Bilinguism in Puerto Rico

Having lived in the Puerto Rico over the past 2 years I can tell you being bilingual in Spanish and English is a true advantage here. While tourists don't need to be fluent in Spanish, I recommend using the few Spanish words you may know. It will open you many doors during your stay and I highly recommend it. But if your plan is to work and communicate with locals on daily basis, you better start brushing off that Spanish.You wont regret it.

Después de vivir 2 años en Puerto Rico, reconozco que saber ambos idiomas Ingles y Español es una gran ventaja aquí. Si vienes como turista, no hay que tener un nivel avanzado de Español, pero haz el intento y te abrirá muchas puertas durante tu estadía. Claro... que si tu meta es vivir y  comunicarte con Puertorriqueños en el día a día, vas a necesitar un poco mas que un nivel básico. Te ayudara inmensamente. 

Old San Juan Viejo San Juan

Dads change diapers too

Last week diaper changing stations were trending when actor and recent new dad Ashton Kutcher mentioned them on his Facebook page... To be more accurate, he was more like venting about the lack of them in men's public restrooms. He was not alone. Thousands liked, shared and commented his post and more articles were wrote in a week about changing stations than ever before (just a wild guess). Some even mentioned how sad it was that a non-architect would bring the issue to the table. 

Last week actor and new dad Ashton Kutcher started the internet conversation about diaper hanging stations.

This is a call for all architects because the consideration and placement of diaper changing stations start with us. We draw them in schematic plans, produce construction specifications and review the shop drawings. There are many things architects design because is just plain common sense, not because it is code-mandated. Perhaps changing stations are not required in your area or by the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction). But if a women's restroom (or toilet for the building code fans) includes a diaper changing station, then the men's restroom should have one too. This common sense logic seems to be a bigger issue in private facilities (ie: offices), as opposed to facilities open to the public (ie: airports, stadiums and alike). 

It is much easier to start adding it on paper rather than after construction is completed. Additional blocking between studs may be needed, or stall areas may be restricting. I know you can draw it. Men also need a safe, sanitary and convenient way to change diapers. 

Times change. Men want to change diapers too.

We are back!

It's been a long time since we last posted here. A few jobs later, a baby, an MBA, and a couple of moves in between and we are in the Caribbean! A fun ride. Technology and webdesign have changed a bit since... 2011? Have you heard of Hootsuite or Buffer? I'll give them a try this week. 

This is a view from the airplane as we are starting to go over the beautiful Caribbean islands.

REVIT Architecture 2012

Revit 2012 has arrived. What's new? At a glance, it seems pretty similar to the 2011 version. Ten minutes into it, you start noticing the upgrades. One of the very first ones to notice: Filled regions can now give you areas! Check this video for a highlight of the main upgrades:

My top 5 upgrades:

1. Customized detail callouts and dimensions.

2. Continuous section lines in zig-zag cuts.

3. Painting and noting in 3D views.

4. Worksharing in colors.

5. And last but not least... many more linked elements are up for tagging and copy-monitoring.

Revit Architecture 2012 has been available since March 2011. Update Releases 1 and 2 came out this June and October, respectively. For more information about these releases, visit Autodesk. For a more comprehensive list of the 2012 upgrades, click here.

Enjoy!

NOMMA

In the railings and metals world, NOMMA is the National Ornamental and Miscellaneous Metals Associations based in GA.

Something that may interest you and that you may have already in some specs are the 4 Joint Finish Categories they have produced:
Joint 1 No evidence of welded joint
Joint 2 Completely sanded joint, some undercutting and pinholes Ok
Joint 3 Partially dressed weld with spatter removed
Joint 4 Good quality, uniform undressed weld with minimal spatter

Needless to say, Joint 1 specifies the best quality weld. For more information, visit NOMMA's website.