What’s news at Sounds Like Design?
The Sounds Like Design blog began in 2016 and since then we’ve covered business development and marketing topics, important policy and regulatory issues that affect the profession, and we’ve featured guest posts from several influential architects.
If you’d like to contribute to the blog about a topic or issue that you are passionate about, or think is important to share with your peers and colleagues, email us with your story idea, suggested images and proposed deadline, and we’ll collaborate to help you tell your story to a wider audience.
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What's missing from design discussions on reality TV shows?
The ArchiTeeam X Sounds Like Design event at Open House Melbourne delves into the role of archtiects on reality TV shows. What’s missing from discussions about design and construction on TV, and how can real-life renovators and homebuilders plug their knowledge gaps, to ensure they are well informed to deliver their own projects smoothly?
Unlocking and explaining the value of your architecture
How can insights from place branding and tourism strategy help you unlock and explain the value of your architectural services to future clients? It’s important to collect data about the ways you’ve helped your clients – or their clients! – unlock new opportunities and potential, and to conduct research about what your customers want and need (which is not always the same thing!).
Then, use those insights to frame marketing messages to appeal to future clients.
How to promote your awards entries across the key architecture marketing channels
It’s time to switch into the post-awards marketing phase for projects that you entered into the Institute’s awards programs this year. Find out how to promote your awards activities across the key architecture marketing channels: referral networks, email, social media and publishing, and your website.
Ready to start counting your architecture practice's carbon footprint?
The new Architects Declare AU ‘Guide to going carbon neutral’ is now available, and it’s a must-have resource for practices that have pledged to go carbon neutral in 2020. It contains info about Greenpower and suggested suppliers; overviews of how to conduct a carbon audit, and providers; and details about how to offset any unavoidable carbon emissions.
What is 'shareable content' and how does it fit into your architecture marketing strategy?
Architects can create shareable content as part of their marketing activities to generate social media buzz. Content that is widely shared by others can put your practice in front of the right people (your ideal clients) and increase your overall brand awareness.
What is Public Relations and how can it help my architecture practice?
Public Relations can help architecture practices to build brand awareness and position themselves as experts, both in the media and among prospective clients. This article explains how architects can incorporate Public Relations techniques into their marketing and communications strategy, and why regular and sustained activity leads to positive results.
To BIM or not to BIM; that is the question
Architect Clinton Cole believes that Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) tools – which measure and reduce embodied energy impacts during the design phase – should be integrated into all design and construction project types, over a certain value threshold. New legislation in New South Wales may usher in these reforms. This article explains the benefits in relation to climate emergency and embodied carbon.
Which Marketing Metrics should you track in your architecture practice?
Are you confused about which Marketing Metrics to track in your architecture practice? This blog post and free spreadsheet tracker will help you work out which of your current activities and channels help you to connect with future clients, and where to spend more time and effort to reach them in future.
Measuring your household carbon footprint? There's an app for that!
Would you like to reduce your environmental footprint? What’s the best way for architects to measure and reduce their carbon emissions, in their practices and business?
What standards should we adopt to go carbon neutral?
What are the Paris targets, and how is Australia tracking to meet them. And how will this affect the Architecture profession?
How are vanguard Architects tackling #ClimateEmergency?
Find out which LCA tool C+C Architectural Workshop recommends, after conducting trials of sustainability, carbon, embodied energy and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software over the past six months.
Welcome to the future!
Kevin McCloud asked: “With climate change, how do we define what is ‘just enough’ for all of us?,” Kevin asked. “And by all of us, I don’t mean us in the room; I mean the 7.5 billion people on the planet… or 15 billion by the end of the century.” And then showed a photo of a house in Sydney… find out which one!
Have you calculated your carbon footprint at home yet?
Lots of Architects Declare signatories have pledged to make their practices carbon neutral this year. but how to do that - is there a map? Find out in this article…
Who is my audience (and how do I connect with them)?
With the threat of #ClimateEmergency - and the need to rethink how and where we rebuild as communities try to recover from devastating bushfires - the world needs the input of Architects more than ever. But are you talking to potential customers in a way they can easily connect with?
What are juries REALLY looking for in Awards entries?
Have you ever tried to distil and define the characteristics that juries are looking for in Awards entries?
Or wondered how you can emphasise those qualities in your entry submissions? I’ve conducted some research into what various architecture juries have been seeking in entries in recent years, and the results may surprise you…
Does your architectural offer speak directly to future clients?
Architects have a lot to offer the world right now - some would say a social responsibility to act in the face of climate emergency - yet the existing ways of communicating those important messages are not currently reaching and resonating with the general public. How might you start to change that?
What is meditation, and how can it help us change the world?
Learning about Buddhism has given me a whole new perspective on life – relationships, parenting, people I know and love (and some I didn’t like so much) and people I’ve never met.
How? Read on…
Architecture Marketing: Scarcity or abundance: which mindset is driving your Architecture practice?
Do you think there are too many architects in practice in Australia? Or are you confident that yours will find work, because there is plenty of work to be found… Find out how your mindset affects your profitability.
Strategy: 24 Things you can do right now to tackle #climateemergency
Are you keen to take action, change the way you practice, and start transitioning towards a carbon-positive economy? Here’s a list of actions and initiatives I put together ahead of the Architects Declare Forum, held last night in Perth.
Is your architecture practice prepared for the post-climate change era?
How your architecture practice prospers – or fails – in the post-climate emergency era will depend on two main factors: a) how well you adapt to the changing market and environment, and b) how well you can communicate your offering to consumers.
What can you do to improve your chances of success?