Episode Details

Finding Your Purpose in the Profession of Architecture with Michael Bernard of Virtual Practice Consulting

When we decided to become architects, there was no doubt it was sparked from a desire to design. Maybe you love to draw, paint or build. Maybe someone recognized your talents and guided you toward architecture. All through architecture school and through your career, the definition of architecture revolves around the idea of design. Architecture is so much more than design.

Your place in architecture may not be in design.

This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Finding Your Purpose in the Profession of Architecture with Michael Bernard of Virtual Practice Consulting.

Background

Michael is the founder of Virtual Practice Consulting, where he provides strategic advice to design and construction firms. He collaborates with firm leaders to assure effective growth, enrollment in mission and vision, development of growth models, strategic business development, and mentoring staff to become effective project leaders. Michael’s clients include architects, builders, structural engineers, landscape architects, and more. He’s been the adjunct professor in the architecture department at the California College of Art in San Francisco since 2006 and has served as a director on the board of the San Francisco chapter of AIA and on the board of the AIA California Council. He’s led several committees  and served as architect advisor to the academy for emerging professionals at the AIA San Francisco.

Michael’s Origin Story

Michael discovered architecture as a 10 year old when he was inspired by house plan magazines at the supermarket and built 3D models as a child. In college, he studied psychology with the intent of becoming a clinical psychologist. While he was teaching French to exchange students during summer school, a colleague noticed him sketching and asked if he’d ever thought of architecture as a profession.

Instead of applying for graduate school in psychology, he applied for architecture. A light came on and he realized his innate design talent had just been sleeping.

Michael started in design and worked for Charles Moore in Los Angeles. After some time, he went to work for a larger technical firm because he wanted to learn what the underpinning was of design. Over the course of his career, he always wanted more. He finally realized that what he loved most about architecture is the creative team that makes a project happen.

How long did it take you to realize where you wanted to be?

Michael always went back to the conversations in the studio. Those conversations were what really stick in his memory. The critical thinking was way more interesting to him than the drawing. The process of hearing people discuss what they love was so important to him.

He had the revelation over 20 years into his practice that virtual practice would bring a different way to engage. He felt a confidence in thinking differently about the practice of architecture. While architects are poised to be incredibly entrepreneurial, free-thinking and liberal, often we define ourselves so narrowly. Given the way we’re tied to the cost of construction and other social aspects, we have the opportunity to think more broadly. However, we treat ourselves so narrowly that we insecurely define what architecture is.

If we’re only about design, does anyone else matter? Are people who think more broadly to be excluded? Does design as visual a