Episode 065: Training Confidence in Technical Detailing

How do you teach technical foundations in architecture to boost career confidence?

Many emerging professionals struggle to find their confidence in the more technical aspects of practice. There is limited onboarding toward the advanced skills architects aspire to master in building envelopes and systems. This week, we sit down and have a candid conversation with Christine Williamson, founder of the Building Science Fight Club. Her mission is to teach architects about building science and construction through teaching and consulting.

Building science is where architectural design meets the practical realities of intelligent construction. Learning the fundamentals can provide architects and designers with the foundation they need to design buildings that are as durable, efficient, and comfortable as they are beautiful.

About ten years into professional practice as a building scientist, Christine noticed that her classmates from architecture school — talented men and women whom she knew to be intelligent, creative, and attentive — lacked confidence on the job site. Learn how this lead her towards designing a business and creating a robust curriculum of on-demand training videos. 

Building Science Fight Club includes a five-part series covering the fundamentals, walls, roofs, foundations, windows, and doors, qualifies for over 10 LU|HSW.

Guest:

Christine Williamson has spent her career in building science forensics, discovering why buildings fail, and working with owners, architects, and builders to remedy the problems.  Her new construction consulting helps architects use building science not only to mitigate the risk of failure but also to help them make their projects as energy-efficient as they are beautiful.  She is the founder of the Instagram account @BuildingScienceFightClub, an educational project that teaches architects about building science and construction.  She graduated from Princeton University and studied at Boston Architectural College before completing her Master's of Architecture at NewSchool of Architecture + Design.  She is a member and past chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee 1.12, Moisture Management in Buildings. Christine is a frequent lecturer on building science at universities, conferences, and professional associations, in addition to serving as a guest critic for architecture school studio reviews.

📍 Show Links:

Building Science Fight Club

📚 Continue Learning:

Christine on EntreArchitect

Christine on The Young Architect Podcast

Christine on Life of an Architect Podcast

💻 Learn about our podcast partner Monograph:

March 8th - 10th, Monograph is hosting Section Cut, a virtual conference and career fair dedicated to firm owners and operation leaders. Hear from leaders at Cottage, Krueck Sexton, Verdant Studio, and more! Register today to reserve a seat by visiting https://sectioncut.com/

💻 Learn about our podcast partner ArchIT:

Tired of dealing with generic IT providers? ArchIT offers Complete IT Solutions for Architecture, Design, and Engineering firms, including helping architects fight back against ransomware and cybersecurity attacks. Visit http://getarchit.com/pd  to set up your free 15-min Cyber Security Assessment, or custom solutions for your design firm.

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