ArchDaily's Most Useful Articles of All Time

As summer draws to an end and we enter into the last quarter of 2014, we decided to round-up a selection of the most useful articles we've published over the past three years. Ranging from The 40 Architecture Documentaries to Watch in 2014 to The 10 Most Overlooked Women in Architectural History, we've also brought together app guides, career tips, and city guides. Alongside links to open-source CAD files and cut-out people, we've also featured book recommendations, study tips, and links to our complete coverage of some of the world's major architectural events and prizes. Delve into our collection and discover what our readers have found most useful!

40 Architecture Docs to Watch in 2014 / 30 Architecture Docs to Watch in 2013

These curated collections of the best architectural films and documentaries range from the less well known, such as the French film Koolhaas Houselife by Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, to the must-see, such as How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster? by Carlos Carcas and Norberto López Amado. The compilations, built from readers' suggestions, reflect our global search to find the best films out there. Watch out 2015!

40 Architecture Docs to Watch In 2014

The 30 Architecture Docs To Watch In 2013

Top 10 Apps for Architects / Top 10 Technical Apps for Architects

Our popular round-ups of the best digital apps for architects bring together a range of what we deem to be the most useful, groundbreaking, or well designed applications for iOS and Android. Whereas app versions of larger software packages - such as iRhino3D or AutoCAD 360 - are often featured, our lists are increasingly being filled by independently coded sketching packages, such as those offered by the Morpholio Project. Although the majority of apps we feature are designed solely for iOS, we're increasingly seeing a wider range of apps available for other platforms, such as Android and the Windows Phone OS.

Top 10 Technical Apps for Architects

Top 10 Apps for Architects

Free CAD Files of 241 Major Cities / Download Free Images of People for Your Renders

If you're stuck against a tight deadline and need some people cut-outs for a killer render, SKALGUBBER is undoubtedly the best place to look. Frustrated that cut out people were so difficult to find, Teodor Javanaud Emdén decided to create a vast, free resource to make every designers' life a little easier. In the same vein Brandon Liu, a Software Developer from San Francisco, discovered a way of using data from OpenStreetMap to create .DXF CAD files of 241 major cities worldwide. We all owe them both a debt of thanks!

SKALGUBBAR: Download Free Images of People for Your Renders

Free CAD Files of 241 Major World Cities

33 Book Recommendations From Architects and Designers

Even though many argue that architects and designers "never have time to read" this article, curated by ArchitectureBoston, may just remind you of the importance of burying yourself in an architectural tome from time to time. Featuring contemporary texts by the likes of and Justin McGuirk, this collection also resurfaces some of the books that have shaped architectural thinking. Italian Cities by Italo Calvino, and Delirious New York by Rem Koolhaas, are among those recommended to get (re)aquainted with.

Shelf Life: 33 Book Recommendations From Architects & Designers

Work / Life / Work Balance by Andrew Maynard

Maintaining a healthy work / life balance can be difficult in many careers but architecture, perhaps, takes the crown. Maynard's article explores the potential roots of the problem and offers advice on how to rectify an unhealthy imbalance. Citing working overtime as one of the biggest problems facing architects in offices of all sizes, he offers nine reasons why - in most cases - it's a futile exercise.

Work/life/work balance by Andrew Maynard

10 Things They Don't Teach You in Architecture School / 101 Things I Didn't Learn in Architecture School by Guy Horton & Sherin Wing

Horton and Wing's 101 things they didn't learn in school examines some of the biggest culture shocks in the transition from an educational environment to the workplace. Some of our favourites include:

  • 6] All eating habits and diets acquired during school should be jettisoned.
  • 9] It’s architecture, not medicine. You can take a break and no one will die.
  • 34] Don’t dress like an intern. See 72.
  • 72] Make sure your jeans are up-to-date. No acid-wash. No baggy.

Linda Bennett's 10 Things They Don't Teach You in Architecture School offers more concise, in-depth advice. You can also see Europe's Top 100 Schools of Architecture and Design.

The Indicator: 101 Things I Didn't Learn in Architecture School

10 Things They Don't Teach You in Architecture School

Top 300 US Architecture Firms (2014)

Architectural Record's comprehensive list of the top three hundred practices in the US based on revenue makes for an interesting read. Although net income is never an accurate indicator for quality, you may think that some of the offices named are misplaced. However, if you'd like to join a leading architecture firm then this list is the place to look.

Top 300 US Architecture Firms

Searching for a job in architecture? 10 Things You Need To Know...

Linda Bennett returns to offer ten things every prospective architect should know when searching for a job. Her list, covering the absolute essentials in the job hunt, is also interspersed by her personal experiences and the lessons learnt. For this reason, it is an incredibly valuable resource for job-hunters.

Searching for a Job in Architecture? 10 Things You Need to Know...

The 10 Most Inspirational TED Talks for Architects

From Thomas Heatherwick on Building the Seed Cathedral to Bjarke Ingels discussing 3 Warp-Speed Architecture Tales, our round-up of what we feel are the ten most inspirational architecture-related talks on TED have proved popular. If you're having a particularly stressful day at work or have a deadline approaching, take five minutes out to be absorbed by the words of some of the most significant architects of our time.

The 10 Most Inspirational TED Talks for Architects

The 10 Most Overlooked Women in Architectural History

Looking back on architectural history, you could be forgiven for thinking that women were an invention of the 1950’s, alongside spandex and power steering. In honour of International Woman’s Day 2013, we took a look at the the greatest overlooked women in architectural history. From Chilean architect Sophia Hayden Bennett to Charlotte Perriand (the women Le Corbusier refused to employ), this fascinating round up will certainly introduce new names to your perception of the Architects Canon.

The 10 Most Overlooked Women in Architecture History

12 Classic Koolhaas Quotes

Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch figurehead of Rotterdam-based practice OMA and curator of the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, has been a vocal practicing architect and academic for many years. We brought together some of his most widely recognised quotations on thinking, writing, and working.

12 Classic Koolhaas Quotes

ArchDaily City Guides

If you're heading for a city break, moving abroad for work or study, or simply fascinated by international architecture, the ArchDaily City Guides point out some the most significant (and often hidden) architectural gems. We've covered over fifty cities so far, including Rome, London, Paris and Amsterdam, to Tel Aviv, Singapore, Tokyo and Miami. The list is still growing!

ArchDaily invests in consistent, high quality coverage of major international architectural events. Discover our constantly updated archives of the Mies van der Rohe Award, the Pritzker Prize and our comprehensive coverage of the Venice Biennale. You can also check out the results of the 2014 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards.

You can see the 20 most visited ArchDaily projects of all time here.

About this author
Cite: James Taylor-Foster. "ArchDaily's Most Useful Articles of All Time" 08 Sep 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/544867/archdaily-s-most-useful-articles-of-all-time> ISSN 0719-8884

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