KBB - November/December 2012 - (Page 24)

WEB SAVVY Bob Borson Life of an Architect, Bernbaum Magadini Architects thinking I don’t get caught up with “stars,” I was pretty excited. I think it’s successful because I try to make the site personal and use a lot of humor to convey my personality through the articles I write. One day the topic might be “Top 10 Modern Kitchen Design Trends” and the next might be “How to Spot a Hippie.” I also try to make the practice of architecture as transparent as possible, so I share design ideas and construction details and use a lot of photos to explain what exactly is going on. What do you do on Twitter and Facebook? I check in on both a handful of times throughout the day when I have a few minutes, mostly to post links to articles I’ve written, keep up with what industry leaders are talking about and follow links to news stories that otherwise I probably wouldn’t nd on my own. How often do you update on both? I probably send out between 10 and 20 tweets a day, far less on Facebook—the style of interaction is different. Facebook doesn’t seem to mind that the exchange isn’t immediate and rapid- re, while Twitter is almost like having a real-time conversation. Both have their places and, as a result, their strengths and weaknesses. What are three favorite blogs or websites you read for kicks? I like to read other architectural blogs when I nd the time but there aren’t many architects out there who blog regularly. One that does maintain a publishing schedule that I check in with every time they write something new is Build’s blog, http://blog.buildllc. com. I know the guys there, and we share a lot of similar interests. Where are you geographically? I am located in Dallas, TX—the Lone Star State. What kind of phone do you have? I have an iPhone. It is simply easier since I have so many other Apple products in my life. As a designer, it is easy to appreciate the effort that goes into designing the appearance of the package as well as the performance of the product and how the two are interrelated. Where are you professionally? I am a licensed architect who specializes in residential projects. This means that a high priority is placed on my ability to listen to what people are saying and interpret that into what they are really asking for. Sometimes, nding a balance between what he wants and what she wants means there is a bit of marriage counseling that goes along with the territory. What do you use your phone for? I use it for everything I can... except texting. I hate texting. The only thing worse than texting is when someone is talking on the phone in the toilet room, which is exactly the time they should be texting. What is your Twitter handle? I am on Twitter less and less these days, but when I am on there, I can be tracked down @bobborson. What work-related apps have you downloaded? I do a lot of photo editing on my phone and my favorite app by far is SnapSeed. Are you on Facebook? Of course! I have a fan page, https://www.facebook.com/lifeofanarchitect, that supports the blog I started writing a few years ago. Whom do you follow on Twitter? I follow anyone who is in the business that follows me, but to keep things manageable, I group people into lists by interests or by how well I know them. After a while, Twitter can become too much background noise, so I had to nd a way to keep an eye on the parts I found most useful to me. Do you have an iPad? Yes, but between my wife and daughter, I rarely get to use it. When I do, I tend to watch videos and look at pictures. A kitchen from Borson’s portfolio How much time during a week do you spend on social media? More time than I really have. In the end, I think I have sacri ced sleep to try and keep up. Probably around ve hours total, including the weekends. Do you have a blog and what kinds of topics do you blog about? I do have a blog. In fact, it’s probably the reason why anybody might know me. I started writing www.LifeofanArchitect.com in early 2010, and it has grown into one of the most traf cked architectural blogs in the world—something I still nd amazing. The topics I cover are all over the place, but I generally try to relate them in some way back to design and architecture. Is this problematic? Not yet, but if my life gets any busier, I will probably have to gure something out. ■ —Alice Liao For the complete interview, go to www.kbbonline.com/Borson. Is there someone you wish would follow you? Honestly, I never really thought about it. Following me on Twitter vs. actually communicating with me on Twitter would be a different experience for someone. I have received a few tweets from some people of note, and despite 24 + K BB November/December 2012 / www.kbbonline.com / The Of cial Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com http://blog.buildllc.com http://blog.buildllc.com https://www.facebook.com/lifeofanarchitect https://www.facebook.com/lifeofanarchitect http://www.LifeofanArchitect.com http://www.kbbonline.com/Borson http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - November/December 2012

KBB - November/December 2012
Contents
Online Contents
Editorial
Show Director’s Note
KBIS Special Section
Web Savvy
Trends
2012 K+BB Product Innovator Awards
Products
Design
Opinion
Ad Index
Favorites

KBB - November/December 2012