Customer Reviews

Professional Practice: A Guide to Turning Designs into Buildings

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4 star:		(1)
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It tells you step by step what to do and who to talk to and the different engineers you'll need along with percentages on prices. Hands down a great guide to getting real project built.

This book written by Paul Segal is what he teaches from in his seminars on professional practice. The book is oriented towards Master of Architecture students, and is an attempt to prepare them for the realities of working in an office or running a firm. It is written very much as he speaks, with funny anecdotes and a casual style. Segal has many years of experience working and teaching, but is also current with new trends in the profession. The book covers things like contracts, fees, marketing, and insurance.

I found it helpful, and a much less dry read than other books on similar topics (a textbook that reads more like a conversation). The thing I like the most about this book is how he tries to explain how these concepts are relevant, and what the advantages and disadvantages of various business models are for the architect. It's not so interesting however, that I would bother reading this book if I wasn't wanting to become a licensed architect.

This book does a great job of covering pertinent information regarding the profession of architecture. It's well-written, and has proven to be a great resource worth keeping handy. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the business of architecture.