 49:17)

• Translating the Principle Today:
  While digital tools allow easy ‘zooming,’ Cormac muses that the mindset of constant scaling and questioning may sometimes be lost, and he hopes to instill it in students.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Architecture’s Culture of Self-Importance:
  “We tend to create this air of self-importance and create this air of we're kind of a big deal unapproachability.” (Cormac, 02:15)

• On Credentials in Academia vs. Practice:
  “What does one do with a PhD in architecture? Because it's clearly not necessarily practice. Because if it's just practice in the way that I'm talking about practicing, what's the point?” (Cormac, 15:40)

• On the Role of ‘Specialists’:
  “If you do have a specialty in sustainability…it's good for your career because you could get to a higher level faster within corporate America, but also they market you as part of their staff that sets them apart.” (Evan, 07:17)

• On Teaching the ‘Why’:
  “I want you to understand that, like, it's not just a line on paper. It's not just a…component in the model. It really actually means something. And this is what it means, and this is the why. If you don't understand the why, you gotta kind of ask yourself why you're doing it.” (Cormac, 42:30)

• On the Importance of Critical Reflection:
  “Really great projects and really great things that change the world…you have to think deeply about. And you can't just take shortcuts all the time.” (Evan, 47:25)

Important Timestamps

• 02:15 — Cormac on joining academia after decades in practice.
• 04:39 — Debating the necessity and value of a PhD in architecture.
• 07:07 — Specialization vs. generalist skills in architectural careers.
• 18:15 — Cormac outlines his new studio teaching role and approach.
• 22:37 — The ongoing battle with institutional tech and tools.
• 30:23 — On teaching professional delivery, deadlines, and consequences.
• 35:30 — Mentoring by teaching the purpose behind tasks.
• 41:00 — The value of real-world stories in education.
• 44:01 — The ‘five whys’ and encouraging persistent inquiry.
• 49:17 — The legacy of "Powers of Ten" and micro/macro thinking.

Tone and Style

• The hosts maintain a conversational, honest, and occasionally irreverent tone, peppered with humor, personal anecdotes, and practical advice.
• The focus is always on real talk: no sugar-coating, plenty of in-jokes, and a clear affection for both the discipline and its foibles.

Summary

This episode offers an in-depth look at what it means to ‘balance’ between architectural teaching and professional practice. Cormac’s “blue-collar” approach, questions about credentialism, and the hosts’ shared belief in teaching through real-world context and continual self-questioning set the tone for a relatable, insightful discussion—one that’s invaluable for architecture students, educators, and practitioners alike. The episode ultimately champions curiosity, critical thinking, and honest mentorship as the touchstones for meaningful growth in both the academy and the profession.