Reading books for Architects

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What a great grouping of architecturally related books. As someone who had practiced Architecture 20 years ago, and over the last 20 years been part of the design/ supply and manufacturing trade to some of the top architectural homes, hotels resorts and public projects – I have been blessed to learn from each architect.

So here is the scoop, books on architecture have been great influencers on my right brain activity. BUT there is a unique and commenting divide amongst those architects that have become business leaders and stood out from the rest.

These great architects and masters only rose to the top because of persistence, and sometimes just good publicists. However, the ones that I have respected the most are the ones that have developed great businesses, (ARCHITECTS AS ENTREPRENEURS, copy right 2010 Gerald Olesker). This – from the entrepreneurial side in my opinion comes from business books like “Good to Great”, Jim Collins and “Mastering the Rockefeller Habits”, Verne Harnish . This is a left brain shift.

The second part to my post is uniquely a business proposition to all architects – Left Brain Shift and business switch up.
What makes a great architect. I have had the good fortune to work and design over 900 projects world wide, from the decorative lighting design and manufacturing perspective.. I have met many of you.

With this, I have had the good fortune of learning how to work with architects and designees alike. So many of you are talented and several stand out as great business leaders. Marc Appleton, Grant Kirkpatrick/ KAA and Richard Landry on the west coast have had exponentially great practices. I mention these three in particular because they all have published books. From a selfish perspective, my work stands out in all three. Therefore, I refer back to these books to remember that Greatness, like Jim Collins and Verne Harnish reveal in their books, comes from persistence and planning.

The good will of architects published from a historical point in Sir Banister Fletcher’s “A History of Architecture” gives one of the broadest overviews of where we have been as architects. The buildings we all appreciate are relevant too each in the architects own unique way. The clients choose each one of you because of your unique and experiential method of working with the client.

So to make the great leap over the cerebral divide, Pick up a business book, any one from Jim Collins or go to Gazelles.com and practice daily great business habits and your client base will improve.

Gerald Olesker is the chief executive officer of Architectural Detail Group, inc and ADG eco Lighting – where our motto is that we are collaborative group enhancing the built environment through positive relationships. SO thank for including me in you Linked-in group